Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
"The Crusades, as Zoe Oldenbourg describes them, were not simply a religious phenomenon, nor were they motivated by pure aggression. They were the result of an emotional climate which led people from all walks of life - rich and poor, saints and sinners - to leave their homes and follow the unattainable ideal of a heavenly Jerusalem here on earth." "Zoe Oldenbourg evokes the whole structure of feudal society and reveals the remarkable vitality and ingenuity of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, one of the more sophisticated achievements of the Middle Ages." "Peopled with the great personalities behind the Crusades - Bohemond, Tancred, Peter the Hermit, Godfrey of Bouillon, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin."--BOOK JACKET.Synopsis
Born amid immense suffering and bloodshed, the Kingdom of Jerusalem remained a battlefield for almost 200 years. The Crusades gave rise to the Military Orders of the Templars and Hospitallers, and were a backdrop to the careers of some of history's most famous leaders including Richard 'The Lionheart' and Saladin. On occasion the savagery of the Crusaders left their opponents reeling, creating frictions that survived for more than 700 years. At the same time, as this book lavishly illustrates, art, architecture and learning all benefited from new knowledge the Crusaders brought back from the East.
Booknews
This lavishly illustrated mini-text introduces readers to the hundreds of years of conflict commonly known in Western history as the Crusades. The author (affiliation unknown) details topics such as who the warring sides were and how certain battles played out, as well as providing portraits of foot soldiers and civilians involved at a variety of levels in the conflicts. Color and b&w photographs, maps, and drawings highlight both the details of some of the campaigns and the rich artistic and architectural heritage of the period. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)