One thing that sets the First Crusade apart from the rest of the Crusades, apart from it being first, is that it actually succeeded. Without qualification, without changing the conditions in the middle of the campaign, the army of the First Crusade accomplished what it set out to accomplish—it captured Jerusalem. Well, OK, what it … Continue reading Today in Middle Eastern history: the First Crusade captures Jerusalem (1099)
Tag: crusades
Today in Middle Eastern history: the Battle of Hattin (1187)
Today is of course the Fourth of July, or US Independence Day, and best wishes to those who are celebrating that. But this is not a newsletter devoted to American history, so we’re here today to talk instead about the Battle of Hattin, an 1187 clash between the army of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem … Continue reading Today in Middle Eastern history: the Battle of Hattin (1187)
Today in Middle Eastern History: The Siege of Antioch ends, kind of (1098)
The importance of the Crusades to European history is difficult to overstate. You can drawn links between this movement and the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Exploration, and the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, among other things. But in the short run, at least, it’s fair to say they were a waste of lives … Continue reading Today in Middle Eastern History: The Siege of Antioch ends, kind of (1098)
The Foreign Exchanges Companion 