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The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

Coinciding with the 900th anniversary of the Crusades, this book is the first general introduction to some of the wider aspects of the history of the Crusades. Prepared by Carole Hillenbrand, a leading authority with a world-wide reputation, The The Crusade is unique in covering the Crusades from the Muslim perspective; it is also a timely reflection on how the phenomenon of the Crusades influenced the Muslim world, then and now--militarily, culturally, and psychologically. The Crusades discusses a group of themes designed to highlight how Muslims reacted to the alien presence of the Crusaders in the heart of traditional Muslim territory. Ideological concerns are examined, and the importance of the concept of jihad is assessed in the context of the gradual recovery of the Holy Land and the expulsion of the Crusaders. There are also chapters devoted to an analysis of the warfare--arms, battles, sieges, fortifications--on the basis of written sources and extant works of art. Also extensively discussed is the complex issue of the interaction between Muslims and Crusaders in a social, economic, and cultural setting. The epilogue traces the profound impact of the Crusades on Muslim consciousness up to the present day. The Crusades is also lavishly illustrated with 500 black-and-white pictures and two full color-plate sections.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The crusades seem to be an exception to the general rule that the victors write the history. Now, nine centuries later, Hillenbrand (Arabic and Islamic studies, University of Edinburgh) provides an account that relies entirely on Islam perspectives and emphasizes the impact of the European invasion of its heartland... the impact of the Crusade on Muslim consciousness until the present." -- Reference and Research Book News
"Hillenbrand's book is a landmark...
The Crusades is not narrowly focused on ideological and literary matters. Hillenbrand devotes attention to arms and armor, warfare, and details of material culture in the region. It is appropriate then that the book is heavily illustrated...all drawn from the repertoire of Islamic art and architecture. The concluding survey of the political and psychological aftermath of the Crusades in the Middle East is fascinating." -- London Review of Books

About the Author

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

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07JNRDC74
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (October 24, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 24, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 19339 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Up to 4 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 692 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1579582109
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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Carole Hillenbrand
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4.2 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2020
    Writing this to submit a review
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2020
    Very well researched account of the crusades, their background and after effects. However at times one felt it inappropriate that negative comments being attributed to sources rather than quote reference as in case of emaduddin zengi and Il ghazi.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2001
    This is the best-produced academic paperback I have ever seen. The book is wonderfully illustrated. The photographs are supplemented by hundreds of intriguing drawings in the wide margins. The text is spaciously presented and easy to read. I found zero typographical errors in more than six hundred pages of text, a delight in these days of hasty editing. Hillenbrand's writing is clear, straightforward, and balanced. The book presents a much-needed new perspective on the Crusades. Five stars.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2023
    Lots of pencil marks. I bought it as new.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2013
    Hillenbrand researched hundreds of Arabic sources to provide an excellent overview of Islamic writers' opinions about crusaders and the crusades. She arranges the work chronologically with chapters on daily life, arms, the conduct of war and the heritage of the crusades. The work is lavishly illustrated. The writing is accessible.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2009
    Hillenbrand did a fantastic job writing this book. It is easily the most detailed, nuanced, and evenhanded treatment about the Crusades from the Islamic perspective available. The only drawback is that it is extensively illustrated, with images on nearly every page, and few of the images have any direct relationship to the text. Hillenbrand herself states that most of the illustrations were included simply to give readers a feel for the visual character of medieval Islam. This is a sensible goal, but surely could have been achieved with less. I suspect that it is because of the printing costs of so many unnecessary pictures that the cover price for the paperback is over $70 and the hardcover a whopping $250. The publishers should seriously consider issuing a second edition with 90% of the illustrations removed and a cover price around $25-35 for the paperback. Then this book could receive the wide readership it deserves.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2000
    I have only skimmed the surface of this book, yet am very impressed. The bibliography alone is a treasure for anyone studying the Crusades. It's arranged so that the translated chronicles are used to illustrate points in the narrative. The index is detailed and useful, while the narrative itself is easy to read and divided into subsections within the chapters (for example: Old Frankish Women, Marriage, Medicine etc.) A welcome addition to Crusades scholarship, especially for students/readers who cannot read the originals.
    9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Iskander
    5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable contribution to the study of the Crusades
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2019
    Too often in the study of Crusades historians have relied upon only Western accounts. Naturally, this means that they have tended to tell only half of the story, and that the insights and conclusions they can draw are rather limited. It is somewhat sad to say that most Crusader historians seem content merely to retread the same old French and Latin texts, rather than working to actually expand their knowledge of the subject.

    Carole Hillenbrand, though in her 70s at the moment, has been at the forefront of innovative scholarship that aims to overturn this practice, and make use of the wealth of Arabic sources that have hitherto gone untapped. Her book is enormously useful, featuring a wealth of previously untranslated material as well as choice excerpts from other texts. Even were this not a sadly unexplored field, her work, and her insightful analysis and conclusions would be counted as a triumph of scholarship.

    All in all, this is a truly fantastic book, and one that will be of particular value for academics and dedicated students of Medieval Middle Eastern History. Though competently written and engaging in style, it does not really offer a traditional 'narrative' in the same way that many conventional books about the Crusades do. This is by design, owing both to the nature of Hillenbrand's multi-layered anyalysis, and her declaration historians have still scarcely touched the surface of Islamic perspectives of the Crusades. For those seeking a narrative history of the Crusades that explores Islamic perspectives, I would instead suggest Paul Cobb's 'The Race for Paradise', or P.M. Holt's 'The Age of the Crusades'. Regardless, Hillenbrand's work is a triumph worthy of inclusion in any library.
    One person found this helpful
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  • DR W BASSETT
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2017
    This is an outstanding erudite book Enough said!

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