What were the Crusades? Were they a series of battles that pitted European Christians against Muslims for control of the Holy Land, or was there something deeper, something more significant beneath the violence? This A-to-Z encyclopedia explores the phenomenon of the Crusades in all of its complexity, ranging from the classic numbered crusades in the Middle East to the Reconquista in Spain, and from the Baltic Crusades to the crusades against Albigensian heretics in France. The Crusades marked a violent interaction between cultures. This book includes not only European leaders and themes but also biographical portraits of Islamic leaders and topics related to Islamic culture. And although men dominated the Crusades, women also played important roles. Their contributions are examined. This is the most up-to-date reference source available, reflecting the most recent scholarship in the field. More than 200 entries are extensively cross-referenced, and many provide additional readings, including accessible primary sources. Nearly 100 photos and six maps accompany the text. A bibliographic essay leads readers to the most useful and important works in the field, while an appendix of major crusades, events, and figures helps readers put the era into perspective. This invaluable tool gives students, researchers, and general readers all they need to begin their own exploration of this fascinating time of intercultural conflict--one which continues to reverberate in today's world.

"This brief, provocative, and accessible book offers snapshots of seven pernicious myths in military history that have been perpetrated on unsuspecting students, readers, moviegoers, game players, and politicians. It promotes awareness of how myths are created by 'the spurious misuse and ignorance of history' and how misleading ideas about a military problem, as in asymmetric warfare, can lead to misguided solutions. "Both scholarly and engaging, this book is an ideal addition to military history and historical methodology courses. In fact, it could be fruitfully used in any course that teaches critical thinking skills, including courses outside the discipline of history. Military history has a broad appeal to students, and there's something here for everyone. From the so-called 'Western Way of War' to its sister-myth, technological determinism, to the 'academic party game' of once-faddish 'Military Revolutions,' the book shows that while myths about history may be fun, myth busting is the most fun of all." -Reina Pennington, Norwich University

"This book explores settler colonial genocides in a global perspective and over the long duree. It does so systematically and compellingly, as it investigates how settler colonial expansion at times created conditions for genocidal violence, and the ways in which genocide was at times perpetrated on settler colonial frontiers. This volume will prove invaluable to teachers and students of imperialism, colonialism, and human rights." -- Lorenzo Veracini, Swinburne University of Technology, and author of The World Turned Inside Out: Settler Colonialism as a Political Idea

"This brief, provocative, and accessible book offers snapshots of seven pernicious myths in military history that have been perpetrated on unsuspecting students, readers, moviegoers, game players, and politicians. It promotes awareness of how myths are created by 'the spurious misuse and ignorance of history' and how misleading ideas about a military problem, as in asymmetric warfare, can lead to misguided solutions. "Both scholarly and engaging, this book is an ideal addition to military history and historical methodology courses. In fact, it could be fruitfully used in any course that teaches critical thinking skills, including courses outside the discipline of history. Military history has a broad appeal to students, and there's something here for everyone. From the so-called 'Western Way of War' to its sister-myth, technological determinism, to the 'academic party game' of once-faddish 'Military Revolutions,' the book shows that while myths about history may be fun, myth busting is the most fun of all." -- Reina Pennington, Norwich University

"This book explores settler colonial genocides in a global perspective and over the long duree. It does so systematically and compellingly, as it investigates how settler colonial expansion at times created conditions for genocidal violence, and the ways in which genocide was at times perpetrated on settler colonial frontiers. This volume will prove invaluable to teachers and students of imperialism, colonialism, and human rights." -- Lorenzo Veracini, Swinburne University of Technology, and author of The World Turned Inside Out: Settler Colonialism as a Political Idea

"This rich and engaging book looks at instances of sanctified violence, the holy wars related to religion. It covers it all, from ancient to present day, including examples of warfare among Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists, as well as Christians, Jews and Muslims. It is a comprehensive and readable overview that provides a lively introduction to the subject of holy war in its broadest sense -- as 'sanctified violence' in the service of a god or ideology. It is certain to be a useful companion in the classroom, and a boon to anyone fascinated by the dark attraction of religion and violence." -- Mark Juergensmeyer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Contents: Introduction: What Is Holy War?; Holy Wars in Mythic Time, Holy Wars as Metaphor, Holy Wars as Ritual; Holy Wars of Conquest in the Name of a Deity; Holy Wars in Defense of the Sacred; Holy Wars in Anticipation of the Millennium; Epilogue: Holy Wars Today and Tomorrow. Also included are a description of the Critical Themes in World History series, Preface, index, and suggestions for further reading.

Fully updated and revised , this edition of a classic medieval source collection features: Clear modern English translations , based on the best available critical editions, of more than 116 documentary sourcesmore than any other book of its kind Thirty-four artifactual sources ranging from fine art to everyday items A broad topical, geographical, and chronological approach , including textual and artifactual selections that shed light on such often-overlooked cohorts as women, Jews in Christian Europe, Byzantium, and Islam, and that range in time from the second century to 1493 Introductions and notes setting each source in its historical context A detailed Student's Guide providing step-by-step instruction on how to analyze documentary and artifactual sources Numerous illustrations in each chapter Topical Contents and a Glossary to assist students in their research

"A really interesting and provocative take on 1968. This book addresses the truly global dimensions-and the unexpected, often long-term consequences-of that year of protest. It's an original and highly usable comparative history sure to attract student interest." -Peter N. Stearns, George Mason University

