Book Review: Thomas F. Madden's "A Concise History of the Crusades"
Thomas F. Madden's "A Concise History of the Crusades" (1999)
Fitz E. Barringer
2005-03-01
Ah, the crusades -- a two hundred year period awash with religious intolerance, cultural exploitation, and a fervent zeal to rid the Holy Land, and more generally, the world, of infidels and heretics. In short, the crusades represent the darkest nightmare of today's politically correct thinking. In our age of multicultural and religious tolerance, the great Christian crusades between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries constitute one of the most intolerant times in all of human history. Perhaps because of the shear delicacy of the subject, therefore, many American students trudge through school without reading more than a few sentences about the crusades.
But in the zeal for avoiding controversy -- and thus the crusades -- maybe the great lesson of the epic Christian quests has been missed.
When religion and politics collide to form an impetus for war, destruction cannot be far behind. Sure, destruction can be poured on any enemy during a religious war, but destruction is more often wrecked on those perpetrating the holy war. Although Thomas F. Madden, author of A Concise History of the Crusades, never explicitly makes this argument (more on that later), his historical account of the crusades seems to support this interpretation of the Christian struggles in the Holy Land.
Madden vividly illustrates disaster after disaster as Christian kings and Popes discovered that crusading could become a vehicle for mobilizing massive forces for political gain. What started out as genuine zeal to serve God -- Medieval Christians believed that God ordained a conquest of Jerusalem -- turned into an opportunity for prestige, power, and wealth for Europe's leaders. But unfortunately for them, when politics overshadowed God, the crusades were doomed to human folly.
During the early years, to be fair, a genuine desire to free the Holy Land from Muslim domination seems to form the basis of the first Crusades. Many a European monarch took the crusading cross in a solemn vow to God to save their souls, not increase their wealth.
Pope Urban II's First Crusade, for instance, seems primarily motivated by spiritual callings. The conviction of leaders and the steadfast faith among soldiers made the First Crusade a resounding success. Muslim nations, completely unaware of the religious fever in Europe, were unprepared for war and proved easy game for Christian armies. The Christians conquered Jerusalem and large portions of Palestine, and the victories were attributed to God, not men.
By the Forth Crusade, however, men had decidedly overshadowed God in the crusades. While the Pope wanted an attack in Palestine to protect Christians there, the competing desires of kings turned the Fourth Crusade into a bloodbath of fellow believers in Christ. A vast Christian army, short of funds and plagued by divided leaders, wrecked havoc on friendly nations. Indeed, the Fourth Crusade was so awash with greed that its armies never reached Muslim lands. Instead, the crusaders attacked Christian cities in North Africa and lade waste to Constantinople -- burning, pillaging, and raping any and all who stood in the way.
The crusades had become perverse, twisted, and dismissive of God. Potential gains for European leaders were placed above the doctrines of their Lord. This trend, of course, was to lead to the demise of crusading.
Before the fall of crusading, however, the wars in the Holy Land certainly made their mark on the world. Indeed, the effects of crusading are probably too large to fathom. Some historians claim, for instance, that the crusades perpetuated their own end by shattering the unity of the Roman Catholic Church through the creation of the protestant movement. Others trace the roots of current Muslim hostility against the West to the behavior of crusaders centuries ago.
Unfortunately, for those interested in a discussion of the effects of crusading, Madden's A Concise History of the Crusades will be disappointing. The book fails to fully explore the consequences and causes of crusading -- discussion on these subjects is regulated to a short preface section and a shorter afterward.
His historical account of the crusades, however, is sharply presented for the reader to draw his own conclusions. He traces the evolution of crusading and allows the historical facts of the crusades to speak for themselves. Madden touches on the major battles and describes worldwide situations surrounding the crusades, but he leaves the interpretations of the events up to his readers.
Although his factual approach makes the book read a little like a textbook, Madden’Äôs ability to add interesting asides truly brings the crusades and their leaders to life. Popes, kings, and Islamic leaders become more than just names in a book; they become living, breathing people who try to manage great undertakings in the name of God while dealing with the conflicts of worldly matters. For this reason, A Concise History of the Crusades is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the history of the Christian crusades.
Return to Top
Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield (1999)
Pages: 192
Purchase: A Concise History of the Crusades.