THE CRUSADES AND THEIR LEGACY

The Crusades began with a papal call to arms to regain the Christian holy places in the Near East from the followers of Mohammed. But there was much more to the story, which unfolded in the period known as the High Middle Ages in western Europe, a period of urban growth and economic revival. Encrusted in romantic legend, the Crusades were also a story of unbridled savagery and zealotry. And yet today we call every fight for principle a crusade.

What were the Crusades really all about? What were the goals? And the results? Why were they accompanied by a persecution of the Jews and what consequences did they have? This course will look at the origins, pursuit and outcome of the Crusades from Jewish, Christian, Moslem and secular perspectives. It will examine the extent to which they have affected the subsequent history of the Western world and Islam by looking at their lasting effects on commerce, culture and belief in East and West. It will ask how big a part they have played in shaping the world marked by the fault lines that are evident today. Readings include the core book Holy War: The Crusades and Their Impact on Today’s World by Karen Armstrong, as well selections from The Crusades T. Asbridge, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes A. Maalouf, Crusade, Commerce and Culture A. Atiya, Faith and Power E. Mortimer.

COURSE LENGTH: 12 weeks fall and repeated in spring 2012
FALL DISCUSSION TEAM: Alex Farrell, Clare Godon, Alexander Highet
SPRING DISCUSSION TEAM: Alex Farrell , Roland Major, Irene Menear
FIRST SESSION: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 3:45 pm
SPRING FIRST SESSION: Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 6:15 pm

This course will also be offered in Pointe-Claire