The armies of the Fourth Crusade that left Western Europe at the beginning of the thirteenth century never reached the Holy Land to fight the Infidel; they stopped instead at Byzantium and sacked that capital of eastern Christendom. Much of what we know today of those events comes from contemporary accounts by secular writers; their perspective is balanced by a document written from a monastic point of view and now available for the first time in English. The Hystoria Constantinopolitana relates the adventures of Martin of Pairis, an abbot of the Cistercian Order who participated in the plunder of the city, as recorded by his monk Gunther. Written to justify the abbot's pious pilferage of scared relics and his transporting them back to his monastery in Alsace, it is a work of Christian metahistory that shows how the sack of Constantinople fits into God's plan for humanity, and that deeds done under divine guidance are themselves holy and righteous. The Hystoria Constantinopolitana is one of the most complex and sophisticated historiographical work of its time, deftly interweaving moods and motifs, themes and scenes. In producing the first English translation and analysis of this work, Alfred Andrea has captured the full flavor of the original with its alternating section of prose and poetry. His introduction to the text provides background on Gunther's life and work and explores the monk's purpose in writing the Hystoria Constantinopolitana-not the least of which was extolling the virtues of Abbott Martin, who was sometimes accuse of laxity by his superiors in the Order. Gunther's work is significant for its effort to deal with problems raised by the participation of monks in the Crusades, making it a valuable contribution to both crusading and monastic history. The Capture of Constantinople adds to our knowledge of the Fourth Crusade and provides unusual insight into the attitudes of the participants and the cultural-intellectual history of the early thirteenth century.

"A really interesting and provocative take on 1968. This book addresses the truly global dimensions-and the unexpected, often long-term consequences-of that year of protest. It's an original and highly usable comparative history sure to attract student interest." -Peter N. Stearns, George Mason University

"Gordon's survey of the topic makes it clear that slavery in the Americas can be understood much better if we put it in this larger context, in terms of both time and place. His chapters on East African and Mediterranean slavery are especially valuable, since these were contemporary with so-called Atlantic slavery and can provide students with valid points of comparison, revealing both the similarities and the variable nature of early-modern bondage. The final chapter is especially timely, reminding readers that much of what we think of as enslavement hasn't really gone away, but simply slipped below the radar of the world media. All in all, Gordon makes it clear that, though it has arisen in different guises and at many different times and places, slavery has been and remains deeply rooted in human society. A rewarding introduction for anyone looking to better understand slavery as a world-wide institution." -Robert Davis, The Ohio State University

" Seven Myths of the Crusades ' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here. " -Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and Christendom

" Seven Myths of the Crusades ' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated with topics including the First Crusade, anti-Judaism and the Crusades, the crusader states, the Children's Crusade, the Templars and past and present Islamic-Christian relations proves, once and for all, that real history is far more fascinating than conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and myth-mongering. This book is a powerful witness to the dangers of the misappropriation and misinterpretation of the past and the false parallels so often drawn between the crusades and later historical events ranging from nineteenth-century colonialism to the protest movements of the 1960s to the events of 9/11. This volume's authors have venerable track records in teaching and researching the crusading movement, and anyone curious about the crusades would do well to start here. " -Jessalynn Bird, Dominican University, co-Editor of Crusade and Christendom

"This rich and engaging book looks at instances of sanctified violence, the holy wars related to religion. It covers it all, from ancient to present day, including examples of warfare among Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists, as well as Christians, Jews and Muslims. It is a comprehensive and readable overview that provides a lively introduction to the subject of holy war in its broadest sense -- as 'sanctified violence' in the service of a god or ideology. It is certain to be a useful companion in the classroom, and a boon to anyone fascinated by the dark attraction of religion and violence." -- Mark Juergensmeyer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Contents: Introduction: What Is Holy War?; Holy Wars in Mythic Time, Holy Wars as Metaphor, Holy Wars as Ritual; Holy Wars of Conquest in the Name of a Deity; Holy Wars in Defense of the Sacred; Holy Wars in Anticipation of the Millennium; Epilogue: Holy Wars Today and Tomorrow. Also included are a description of the Critical Themes in World History series, Preface, index, and suggestions for further reading.

Fully updated and revised , this edition of a classic medieval source collection features: Clear modern English translations , based on the best available critical editions, of more than 116 documentary sources-more than any other book of its kind Thirty-four artifactual sources ranging from fine art to everyday items A broad topical, geographical, and chronological approach , including textual and artifactual selections that shed light on such often-overlooked cohorts as women, Jews in Christian Europe, Byzantium, and Islam, and that range in time from the second century to 1493 Introductions and notes setting each source in its historical context A detailed Student's Guide providing step-by-step instruction on how to analyze documentary and artifactual sources Numerous illustrations in each chapter Topical Contents and a Glossary to assist students in their research

"Gordon's survey of the topic makes it clear that slavery in the Americas can be understood much better if we put it in this larger context, in terms of both time and place. His chapters on East African and Mediterranean slavery are especially valuable, since these were contemporary with so-called Atlantic slavery and can provide students with valid points of comparison, revealing both the similarities and the variable nature of early-modern bondage. The final chapter is especially timely, reminding readers that much of what we think of as enslavement hasn't really gone away, but simply slipped below the radar of the world media. All in all, Gordon makes it clear that, though it has arisen in different guises and at many different times and places, slavery has been and remains deeply rooted in human society. A rewarding introduction for anyone looking to better understand slavery as a world-wide institution." -Robert Davis, The Ohio State University