Crusades a History by Jonathan

Crusades a History" by Jonathan Riley-Smith

The Crusades: A History is clearly intended to be an introduction to an idea, the idea that the mentality that governed the seeking of religious gains through violence was a pervasive concept of the time and that religion and politics were intrinsically melded together during the crusade period. Riley-Smith offers a non-sensationalized view of the thoughts that allowed a seeming contradiction, use of violence to convert people to the Christian faith. He also discusses the multiple crusades, including those not designated as such. Each crusade is dealt with independently with the intrinsic history of the impetus for each explained through a careful biographical sketch of its leaders, mainly the various popes and also the military changes that had previously occurred to create a desire in Christians to regain precious eastern territories.

Overall the work is very easy to read, unlike many historical works, as it is written in plain prose and the introduction of individuals and events is matter of fact and not exceedingly fast, as is the habit of many writers who know the topic very well. Riley-Smith is clearly an expert but he does not speak above the reader, instead he draws the reader through clear language and a multitude of events and peoples. The work stresses early on that Pope Urban II and the various support staff were the initial source of the news about the crusade's necessity traveling through almost the whole of Europe to ask the people to serve Christ through this war to liberate their souls from their past sins. The culture and the various nations were in a period of turmoil, as the society they were a part of was structured for war, and without external wars there was little for them to do but fight among themselves. In a sense Pope Urban II was a unifying force, as one of the very last vestiges of centralized power, pomp and circumstance and many of the people he met on the way had never seen anyone of his status. He successfully asked the Christian countrymen to volunteer as penance. (4) in a period of flux the faith of the church became a unifying force, where one was greatly needed and men of arms swore allegence to the church and followed many calls for piece within France and other nations, especially freedom from violence against the poor and the faithful. (5)

Riley-Smith also makes clear that the conditions of Islam at the time of at least the first crusade offered ripe pickings for crusaders, as it was in political turmoil with long standing warfare over the two main rival types of Islamic faith and their various leaders. (26) the transition of the crusade period to one of internal defenses rather than eastern defenses is also discussed at length and allows the reader to see the various stages and crusades inside the context of each successive movement, rather than as an independent linear event. (265)