十字軍は世界史の中でも最も強烈な印象を残す出来事のひとつです。十字軍の目的は、宗教的な動機に突き動かされたものだったのでしょうか、それとも強欲によるものだったのでしょうか。あるいは来たるべきヨーロッパの植民地時代の初期実験だったのでしょうか。また、十字軍はどのように組織されていたのでしょうか。十字軍に係わるこうした疑問にわかりやすく答えていきます。
    

• A concise study of one of the most extraordinary and dramatic periods in world history
• Considers the effects of the Crusades on ordinary life in Western Europe and the parts played by ordinary men and women in the conflict
• Explores the appropriation of the term 'Crusade' for contemporary political ends

   
Crusading fervour gripped Europe for over 200 years, creating one of the most extraordinary, vivid episodes in world history. Whether the Crusades are regarded as the most romantic of Christian expeditions, or the last of the barbarian invasions, they have fascinated generations ever since, and their legacy of ideas and imagery has resonated through the centuries, inspiring Hollywood movies and great works of literature. Even today, to invoke the Crusades is to stir deep cultural myths, assumptions and prejudices.

Yet despite their powerful hold on our imaginations, our knowledge of them remains obscured an distorted by time. Were the Crusaders motivated by spiritual rewards, or by greed? Were the Crusades an experiment in European colonialism, or a manifestation of religious love? How were they organized and founded?

With customary flair and originality, Christopher Tyerman picks his way through the many debates to present a clear and lively discussion of the Crusades; bringing together issues of colonialism, cultural exchange, economic exploitation, and the relationship between past and present.