Overview

When the fateful news of Jerusalem’s fall to the Islamic armies of Saladin in October 1187 reached Pope Urban III, it is said that he fell dead due to the shock. Close to a century had passed since the armies of the First Crusade had captured the holy city in a tremendous outpouring of violence and zeal in 1099. This module sets out to explore the events leading up to, and the aftermath of these notable events; a period which continues in many ways to be an emotional tinderbox for some in the East and the West. You will be provided with an insight into the motivations and actions of colourful characters such as Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, along with an opportunity to scrutinize a sample of the wealth of surviving primary sources (both textual and material). The module is also concerned with the unique society which developed in the Crusader States during the twelfth century, and you will be encouraged to assess the wider cultural, political, social and religious impact of this age of holy war.

This module explores the following themes:

1. Introduction: The Birth of Holy War; 2. The First Crusade; 3. The Challenges of a New Land c.1097-c.1152; 4. Foreigners no more? Society, Culture and Religion in the Crusader States; 5. The Military Orders; 6. The Second Crusade; 7. The Rise of Nur ad-Din and the Struggle for Egypt; 8. Warfare, strategy and castles in an Age of Holy War; 9. The Leper-King and the Defender of Islam; 10. The Third Crusade and its Aftermath

You will be given an opportunity to focus in-depth on these themes and on the underpinning primary sources in your seminars.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of some aspects of the topic.

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the development and consequences of Holy Wars during the period 1095-1197.

• Judge between competing historical interpretations of the period, including current historiographical positions.

• Present clear, evidence-based, and cogent historical arguments on aspects of the history of Holy Wars during the period 1095-1197.