Talk:Saracens/@comment-86.108.58.111-20200218163449/@comment-34254290-20200218165014

Yes they did, but it entirely depended on each archer desires. Some picked up crossbows from battles and hoarded bolts, then self taught themselves. Some got crossbows but decided to stick with weapons they were familiar with. Never did they mass equipped any army with crossbow, as Arabs back then didn't like it, considered crossbow a foreign weapon used by the invasive Crusaders. Except Mamluk. They liked crossbow and had crossbow cavalry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_crossbows#/media/File:12th_century_Mamluk_knight_with_a_crossbow.jpg

https://historum.com/threads/a-mamluk-manual-of-military-practice-and-horsemanship-egypt-or-syria-1470.64501/

https://historum.com/threads/ayyubid-mounted-crossbowmen.99084/