This unit examines the impact of the Crusades on European culture and society during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, with particular reference to changing relationships between Christians, Jews and Muslims. It explores the relationship between ecclesiastical politics, religious reform and Crusading ideology, as well as the socio-economic pressures that underpinned Christian expansion in both the Near East and other parts of Europe, such as Spain. It considers episodes of cultural interaction and appropriation, as well as of conflict between Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities by considering the perspectives of commentators and thinkers from each of these religious groups. -- Course Website
Instructor: Dr Megan Cassidy-Welch
Prerequisites: A first-year sequence in History or permission