What Were the Crusades? - Softcover

Riley-Smith, Jonathan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 158617360X ISBN 13: 9781586173609

Publisher: Ignatius Pr, 2009

Synopsis

Few attempts had been made to define 'the crusade' before this book was first published in 1977. Since then, a number of historians have built on Jonathan Riley-Smith's original conclusions. Now in its fourth edition, this classic starting point for the study of the crusading movement has been updated to take into account the latest developments in the field.

What Were the Crusades?

• elucidates key ideas and institutions which have been neglected in the past
• demonstrates, through the analysis of European campaigns, that the movement was not confined to expeditions launched to recover the Holy Land - or to defend the Christian presence there - and shows that it continued, in one form or another, into the eighteenth century and perhaps beyond
• draws attention to the increasing interest of historians in the motivation of crusaders
• now includes material on a child crusader and concludes with a short discussion of the current effects of aggressive Pan-Islamism
• features a new map illustrating the different theatres of war

  Original in its conception, this essential guide is a contribution of major importance to crusading scholarship. In its clear and concise treatment of the issues, it remains an unequalled introduction to the subject for students and general readers alike.

About this title

Review

'An indispensable short introduction to a vast subject'
- Professor Thomas Madden, St Louis University, USA 'None of the growing number of rather good general books on the Crusades performs the same service in anything like the same measure as Riley-Smith's; no bibliography for an undergraduate course can afford to dispense with this book.' - Professor Peter Jackson, Keele University, UK
'None of the growing number of rather good general books on the Crusades performs the same service in anything like the same measure as Riley-Smith's; no bibliography for an undergraduate course can afford to dispense with this book.' - Professor Peter Jackson, Keele University, UK
'An indispensable short introduction to a vast subject
- Professor Thomas Madden, St Louis University, USA

Book Description

A new updated edition of a classic introduction to the crusades, widely-regarded as one of the best short studies in the field, by a leading international authority on the subject

Edition details

• Publisher: Ignatius Pr
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 158617360X
• ISBN 13: 9781586173609
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 117