The Crusades permeated every aspect of medieval life. But why did they begin? Was it a frenzy of faith and evangelical fervor that caused people to leave their homes, cross inhospitable territory, and sail a perilous sea to liberate Jerusalem and other “Christian” holy sites? Was it a ploy by the Pope to rid Europe of its warring second, third, and fourth sons who were tearing up the land and destroying the economy? Was it a chance to legitimize plunder, murder, and expropriation?

In classes consisting of lectures and discussions, we will examine these questions in a series of four sessions. The first will focus on the financial costs and benefits of the crusades. The second will examine how propaganda (“fake news”) encouraged participation and the ensuing political ramifications. The third will compare the rise of fascism in 1930s Europe to medieval crusading ideology. The fourth will look briefly at two other major medieval crusades—the Reconquista and the Albigensian Crusade—and then contemporary so-called “crusades” to see if there is a correlation between the medieval and the modern. There is no reading, but there will be a few optional films.