originating in the Persian domain, this kind of handbook flourished particularly in Syria and Egypt in the ambit of the Crusades, becoming a kind of encyclopaedia.Indispensable for any well-connected important man at the time, it was required reading for the Mamluk élite, who were trained from infancy in special schools of horsemanship, The game of polo, illustrated here, was one of the best-loved sports of the 'young lions' of the time.