Why did the Crusaders consider Druze to be Muslims, but not the Alawites?

[Haider]

Both significantly shift away from Sunni Orthodoxy. Alawites could be described as a Shia-Christian blend, and Druze as a Shia-Gnostic/Neoplatonic blend. So I think the Crusaders only took the Christian aspects of Alawites into consideration when classifying them as non-Muslims, but not the non-Islamic aspects of Druzes.

But it's worth mentioning that Alawites were very welcoming to the Crusaders and became their greatest collaborators, while the Druzes fought fiercely against them since the beginning.

[Sean-Jobst]

Both significantly shift away from Sunni Orthodoxy. Alawites could be described as a Shia-Christian blend, and Druze as a Shia-Gnostic/Neoplatonic blend. So I think the Crusaders only took the Christian aspects of Alawites into consideration when classifying them as non-Muslims, but not the non-Islamic aspects of Druzes.
But it's worth mentioning that Alawites were very welcoming to the Crusaders and became their greatest collaborators, while the Druzes fought fiercely against them since the beginning.

Interesting. I didn't know they made such a distinction. Perhaps another reason might be social and political. The Alawites being along the coasts, were more of a mercantile people and politically more at odds with the Islamic powers there. The Druze, being more isolated in their mountains, had more autonomy within their section of Lebanon and Jawlan Heights. Maybe therefore the Alawites saw Crusaders more as allies (and vice versa) while the Druze merely saw them as more outsiders?

[StonyArabia]

Any proof or sources?

[Haider]

Interesting. I didn't know they made such a distinction. Perhaps another reason might be social and political. The Alawites being along the coasts, were more of a mercantile people and politically more at odds with the Islamic powers there. The Druze, being more isolated in their mountains, had more autonomy within their section of Lebanon and Jawlan Heights. Maybe therefore the Alawites saw Crusaders more as allies (and vice versa) while the Druze merely saw them as more outsiders?

Also Alawites share a lot in common with Christians. Some even claim they were originally Christians and became slightly Islamized. Druzes on the other hand have a record of extreme persecution of Christians.

[StonyArabia]

Also Alawites share a lot in common with Christians. Some even claim they were originally Christians and became slightly Islamized. Druzes on the other hand have a record of extreme persecution of Christians.

Yes it's true that the Druze had significant wars with Christians, but do you have proof or sources about the Alwaites? Since some claim that the Alwaites practice ancient Iranian tradition that mixed with shia Islam and Christianity. The Alevis of Turkey originated as a Sufi Shia military order , and were present in Iran before conversion to mainstream 12er shiaism, they mixed their believes with Iranian, Turkish folk believes, shia Islam and various Christian elements. Of course Alevis differ from Alwaites in significant manner.

[Sacrificed Ram]

Resume:

Alawites were rich merchants that gives a lot of resources for crusaders, while druzes were poor mountaineers. Also by much less reasons crusaders acused a lot of eastern christians as heretical to steal them.