Jonathan Phillips

'Superbly researched and enormously entertaining .. one of the outstanding books of the year' The Times An epic story of empire-building and bloody conflict, this ground-breaking biography of one of history's most venerated military and religious heroes opens a window on the Islamic and Christian worlds' complex relationship. When Saladin recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187, returning the Holy City to Islamic rule for the first time in almost ninety years, he sent shockwaves throughout Christian Europe and the Muslim Near East that reverberate today. It was the culmination of a supremely exciting life, fraught with challenges and contradictions but blessed occasionally with marvellous good fortune. Born into a significant Kurdish family in northern Iraq, Saladin shot to power in faraway Egypt thanks to the tutelage of his uncle. Over two decades, this warrior and diplomat fought under the banner of jihad, but at the same time worked tirelessly to build an immense dynastic empire that stretched from North Africa to Western Iraq. Gathering together a turbulent and diverse coalition he was able to capture Jerusalem, only to trigger the Third Crusade and face his greatest adversary, King Richard the Lionheart. Drawing on a rich blend of Arabic and European sources, this is a comprehensive account of both the man and the legend to which he gave birth, describing vividly the relentless action of his life and then tracing its aftermath through culture and politics all the way to the present day. It reveals the personal qualities that explain his enduring reputation as a man of faith, generosity, mercy and justice, even while showing him to be capable of mistakes, self-interest and cruelty. After Saladin's death, it goes on to explain how in the West this Sunni Muslim became famed for his charm and chivalric virtue, while across much of the Islamic world he stands as one of history's greatest heroes, an inspiration to be admired and emulated. The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin shows how this one man's life takes us beyond the crude stereotypes of the 'Clash of Civilisations' even while his legacy helps explain them- an intimate portrait of a towering figure of world history that is thrillingly relevant today.

The Life and the Legend of the Sultan Saladin

In his remarkable book, Jonathan Phillips explores the conflict of ideas, beliefs and cultures and shows both the contradictions and diversity of holy war. He draws on contemporary writings - on chronicles, songs, sermons, travel diaries and peace treaties - to throw a brilliant new light on people and events we thought we knew well. Although the notion of fighting for one's faith fell into disrepute in the Enlightenment, Phillips traces the crusading impulse from the bloody conquest of Jerusalem in the First Crusade and the titanic struggle between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin up to the present day - to George W. Bush's characterisation of the war on terrorism as a crusade.

A Modern History of the Crusades

Holy Warriors

Jonathan Riley-Smith

Benjamin Z. Kedar

Crusades covers seven hundred years from the First Crusade (1095-1102) to the fall of Malta (1798) and draws together scholars working on theatres of war, their home fronts and settlements from the Baltic to Africa and from Spain to the Near East and on theology, law, literature, art, numismatics and economic, social, political and military history. Routledge publishes this journal for The Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. Particular attention is given to the publication of historical sources in all relevant languages - narrative, homiletic and documentary - in trustworthy editions, but studies and interpretative essays are welcomed too. Crusades appears in both print and online editions. Volume 8 begins with Adrian J. Boas and Aren M. Maeir on the Frankish Castle of Blanche Garde and the Medieval and Modern Village of Tell es-Safi in the light of recent discoveries.

Volume 8

Crusades

The idea of the crusade remains a potent one. In this compelling account, Jonathan Phillips moves away from modern constructs and possible misconceptions of the crusades, to explore the origins and development of the idea in its historical context. Through a mixture of narrative and thematic chapters, the book provides both an outline of key events and issues in the history of the crusades to the Holy Land, and an insight into new areas of research. Supporting documents include letters, charters, poetry, songs and art. An intriguing subject brought vividly to life.

