Synopses & Reviews
This text provides an accessible overview of the crusades and medieval crusading activity. It spans almost 200 years, from the launching of the First Crusade in 1095 by Pope Urban II to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim rule, through the defending of the Holy Land and later crusades from the West.
Synopsis
This brief but comprehensive excursion into the history of the Crusades from 1095 to 1291, discusses how the crusading movement was launched to liberate the Holy Places of the Middle East, why it became so popular, and the cosmopolitan society of the crusader kingdom of Jerusalem and the challenges it faced. The author, a professor emeritus of history and the author of many books on medieval history, concludes with a brief account of the long term effects the Crusades had on Western society.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-106) and index.
Table of Contents
v. 1. Pilgrims in arms -- v. 2. Jerusalem -- v. 3. Jihad -- v. 4. Destruction.