In one paragraph, compare and contrast the similarities and differences found in the two accounts, and explain which account is more reliable.Use reasons and evidence from the readings to support your claim.

Answer:

Both accounts describe the Franks killing many Muslims during the capture of Jerusalem, including people who had taken refuge in religious sites. However, they differ in important details: Ibn al-Athir reports that more than 70,000 people were killed at al-Aqsa and says the Franks honored a surrender agreement with people in the Tower of David, while Fulcher estimates almost 10,000 killed in the Temple of Solomon and says no one, including women and children, was spared. Fulcher’s account may be somewhat more reliable because he wrote from the Crusader side and was closer to the events, while Ibn al-Athir wrote later. Still, both accounts may be biased, and their very different death tolls mean neither number should be accepted uncritically.