The baptism of a "pagan" king in medieval crusade epics - Portraying the Muslim adversary as pagan idolater in the writings of 13th-century Western chroniclers

Why do medieval crusade epics and chronicles portray Muslim adversaries as pagan idolaters? Kerbogha, atabeg of Mosul, was routed outside of Antioch i n June 1098. Western chroniclers present him as Corbaran, a pagan king who curse his idols for failing to secure victory for him. The Chretiente Corba ran goes further: it has him convert to Christianity, destroy the idols he once worshiped, and fight his former suzerain, the "Caliph of Paganism." At the end of the thirteenth century, in spite of the failure of the crusades , the anonymous poet dreams of converting a powerful enemy. History, it see ms, repeats itself: Muslim rulers are cast in the familiar guise of pagan k ings who(as potential new Constantines) might convert and come to the aid o f an embattled Christendom.