Few phenomena from European medieval history are as controversial and debated as the Crusades. While attitudes toward the Crusades during the Middle Ages were largely overwhelmingly positive, subsequent reactions have been deeply divided: ranging from positive admiration to moral condemnation. The Crusades have been held up both as an example to follow and as a perversion of religion. Furthermore, the term 'crusade' has acquired an alternative meaning in everyday language, where it has been emptied of its original religious content and is instead used to refer to any good cause. This book aims to provide the reader with a better understanding of what the medieval Crusades actually were, as well as to highlight the central role crusades have played – and, to some extent, still play – in European history.
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