👉 Saracen was a term used to describe an Arab nobleman who was taken prisoner by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century. The term came from the Arabic word "sar" meaning "to take," and "cenic" meaning "captured." Saracens were originally from the Arabian Peninsula and had been Muslim converts, but they were taken captive by the Byzantines. They became part of the Byzantine Empire, where they lived under various empires until they were