Crusades

Carole Hillenbrand is Reader in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

• Contents: 1. Prologue; 2. The First Crusade and the Muslims' Initial Reactions to the Coming of the Franks; 3. Jihad in the Perios 493-569/1100-1174; 4. Jihad in the Period from the Death of Nur al-Din until the Fall of Acre (569-690/1174-1291); 5. How the Muslims Saw the Franks: Ethnic and Religious Stereotypes; 6. Aspects of Life in the Levant in the Crusading Period; 7. Armies, Arms, Armour and Fortifications; 8. The Conduct of War; 9. Epilogue: The Heritage of the Crusades

"a valuable work of serious scholarly synthesis... Heavily annotated and lavishly illustrated, The Crusades is a most welcome book... The Crusades is a major contributor to the goal of a more "holistic" overview of the crusades. More than a textbook, it certainly can be used as one. Historians and teachers of the medieval eastern Mediterranean now have an extremely useful resource at their fingertips; it unfolds the complexity of the Muslim opposition to the Crusades, and presents a careful introduction to many aspects of Muslim history... Hillenbrand's book takes major strides toward unpacking and revealing what contemporary eyes may have seen." -- MESA Bulletin"[T]he author aims at providing an 'outline for future research' as well as engaging students and the general public Themes covered extend beyond mere chronology to topics in theology, warfare, art and literature, popular and material culture." -- Middle East Journal"A remarkable contribution to the history of relations between east and west." -- Anne-Marie Eddé"Ground-breaking work." -- Jonathan Riley-Smith"A landmark." -- London Review of Books"Hillenbrand's The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives offers specialist and nonspecialist readers a wonderful starting point for all future studies of Muslim and Arab responses to the Crusades. Hillenbrand has succeeded very well in writing a rather comprehensive compilation of primary and secondary sources without sacrificing academic rigor or remaining too general." -- Albert Hernández, Iliff School of Theology,Journal of the American Academy of Religion