Between Christians and Muslims

One of the most difficult tasks for a researcher in medieval history is to define the term Crusade. Crusade (with a capital “C”) can describe the military campaigns between Christians and Muslims in the Levant during the Abbasid Dynasty. To crusade in any other case can only mean a dedicated enthusiastic effort. In David Nicolle’s book, “Essential Histories: The Crusades”, he writes that “... the term Crusade has become synonymous with struggles against evil.”(84) The Crusades were not just events in history, but an entire time period. Throughout the duration of the Crusades, cities were built, kings were born, and new ideas were created. The Crusades influenced the time that they existed along with much of the future’s social, political, economical, scientific, military and religious achievements.

The Crusades occurred during the Abbasid Dynasty in the Levant. The Levant was the area surrounding the Fertile Crescent, and what are now the countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. This Dynasty of Middle Eastern rule lasted from 750 to 1258 A.D. The Abbasid Dynasty was a time when the Church contained the most influence in Western Europe. This is the beginning of a new era in the world where religion plays a huge part socially, economically, and politically. Ones status in society is decided just from the religion they follow. From this point on in history monotheistic religions become the source of the majorities influence.

The Levant supplied crusaders with uneasy terrain and foreign weather conditions to those of the west. The Levant is home to many diverse cultures of the Middle East. Crusades occurred mainly around the Levant and northern Mediterranean area, but it is known that Crusades also took place in the Iberian Peninsula and the Latin East. This is ironic because one of the main functions of the Crusades was to reclaim the Holy Land for Christendom.

Maalouf, Amin. "The Crusades through Arab Eyes." Translated by Jon Rothschild. New York: Schoken Books, 1984.

Nicolle, David. "Essential Histories: The Crusades." Michigan: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2001.