Description
At the instructor’s request, we have canceled the April 3 session of this class. The class will take place on April 10 and April 24.
The series of Crusades carried out by Western European armies against Muslim forces in the Holy Land were a defining period in medieval history. For the first time, the Western soldiers were exposed to a culture far different from their own; and the clash of cultures, as well as the fierce battles over lands and cities, would change Europe’s outlook in many surprising ways. This two-part course looks at the origins of the Crusading movement, and the conduct of the main military operations, many of which have been frequently written about in Europe. But we also examine alternative perspectives, including comments by Muslim writers about the same events. And we will view the effects of the Crusades in wider social, economic, territorial, and scientific aspects as well.
