
The Crusades
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Narrated by:
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Charlton Griffin
About this listen
The conflict between European Christians and Islam came to a climax near the end of the 11th century when Pope Urban II preached what we now call the First Crusade. However, behind the scenes was a swirling chaos of shadowy influences and personalities whose motivations and goals were not always easy to define. Most of the early crusaders were pious individuals who were motivated by the effort to free the Holy Land of infidels. But many in leadership roles had other ideas. And surprisingly, they were assisted by a fractious Muslim community whose divisiveness was thoroughly exploited by crafty Greek Byzantine diplomats and wiley Italian merchants.
Richard A. Newhall, a medieval scholar, has produced a masterful outline of this confusing period of history by paring the subject to an understandable unity. By keeping the history simple and beginning with the first Muslim onslaught against Europe, he shows how the term "crusade" really has a much broader meaning. By tracing the conflict as it wound its way into modern history, Newhall demonstrates that the strife between Islam and the West has never really ceased.
However, throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, the contact with the East had very profound effects on Europeans, including the rediscovery of lost classical authors like Aristotle, the introduction of new methods of mathematics and sciences, and a growing level of trade which eventually nourished the period we call the High Gothic. All of this spelled the beginning of the end for the Age of Faith, and it ushered in the Renaissance and the modern era. Discover how the dynamics of the crusades stimulated change in the Middle Ages and the consequences for three civilizations.
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This is not a negative criticism of the book but rather a criticism of my knowledge of the era. I found the book interesting, educational and well written. It is not a book for everyone but for those looking for an analysis of the crusades, I think this book is great.
Really, really good
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Need To Know Basics First
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Bird’s eye view of the crusades
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This was a time of uncertainty, a time of deals and back door deals where life was short and country was everything !
The scope and pace of this book is wonderful and if you close your eyes you may find yourself looking out though your helment as the horse you sit upon shakes and rocks with excitment, waiting for you to join the battle !!! Ccchhaaarrggeee !!!!!
Kings, knights, battles, and desire !
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A Load Of Facts
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Yes, I know this is a harsh review but I really mean it! In all honesty, I'm hoping to save the next person so he/she does not make the same mistake I made. Want to avoid falling asleep? Want to make a smarter choice? Then move along listener, because there is nothing worthwhile to purchase here.
BORING! BORING! BORING...(YAWN, YAWN, SNORE..ZZZ)!
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Boring!
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Would you try another book from Richard A. Newhall and/or Charlton Griffin?
NoWhat did you like best about this story?
StoryWho would you have cast as narrator instead of Charlton Griffin?
Anyone.Griffin's voice sounded affected and condesending, and it seemed he was talking down to the listener.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
DisappointedAny additional comments?
Wish I would have saved my money on this one.Boring
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Hard to listen to
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Revisionist History
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