A vivid and original history of the Crusades - from the middle ages to the present day.
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.
A vivid and original history of the Crusades - from the middle ages to the present day.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.
“Holy Warriors is not only very readable. Its skilful and detailed use of source material serves as a showcase of what is being done in this, the most intensively studied area of medieval historiography”
-- Robert Irwin Literary Review
Elegant storytelling... Phillips delivers an excellent, compelling, flamboyant and refreshing history of the crusades and wonderful character sketches -- Simon Sebag Montefiore Financial Times
Totally absorbing and magnificent history Mail on Sunday, Boris Johnson
[An] engaging and sprightly book... Each chapter is telegenic, tele-visual even. We get vivid re-creations of places, personalities and events -- CJ Tyerman Times Literary Supplement
He [Phillips] has a real gift for highlighting the picturesque and for bringing the past alive." "With its crisp management, accessible style and deft characterisation, this book stakes a strong claim to be the most appealing narrative account of the Crusades for a general audience. BBC History Magazine
With a dramatist's panache, Jonathan Phillips brings the leading characters and most suspenseful episodes of the Crusades to riveting life, even rendering figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin fresh again...the violence, insanity, courage and belief here make for irresistible reading -- Benjamin Evans Sunday Telegraph
Concise, character-driven and draws modern parallels Telegraph
Jonathan Phillips is Professor of Crusading History at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the author of Holy Warriors- A Modern History of the Crusades; The Second Crusade- Extending the Frontiers of Christianity; The Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinople; The Crusades, 1095-1197; Defenders of the Holy Land, 1119-1187 and the co-editor of three academic essay collections on the Crusades. Phillips is the co-editor of the academic journal Crusades, writes for BBC History and History Today and has made numerous radio and television appearances.
'Original, fast-paced...history at its best' Kate Mosse, author of Sepulchre 'Phillips delivers an excellent, compelling, flamboyant and refreshing history of the crusades and wonderful character sketches' Simon Sebag Montefoire, Financial Times 'A totally absorbing and magnificent history' Boris Johnson, Mail on Sunday Holy war: Christianity versus Islam. Brutality, greed, honour, chivalry, the clink of chain mail, the clatter of hooves, the call of the muezzin. Such are the stereotypical images of the Crusades. But how will do they fit with the reality? 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. 'Very readable. Its skilful and detailed use of source material serves as a showcase of what is being done in this, the most intensively studied area of medieval historiography' Literary Review
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