Armies of heaven : the first crusade and the quest for apocalypse / Jay Rubenstein.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rubenstein, Jay, 1967-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Crusades--First, 1096-1099.

Crusades.

Military history, Medieval.

Physical Description:

xiv, 402 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), maps ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Basic Books, [2011]

Summary:

When Jerusalem fell to European armies in 1099, says Rubenstein (Medieval history, U. of Tennessee), contemporaries believed that a new era had dawned, not just in history but in God's plan, that it loosed the apocalypse promised a thousand years earlier at Christ's crucifixion. He retells the familiar story within the framework of apocalyptic thinking. His topics include the Pope's plan in November 1095, the crusaders at Constantinople in August 1096-April 1097, the fall of Antioch in April-June 1098, and the last emperor in July 1099. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

Jerusalem, on earth as it is in heaven

The pope's plan

The response: the princes, the prophets, the people

The road to Constantinople

Deals with devils: the crusaders at Constantinople

The Nicene deal

Saracens, through a glass darkly

Enemy country

Starvation and nightmare: the siege of Antioch begins

A brief account of Baldwin of Boulogne's adventures in Syria

Reversal of fortune and a river of blood: the battle for Antioch continues

Truce and consequences: the fall of Antioch

Violent men

Kerbogah and the lance

Feasting on the fallen: Antioch to Maʾarat

Trial by fire

Seeking a new apocalypse

Jerusalem

The last emperor

Ascalon, the sixth battle

The never-ending apocalypse.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780465019298

0465019293

OCLC:

701015458