'Wonderfully written and characteristically brilliant' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads 'Elegant, readable ... an impressive synthesis ... Not many historians could have done it' - Jonathan Sumption, Spectator 'Tyerman's book is fascinating not just for what it has to tell us about the Crusades, but for the mirror it holds up to today's religious extremism' - Tom Holland, Spectator Thousands left their homelands in the Middle Ages to fight wars abroad. But how did the Crusades actually happen? From recruitment propaganda to raising money, ships to siege engines, medicine to the power of prayer, this vivid, surprising history shows holy war - and medieval society - in a new light.
Discover The Truth About The Crusades - The Military Campaigns, The Cultural Impact And The Legacy Of Centuries-Long Disputes On Society Today Crusades Is An Authoritative And Compelling Text Written By A Team Of Specialist Historians. It Focuses Principally On The Struggle In The Holy Land Between Christendom And Islam, But Also Examines The Smaller-Scale European Campaigns Directed Against Heretics In France, Central Europe And The Baltic, And The Wars Of Reconquest In Spain. Crusades Not Only Provides A Chronological Narrative Of All The Major Campaigns, But Also Looks At The Complex Background To Events - Including The Divisions Between The Major Religions And, Just As Importantly, Within Them. Throughout The Text, The Cultural Impact Of The Crusades On Society Today Is Made Evident Due To The Interaction Of Peoples Through Trade, Science, Art And Philosophy. Beautifully Illustrated Throughout, Crusades Brings History Vividly To Life. Anyone Who Wishes To Probe The Historical Roots Of 21st -Century Tensions Between Islam And The West, Or Simply To Learn About One Of The Most Fascinating Phenomena Of The Middle Ages, Will Find This Book Endlessly Informative And Compelling.
Set against a vivid backdrop of ancient lands and mighty fortresses, 30 ready-to-color pictures of the Crusades depict fierce battles, courageous leaders, and the fall of magnificent cities.
Crusading fervor gripped Europe for more than 200 years, creating one of the most extraordinary episodes in world history. But were the Crusades the first steps in European colonialism, an attempt at ethnic cleansing, a manifestation of religious zeal--or all three? Bringing together issues of colonialism, cultural exchange, and economic exploitation, scholar Christopher Tyerman challenges our assumptions about the Crusades and encourages us to re-evaluate the relationship between past and present.
A concise history of the crusades - whose chief goal was the liberation and preservation of the 'holy places' of the middle east - from the first calls to arms in the later twelfth century to the fall of the last crusader strongholds in Syria and Palestine in 1291. This is the ideal introductory textbook for all students of the crusades. Professor Richard considers the consequences of the crusades, such as the establishment of the Latin east, and its organisation into a group of feudal states, as well as crusading contacts with the Muslim world, eastern Christians, Byzantines, and Mongols. Also considered are the organisation of expeditions, the financing of such expeditionary forces, and the organisation of operations and supply. Jean Richard is one of the world's great crusader historians and this work, the distillation of over forty years' research and contemplation, is the only one of its kind in English.
"Pulls off the enviable feat of summing up seven centuries of religious warfare in a crisp 309 pages of text."--Dennis Drabelle, Washington Post Book World In this authoritative work, Jonathan Riley-Smith provides the definitive account of the Crusades: an account of the theology of violence behind the Crusades, the major Crusades, the experience of crusading, and the crusaders themselves. With a wealth of fascinating detail, Riley-Smith brings to life these stirring expeditions to the Holy Land and the politics and personalities behind them. This new edition includes revisions throughout as well as a new Preface and Afterword in which Jonathan Riley-Smith surveys recent developments in the field and examines responses to the Crusades in different periods, from the Romantics to the Islamic world today. From reviews of the first edition: "Everything is here: the crusades to the Holy Land, and against the Albigensians, the Moors, the pagans in Eastern Europe, the Turks, and the enemies of the popes. Riley-Smith writes a beautiful, lucid prose, . . . [and his book] is packed with facts and action."--Choice "A concise, clearly written synthesis . . . by one of the leading historians of the crusading movement. "--Robert S. Gottfried, Historian "A lively and flowing narrative [with] an enormous cast of characters that is not a mere catalog but a history. . . . A remarkable achievement."--Thomas E. Morrissey, Church History "Superb."--Reuven S. Avi-Yonah, Speculum "A first-rate one-volume survey of the Crusading movement from 1074 . . . to 1798."--Southwest Catholic
Claiming that many in the West lack a thorough understanding of crusading, Jonathan Riley-Smith explains why and where the Crusades were fought, identifies their architects, and shows how deeply their language and imagery were embedded in popular Catholic thought and devotional life.