Already during the Muddle Ages, the Oud was finding its way toward Europe,with the returning crusaders as well as through Spain in the West and Byzantium in the East. Troubadours, musicians and wandering singers tool up the instrument to accompany their singing. Not until the sixteenth century. However, did the popularity of the lute reach its peak? All the Europe names for the instrument-laut, alaude, laud, luth, liuto, and the lute- can be derived from Arabic word al- Oud, calling to mind the Golden Age that this essentially Arabian instrument experienced in the west