Call number
FIC CON
Collection
Genres
Publication
Counterpoint (2001), 480 pages
Description
The year is 1095. Thousands of men, including many of the leaders of the Christian world, have assembled in a meadow in France near Clermont. Pope Urban appeals for the liberation of Jerusalem and the people shout, Deus lo volt!, God Wills It! The cry is taken up, echoes forth, is carried on. The crusades have begun. Wave upon wave of Christian pilgrims assault the growing power of the Muslims in the Holy Land and will do so for the next two hundred years. Most able men become soldiers of the Cross, and many of their women fight alongside them. It is a time of great adventure, of great exploration and cultural change. Uniting Christian Europe in a common cause, the crusades defined forever the spirit of the West.
Subjects
User reviews
LibraryThing member neurodrew
This book is chronicle of the crusades. The author assumes the persona of a Seneschal of France, Jean de Joinville, who joins with St. Louis in a failed crusade to the Holy Land. The knight Jean, however, recounts the entire tale of the Crusades, from the initial preaching of Peter the hermit and
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the announcement of the first Crusade by Pope Urban in 1089, to the final fall of Acre and the routing of the knights Templar and Hospitaller from the Holy Land. The author, on the dust jacket, claims that all the conversations, the speeches, and the events are those recorded in medieval manuscripts, simply edited and put into order. The book certainly reads like an authentic medieval work, with pious asides such as "Now we see how the lord's work is done" with every anecdote, and wonder. The other remarkable part of the book is the constant, palpable brutality of Christians and Saracens, both of whom indulge in rape, torture, and beheadings at every chance. Show Less
LibraryThing member janerawoof
Excerpts from possible real chronicles of the crusades where the most famous French medieval chronicler [and here narrator], Seneschal Jean de Joinville, breaks in once in awhile. Odd book--mixture of fiction and nonfiction. Jean doesn't become part of the action until King Louis's crusade--the
The 3rd Crusade was a major part. It was interesting how Richard of England happened to be captured by Leopold of Austria and why. Background of 4th Crusade: why Dandolo hated Constantinople. Jean interjects at various places such-and-such relative fought at such-and-such battle, also after telling a certain anecdote he doesn't swear as to its veracity. Saladin is presented as a model of chivalry and courtesy: template for his subsequent fictional treatment for the most part.
I felt 4th Crusade--Sack of Constantinople--one of the best parts. I didn't realize some men went home rather than attack other Christians. Afterwards, there was an a"Albigensian Crusade" and an Inquisition to root heretics out. Finishing up the last crusades seemed a bit rushed. The style took awhile to get used to, but the book on the whole was enjoyable. The structure of the book was an interesting concept.
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Seventh--near the end. He exhibits absolutely no personality; his function is to tie the excerpts together. He does attribute the various excerpts to real-life chroniclers of that period, such as Anna Comnena, writing about her father. We are carried through the sweep of the crusades from beginning to end. The 3rd Crusade was a major part. It was interesting how Richard of England happened to be captured by Leopold of Austria and why. Background of 4th Crusade: why Dandolo hated Constantinople. Jean interjects at various places such-and-such relative fought at such-and-such battle, also after telling a certain anecdote he doesn't swear as to its veracity. Saladin is presented as a model of chivalry and courtesy: template for his subsequent fictional treatment for the most part.
I felt 4th Crusade--Sack of Constantinople--one of the best parts. I didn't realize some men went home rather than attack other Christians. Afterwards, there was an a"Albigensian Crusade" and an Inquisition to root heretics out. Finishing up the last crusades seemed a bit rushed. The style took awhile to get used to, but the book on the whole was enjoyable. The structure of the book was an interesting concept.
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Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2002)
Pages
480
ISBN
158243140X / 9781582431406