| The conflict between the European West and the Islamic countries of the Middle East goes back centuries. Although this conflict has evolved over time, the crusades represent a foundational piece of this very relevant interaction. During the eleventh century, Western Europe turned its gaze to lands outside of its own political, religious, and cultural boundaries. Over the course of the next two hundred years, numberous Western European armies marched on crusade, and during this same period, Europe saw an enormous economic and cultural revival. This course offers an overview of the crusades from their beginnings in the eleventh century to their height in the thirteenth, exploring the motivations behind the crusades and determining how they evolved while looking at how they influened and were affected by events in Europe. |