The Crusades 1095-1197

a modern history of the crusades

Holy warriors

Vengono scritte e pubblicate di continuo ‘nuove' storie delle crociate che, poi, alla lettura, si rivelano vecchie. Questa, finalmente, non è una ‘nuova storia delle crociate'. È una storia delle crociate nuova. Ce n'era bisogno.Franco Cardini Basta dire crociate e tutti pensano subito a cristiani contro musulmani. A brutalità, rapacità, onore, cavalleria. Un'altra realtà si nasconde invece dietro questi stereotipi. Questa è una storia avvincente che ha come protagonisti Riccardo Cuor di Leone e Saladino, Melisenda, l'astuta regina di Gerusalemme, e il fiero predicatore al-Sulami. Ma anche l'imperatore scomunicato del Sacro Romano Impero, Federico II, ed Enrico di Bolingbroke che anni prima di diventare Enrico IV d'Inghilterra, spietato e paranoico, agì come un pellegrino e come un ‘santo guerriero'. Ma è anche la storia delle tante pulsioni che spingevano ad andare in battaglia: per Dio e per la fede, per il senso del dovere, per la brama di terra e di denaro, per il desiderio di tener alto l'onore e lo spirito di famiglia o anche solo per il brivido dell'avventura.Questo è un racconto di conflitti e avventure, di protagonisti famosi e di persone comuni. Di Riccardo Cuor di Leone e del Saladino, di Melisenda, l'astuta regina di Gerusalemme che incuteva timore a tutti, e del fiero predicatore al-Sulami. Dell'imperatore scomunicato del Sacro Romano Impero, Federico II, e di Enrico di Bolingbroke che anni prima di diventare Enrico IV d'Inghilterra, spietato e paranoico, agì come un pellegrino e come un 'santo guerriero'.È una storia meravigliosamente narrata, un intreccio appassionante di testimonianze diverse, dagli inni e i sermoni ai diari di viaggio, dalle lettere e i documenti finanziari ai trattati di pace.Leggendola scopriremo per la prima volta che nel corso del tempo le crociate sono state lanciate non soltanto contro i musulmani nel Medio Oriente, ma anche contro gli eretici, i nemici politici del papato, i mongoli, le tribù pagane del Nord Europa. Scopriremo inedite amicizie e alleanze, i trionfi della diplomazia anziché della spada, le jihad proclamate contro i musulmani e i tanti motivi per andare in battaglia. Per Dio e per la fede, per il senso del dovere, per la brama di terra e di denaro, per il desiderio di tener alto l'onore e lo spirito di famiglia o anche solo per il brivido dell'avventura.

La straordinaria storia delle crociate

Sacri guerrieri

Crusades covers seven hundred years from the First Crusade (1095-1102) to the fall of Malta (1798) and draws together scholars working on theatres of war, their home fronts and settlements from the Baltic to Africa and from Spain to the Near East and on theology, law, literature, art, numismatics and economic, social, political and military history. Routledge publishes this journal for The Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. Particular attention is given to the publication of historical sources in all relevant languages - narrative, homiletic and documentary - in trustworthy editions, but studies and interpretative essays are welcomed too. Crusades appears in both print and online editions. Peter W. Edbury again features in an issue of Crusades, this time with his piece on The French translation of William of Tyre's Historia: the manuscript tradition.

In April 1204, the armies of Western Christendom wrote another bloodstained chapter in the history of holy war. Two years earlier, aflame with religious zeal, the Fourth Crusade set out to free Jerusalem from the grip of Islam. But after a dramatic series of events, the crusaders turned their weapons against the Christian city of Constantinople, the heart of the Byzantine Empire and the greatest metropolis in the known world. The crusaders spared no one in their savagery: they murdered and raped old and young - they desecrated churches, plundered treasuries and much of the city was put to the torch. Some contemporaries were delighted: God had approved this punishment of the effeminate, treacherous Greeks; others expressed shock and disgust at this perversion of the crusading ideal. History has judged this as the crusade that went wrong. In this remarkable new assessment of the Fourth Crusade, Jonathan Phillips follows the fortunes of the leading players and explores the conflicting motives that drove the expedition to commit the most infamous massacre of the crusading movement.

And the Sack of Constantinople

The Fourth Crusade

Crusades covers seven hundred years from the First Crusade (1095-1102) to the fall of Malta (1798) and draws together scholars working on theatres of war, their home fronts and settlements from the Baltic to Africa and from Spain to the Near East and on theology, law, literature, art, numismatics and economic, social, political and military history. Routledge publishes this journal for The Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. Particular attention is given to the publication of historical sources in all relevant languages - narrative, homiletic and documentary - in trustworthy editions, but studies and interpretative essays are welcomed too. Crusades appears in both print and online editions. This first edition of the journal includes contributions from Jonathan Riley-Smith refecting on the number of knights who participated in the First Crusade and the number of casualties and Peter W. Edbury on Fiefs and Vassals in the Kingdom of Jerusalem: from the Twelfth Century to the Thirteenth.

