The First Crusade.

A New History by Thomas Asbridge Review by: John France The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 91, No. 3 (Jul., 2005), pp. 517-518 Published by: Catholic University of America Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25026892 . Accessed: 10/06/2012 11:16
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BOOK REVIEWS

517

as cities cated multicultural) go without (in modern parlance, explanation on to bring and the ahead Isabella of Castile the Inquisition Lowney skips scene. Convivencia, however and for selfish and limited reasons, was imperfect first by apartamiento'("living replaced as Isabella and Fernando offered Jews or exile. Lowney closes by reminding provide repeated, companied valuable but the lessons realization and and then by religious cleansing apart") and Muslims the ultimatum of conversion the not reader of the potential of precise to for history to be behavior

counterparts three religions.

ac human through journeys history and Christians" (p. 267) of past ages, their modern by Jews, Muslims, of the charity and advocated and justice honored deserving by the

examples: "that he or she

schedules

James F. Powers

College of theHoly Cross

The First versity

Crusade.A Press.

New 2004.

History. Pp. xvi,

By Thomas 408. $35.00.)

Asbridge.

(New

York: Oxford

Uni

a popular to provide is essentially of the First Crusade, intended This history a synthesis of the great volume of recent writing for a "wider audience" (p. x). a clear to do just that. The main text provides It is very appropriately organized account into which elements of analysis have been and well written very care are plenty it is a pity that of easily followed There maps, integrated. though on the coast on the crusade, is placed the site of a major siege and battle to the west of Lake Ascania, it is actually inland and on the eastern end of when fully The list of the main A good material is very the useful. sketches with thumbnail personalities a brief chronology, and short glossary, It is tempting, for the general reader. to compare this book with the many in re crusades which have appeared is M. Billings, BBC The Cross 1987). and But the Cres although to a much

Nicaea,

that body of water. of their significance a full in the index complete

popular cent years,

light of Asbridge's accounts of the of which one

support stated intention, First of and other

the very

best

cent A History of it is entirely suited greater usefully events sade degree, on

the Crusades for a "wider a fine

(London; audience," of

Publications,

knowledge

it. The origins of the cru literature about as the former consensus around the sharply disputed, especially in recent In chapters views War of Erdmann has been years. l,"Holy challenged is care and 2, "Afire with Proclaimed," Fever," this range of material Crusading have been fully bland, Journey set out but a judicious is provided. This is inevitably somewhat summary a survey. in the business is inherent In chapter of offering 3,"The a heavy on with on the to Byzantium," is carried the story emphasis and that is taken Asbridge relations, to iswell and introduce, aware of the notes albeit briefly, the difficulties to this chapter

to students given of the First Crusade

starting and to the

is founded, book Asbridge's recent It could, in fact, be scholarship. as a guide to study to the the crusades, both

and the opportunity Crusade," "People's the Byzantine and Islamic perspectives. of the sources for Byzantine-Crusader

518
will student new to the

BOOK REVIEWS

help the

any though army

scribed, ties

perhaps faced and that 7). had

more

The journey subject. could have been made

to Antioch of the

dominating

event (5,6, and

chapters of the city which is well told and the battle of and its effect on on

its consequent losses. The siege it is hardly that Asbridge allocates surprising It is to his credit that he clearly the explains influence dealt with on the course

is clearly de difficul logistical was of Antioch such a to it three topography The story

a profound the difficulties St. Symeon of silence the later

of events.

the

road

the morale

the extraordinary on of Aachen Albert On acute, crusader stunning and cussed the other and hand

thinks However, Asbridge carefully. a turning-point because 7 marked But a lot of heavy the garrison. fighting lay ahead, of both Francorum and the account of the Gesta on March stages of the crusader siege hides much from us.

there leaders

are very well of the consequent dis and quarrels intrigues in chapters to their disastrous im 8 and 9, with reference particular on Raymond to lead the crusade. In chapter of Toulouse's 10 the ambition pact a real appreciation is vividly described with of the peculiar siege of Jerusalem here Per of piety and brutality which constituted the crusading mentality. a real insight the great is that it offers into the out of this book strength a participant of what called "the pilgrim church of the Franks." Its primary is that it says relatively For example, weakness little about the Muslims. the Fa cocktail haps look timid's but from tion diplomatic little is made them. dealings of the with impact the crusaders are mentioned on military events in Palestine this is a clear, well written, and (pp. which learned 185, 286), resulted introduc

victory the convolutions

of the second is very siege of Antioch Asbridge's analysis to be said for his suggestion is much that the (pp. 229-232) were to come to terms with After their Kerbogah. prepared over Kerbogah into bitter wrangling, the crusade descended

However,

overall,

to the First

Crusade.

John University of Swansea

France

L'incontro Luigi 2003. This tion book

tra due Pellegrini. Pp.

"invenzioni"medievali:Universit? [Scienze 14,00 storiche, paperback.) on Volume 13]

e Ordini (Naples:

Mendicanti. Liguori

By Editore.

ix, 175.

had

of universities with

its beginning in classroom lectures and the mendicant orders. These each and other from the thirteenth to

the origins two medieval

and

interac

institutions some institu

interacted times

sixteenth

centuries, each

in conflict its origin

sometimes twelfth

to their mutual century

benefit.

Moreover,

tion had

in the

in response

commercial and economy by an expanding were in the twelfth the final stage of a reorganization of education century, just as the mendicant in that century orders grew out of the evangelical awakening and the perceived needs of urban populations. spiritual

to changes about brought the growth of towns. Universities