The Crusades: A History
Product ID: 4265682
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"Pulls off the enviable feat of summing up seven centuries of religious warfare in a crisp 309 pages of text."—Dennis Drabelle, Washington Post Book World In this authoritative work, Jonathan Riley-Smith provides the definitive account of the Crusades: an account of the theology of violence behind the Crusades, the major Crusades, the experience of crusading, and the crusaders themselves. With a wealth of fascinating detail, Riley-Smith brings to life these stirring expeditions to the Holy Land and the politics and personalities behind them. This new edition includes revisions throughout as well as a new Preface and Afterword in which Jonathan Riley-Smith surveys recent developments in the field and examines responses to the Crusades in different periods, from the Romantics to the Islamic world today. From reviews of the first edition: “Everything is here: the crusades to the Holy Land, and against the Albigensians, the Moors, the pagans in Eastern Europe, the Turks, and the enemies of the popes. Riley-Smith writes a beautiful, lucid prose, . . . [and his book] is packed with facts and action.”— Choice “A concise, clearly written synthesis . . . by one of the leading historians of the crusading movement. ”—Robert S. Gottfried, Historian “A lively and flowing narrative [with] an enormous cast of characters that is not a mere catalog but a history. . . . A remarkable achievement.”—Thomas E. Morrissey, Church History “Superb.”—Reuven S. Avi-Yonah, Speculum “A first-rate one-volume survey of the Crusading movement from 1074 . . . to 1798.”— Southwest Catholic Review: The Crusades A Short History by Jonathon Rily Smith - Very happy with this book. A necessity for my course and find it easy to read. Riley Smith writes easily but without any waffle. Full of history and full of information gathered from written extracts by followersof the crusades and those who went on the crusades themselves. Review: Great History Book - This book gives a concise history of the Crusades. It helps one realize there was more than one crusade and gives some information about each one without getting too in depth.
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,070,077 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #299 in Turkey History (Books) #1,460 in General History of Religion #1,930 in History of Religions |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 76 Reviews |
S**S
The Crusades A Short History by Jonathon Rily Smith
Very happy with this book. A necessity for my course and find it easy to read. Riley Smith writes easily but without any waffle. Full of history and full of information gathered from written extracts by followersof the crusades and those who went on the crusades themselves.
B**E
Great History Book
This book gives a concise history of the Crusades. It helps one realize there was more than one crusade and gives some information about each one without getting too in depth.
J**S
Blood and Iron in the yellow sand!
As always j Riley-Smith delivers the delicious facts of a fascinating epic in human history. Enjoy! James
E**E
Four Stars
A very detailed and well researched book.
M**S
Total yet scanty coverage
This book is really weird. It is really well written, the way only a British professor can write. Yet there is no life in it. Some readers think it reads like a textbook and they are right, but perhaps a very well written textbook. The book seeks to cover every part of the Crusades. And it does so magnificently. But it gives very few details. It feels like a book written for people who are interested in learning about the Crusades but who do not know which one of the many crusades to look into. So the book gives you a few pointers on each and every one of the crusades so that you can read some other book once you have decided. The book also likes to give you tiring details into some aspect that you have no interest in, something scholars are fond of doing yet skips on details that readers of military history demand. If you read the account of the First Crusade, you will be salivating for more details about the military engagements which the author resolutely refuses to indulge in. Yet he gives the most boring details of the different repairs and modifications made to the altars once Jerusalem was conquered. This book stands in total contrast with Thomas Asbridge's The First Crusade. Strangely they are both written by British professors. Asbridge writes like a total amateur while Riley-Smith is a master writer. Asbridge displays ignorance of medieval theology but Riley-Smith is extremely well-informed. Asbridge is a typical Western liberal who hates Christianity but favors Islam. Riley-Smith is more neutral but may be mildly pro-Catholic (see the way he quickly dismisses the Jerusalem post-conquest slaughter). Asbridge's fighting scenes are detailed, bloody and exciting. Riley-Smith paints no such scenes, quite content to just report the results. Both books are far from ideal but for the military history enthusiast, Asbridge is at least entertaining.
C**N
Englightening!
A wonderful narrative of the history of the Crusades. Insightful, compelling, and brilliantly researched! A must read for another with an interest in this epoch of history.
R**N
Very good
The Crusades where an interesting time and the book explained in detail the reasons and result of them the Crusades.
B**Y
PERFECT
got in on time, great condition. great pricing as well and it is exactly what i thought i would get!! AWESOME!
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