First crusader : Byzantium's holy wars / Geoffrey Regan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Regan, Geoffrey.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Crusades.

Heraclius, Emperor of the East, approximately 575-641.

Heraclius.

Byzantine Empire--History--527-1081.

Byzantine Empire.

History.

Byzantine Empire--History, Military.

History, Military.

Physical Description:

viii, 280 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Edition:

First Palgrave Macmillan edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Summary:

The word 'Crusades' has traditionally referred to the wars fought after the late eleventh century to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. Reagan argues that they actually began in the seventh century with the conquest by the Persians of the Byzantine Empire. In retaliation, the emperor Heraclius used Christian propaganda to turn the war into the first crusade. Coincidentally, Heraclius's career was unfolding at the same time as that of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. No sooner had Heraclius overthrown the power of Persia and regained the Holy Land, than he lost it to the irresistably strong Arabs. First Crusader is an entertaining and challenging reinterpretation of The Crusades.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [273]-276) and index.

ISBN:

1403961514 :

OCLC:

52074674