An engaging biography that offers a new perspective on one of the most influential figures of the Crusades In 1187, Saladin marched triumphantly into Jerusalem, ending decades of struggle against the Christians and reclaiming the holy city for Islam. Four years later he fought off the armies of the Third Crusade, which were commanded by Europe's leading monarchs. A fierce warrior and savvy diplomat, Saladin's unparalleled courtesy, justice, generosity, and mercy were revered by both his fellow Muslims and his Christian rivals such as Richard the Lionheart. Combining thorough research with vivid storytelling, Jonathan Phillips offers a fresh and captivating look at the triumphs, failures, and contradictions of one of the Crusades' most unique figures. Bringing the vibrant world of the twelfth century to life, this book also explores Saladin's complicated legacy, examining the ways Saladin has been invoked in the modern age by Arab and Muslim leaders ranging from Nasser in Egypt, Asad in Syria, and Saddam Hussein in Iraq to Osama bin Laden, as well as his huge appeal across popular culture in books, drama, and music.

The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin

Crusades covers seven hundred years from the First Crusade (1095-1102) to the fall of Malta (1798) and draws together scholars working on theatres of war, their home fronts and settlements from the Baltic to Africa and from Spain to the Near East and on theology, law, literature, art, numismatics and economic, social, political and military history. Routledge publishes this journal for The Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. Particular attention is given to the publication of historical sources in all relevant languages - narrative, homiletic and documentary - in trustworthy editions, but studies and interpretative essays are welcomed too. Crusades appears in both print and online editions.

The Second Crusade (1145-1149) was an extraordinarily bold attempt to overcome unbelievers on no less than three fronts. Crusader armies set out to defeat Muslims in the Holy Land and in Iberia as well as pagans in northeastern Europe. But, to the shock and dismay of a society raised on the triumphant legacy of the First Crusade, only in Iberia did they achieve any success. This book, the first in 140 years devoted to the Second Crusade, fills a major gap in our understanding of the Crusades and their importance in medieval European history. Historian Jonathan Phillips draws on the latest developments in Crusade studies to cast new light on the origins, planning, and execution of the Second Crusade, some of its more radical intentions, and its unprecedented ambition. With original insights into the legacy of the First Crusade and the roles of Pope Eugenius III and King Conrad III of Germany, Phillips offers the definitive work on this neglected Crusade that, despite its failed objectives, exerted a profound impact across Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.

Extending the Frontiers of Christendom

The Second Crusade

'Superbly researched and enormously entertaining... One of the outstanding books of the year' The Times An epic story of empire-building and bloody conflict, this ground-breaking biography of one of history’s most venerated military and religious heroes opens a window on the Islamic and Christian worlds’ complex relationship. WINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE When Saladin recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187, returning the Holy City to Islamic rule, he sent shockwaves throughout Christian Europe and the Muslim Near East that reverberate today. It was the culmination of a supremely exciting life. Born into a significant Kurdish family in northern Iraq, this warrior and diplomat fought under the banner of jihad, but at the same time worked tirelessly to build an empire that stretched from North Africa to Western Iraq. Gathering together a turbulent coalition, he was able to capture Jerusalem, only to trigger the Third Crusade and face his greatest adversary, King Richard the Lionheart. Drawing on a rich blend of Arabic and European sources, this is a comprehensive account of both the man and the legend to which he gave birth, describing vividly the relentless action of his life and tracing its aftermath through culture and politics all the way to the present day. 'An authoritative and brilliantly told account of the life of one of the world's greatest – and most famous – military leaders' Peter Frankopan

Crusades covers the seven hundred years from the First Crusade (1095-1102) to the fall of Malta (1798) and draws together scholars working on theatres of war, their home fronts and settlements from the Baltic to Africa and from Spain to the Near East and on theology, law, literature, art, numismatics and economic, social, political and military history. Routledge publishes this journal for The Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. Particular attention is given to the publication of historical sources - narrative, homiletic and documentary - but studies and interpretative essays are welcomed too. Crusades also incorporates the Society's Bulletin. The editors are Professor Benjamin Z. Kedar, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Professor Jonathan Phillips, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK; Nikolaos G. Chrissis, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece; and Iris Shagrir, The Open University of Israel.

Jonathan Phillips

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