Sarras is a city near Egypt mostly mentioned in the Vulgate Quest and in the Estoire del Saint Graal. According to both Sarras was the city from which the Saracens were named, which makes it identical to the unlocated Saraka from which the historical Saracens were said to be named.
Location[]
In the Vulgate Quest Sarras appears in many flashbacks to the time of Joseph of Arimathea, without revealing more than that Sarras is close to Egypt. Then when Galahad, Perceval, and Bohort of Gaunes carry the Grail to the east in the Ship of Solomon, it turns out that Sarras is their ultimate destination and that Sarras is a seacoast city where they disembark with the Grail.
After the deaths of Galahad and Perceval according to the text (as translated by E. Jane Burns, changes in square brackets):
When [Bohort] saw that he remained alone in the distant lands of the kingdom of Babylon, he left Sarras in full armor, went to the sea, and boarded a ship.
Assuming that Babylon refers to Cairo as is normal in medieval texts, this confirms previous indications that Sarras is near Egypt.
According to the Estoire, Joseph of Arimathea and his companions, as translated by Carol J. Chase:
…set out on their way, traveling until they arrived at a city called Sarras, between Babylon and Salamandre.
He also by Babylon probably means Cairo, but Salamandre is unknown.
Some Name Variations[]
LATIN: Saraka; FRENCH: Sarras, Sarraz, Sarrace; ENGLISH: Sarras, Sara.