Firouz

Who is Firouz?

Firouz was a wealthy Armenian Christian convert to Islam and armor maker who held a high post in Yaghi-Siyan's Seljuk Turkish government during the Crusades. Notably, he also served as a spy for Bohemund during the Siege of Antioch. Bohemund had offered Firouz riches and safety guarantees in return for his assistance. Firouz was disgruntled with his position in Yaghi-Siyan's government, because he had been recently fined and his wife seduced by a senior Turkish officer. On June 3, 1098, Firouz, unsatisfied with his commanding officer, hung a rope ladder for Bohemund's men who subsequently climbed up into the city and opened its gates. Allowing the crusaders into the city, the local Armenians joined in the massacring of the Turks.