Historical Atlas Of The Crusades - Hardcover

Konstam, Angus

3.85

26 ratings by Goodreads

9781904668008: Historical Atlas Of The Crusades

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1904668003 ISBN 13: 9781904668008

Publisher: Mercury Books, 2004

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In November 1095, Pope Urban II called on the Christian rulers and knights of Europe to drive the Muslims from the Holy Land and claim Jerusalem back for Christendom. Any Crusader who died in the attempt would be rewarded in Heaven. The response was overwhelming and launched a religious conflict that would last for over three centuries. The Crusades marked a turning point in European history, where the ‘primitive’ Frankish states of Western Europe first encountered the ‘civilized’ cultures of the Muslim world. With a Christian enclave carved out in the Middle East, the two cultures enmeshed in a clash where personal ambition and financial reward often overcame religious fervor. Started with pious intent, the Crusades degenerated into a bitter power struggle. This book chronicles the Crusading era and examines its cause, its development, and the people who fought for their faith and for themselves. The study by historian Angus Konstam chronicles their achievements, drawing on the latest historical evidence to weave a medieval tapestry of intense color.

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About the Author:

ANGUS KONSTAM has written over a dozen books on piracy, shipwrecks, and exploration for the Atlas series. He has made a lifelong study of maritime history and archaeology, and the history of early European development. He is a museum professional with experience in both Britain and the United States, and holds degrees in history and archaeology.

From School Library Journal:

Adult/High School-Between the years 1095 and 1291, much of the attention of the rulers of Western Europe was focused on what they believed was their moral and religious duty-to bring the land that was the birthplace of Christianity back under Christian rule. To do this, they launched military campaigns that established a Christian stronghold in Palestine for 200 years. During that time, the European armies and their Muslim foes were locked in brutal combat. Mercy was seldom asked for and rarely given. Although this volume is primarily an atlas, Konstam uses many contemporary Western and Arab sources to provide a concise history of the six different crusades. For each one, he provides political and economic background to the events that led up to its execution, its objectives, a description of the personages involved, the military forces of the opponents, the campaigns and battles, and the final outcome. The book is lavishly illustrated with color illustrations on every page and more than 40 maps, many of which cover two pages. All of them are well drawn, easy to read, appropriately placed with the text, and detailed enough to provide relevant information, but not so busy that readers get bogged down in minutiae. This atlas is perfect for world-history courses.
Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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