History of the Crusades

In this course you will learn
The circumstances leading to the First Crusade, the impact of preaching following Clermont, the motives of crusaders, the People’s Crusade, leadership and military tactics, the nature of the campaign and events in Anatolia, Edessa, Antioch and Jerusalem.
• The development and reasons for survival of the Crusader States in the 12th century, rulers and political structure, problems of succession and internal rivalries, the development of castles and military orders, the nature of the economy and society, the impact of Muslim attacks and jihad on rulers and inhabitants, the effect of the Second and Third Crusades.
• Reasons for the call of the Second Crusade and role of Bernard of Clairvaux, the nature of Zengi and the development of jihad, the fall of Edessa and events in Anatolia, Antioch, Acre and Damascus , the impact of the failure of the Second Crusade.
• Reasons for and aims of the Third Crusade, the development of the idea of jihad; under Zengi, Nur ad Din and Saladin; Hattin, the loss of Jerusalem and reasons for the failure of Frederick Barbarossa’s expedition, the roles of Richard I, Philip Augustus and Saladin, the consequences of the Third Crusade for the West and the Middle East.