In this concise and balanced survey of heresy and inquisition in the Middle Ages; Jennifer Kolpacoff Deane explores the increasingly bitter encounters between piety; reform; dissent; and the institutional Church between 1100 and 1500. Although the loaded terms of 'heresy' and 'orthodoxy' employed by ecclesiastical officials suggest a clear division between right and wrong; that division was in fact vigorously contested by medieval people at all levels of society. Deane investigates key issues that sparked confrontations between Christians; including access to scripture; apostolic models of poverty and preaching; the Eucharist and sacramental power; and clerical corruption and wealth. She traces the means by which Church elites developed an increasingly complex set of inquisitorial procedures and resources to identify; label; and repress 'heresy;' examines the various regional eruptions of such confrontations across medieval Europe; and considers the judicial processes that brought many to the stake. The book ranges from the 'Good Christians' of Languedoc and Lombardy and the pan-European 'Poor;' to Spiritual Franciscans; lay religious women; anticlerical and vernacular movements in England and Bohemia; mysticism; magical practices; and witchcraft. Throughout; Deane considers how the new inquisitorial bureaucracies not only fueled anxiety over heresy; but actually generated fictional 'heresies' through their own texts and techniques. Incorporating recent research and debates in the field; her analysis brings to life a compelling issue that profoundly influenced the medieval world.
#366132 in Books 2005-11-10Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.07 x .59 x 6.07l; .82 #File Name: 0742538230280 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Subject like this can be boring. Madden's story telling skill has made the subject very interesting. BravoBy YIPLIUI had other choices when I was looking for a book on Crusades. I did not need a very detailed history of the crusades as I was sure I would be drowned in a river of names and places.I did not realise that this book is supposed to be a text book with some little exercises for essay writing.I was not disappointed. This is a well balanced book for someone who wants to know the background of crusades. My experience with this kind of book is that the skill of the writer makes a whole lot of difference. I have read books on "black death" "The grand turks" and they were dry and boring. Madden on the other hand has done an excellent job.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. ExcitingBy John DenzerJMJ The in depth realistic retelling of the Crusades. Easy read; great maps; many Islamic terms. Its not a textbook; but very educational. Has all the main players and more. Goes over each Crusade. Includes the Councils of the era; Pope; Kings; Queens; Muslims caliph jihad Murad II Ottoman Empire; Jews; Byzantines; Knights Templar. My favorite battle; The Battle of Lepanto (1571); as well as King St. Louis who went on the first and second Crusades and died during the second.12 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Far more interesting than you might suspectBy RivendellThomas Madden's excellent summary of the Crusades introduced me to a broad slice of medieval history about which I knew very little. It proved very interesting to learn about the small Crusader kingdom that existed for a few hundred years in Israel and the surrounding area. As Madden makes note of in this revised edition of his book; originally published in 1999; the Crusades; as an item of forgotten or stereotyped history; have reappeared as a subject of modern interest; owing to the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Since jihadists have made frequent reference to the Crusades; many Westerners are curious at what their significance is for the modern relationship between Islam and the Western world. Most Westerners are familiar with the Crusades only insofar as to decry them together with the Inquisition as examples of medieval ignorance and intolerance. While the book doesn't strike me as an attempt to rehabilitate the Crusades or justify them; it does seek to understand them within their own historical context.The picture of the Crusades that unfolds is a far cry from an organized and unified enterprise bent on greed and colonialism; or sweeping wars with forced conversions imposed on captives and enemies. While there certainly were many instances where more "noble" motives caved into greed; and in rarer off-shoots of the Crusades there were attempts at forced conversions; this is not at all the general character of the Crusades. Rather they were highly fragmented events that ranged from being moderately successful to disastrous failures.The leadership of the Crusades was in constant fluctuation; from Counts and Kings and occasionally clergy striving for headship and trying to assert their power over often poorly trained crews of peasants who marched alongside knights. One of the most surprising things about the Crusades was that the Christians quite often were not consistently allied with one another; nor were the Muslims! In the mix of constantly shifting alliances; political interests; and the convoluted succession of various lines of royalty; the Crusaders quite often made war against other Christians; the Muslims waged war against other Muslims; and the Christians and Muslims often made temporary alliances with one another. And in Jerusalem and other key cities that changes hands frequently in those centuries; there were often Christians; Muslims and Jews that lived together at least somewhat peacefully during intervening periods.The Crusaders were not really interested in converting the Muslims; but in regaining the lands that had formerly been possessed by Christians and Jews in Israel; Syria; Asia Minor; Spain and elsewhere; but had been taken captive during Muslim conquests. Thus Madden argues; the Crusades were initially (and to a certain degree afterward) a series of defensive wars to stop the advances of the Muslim empires and to push back the borders that they had expanded through earlier conquests. He believes they were moderately successful in doing so; but at a tremendous cost to Europe; economically and in terms of sheer manpower. At many points in the later history of Europe; it seemed as though the whole continent of Europe was teetering on the edge of being entirely overthrown. Far from being a profitable enterprise; the Crusades were often disastrously expensive for the individuals and kings who engaged in them; and few ever returned home. Madden explains the religious motivations that moved the Crusaders to take on the crusading vow.The book is filled with many heroes and many scoundrels; and there were colorful characters on both sides of the conflicts; such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. The history of the Templar orders is covered in brief; the origin of various Crusades that were not aimed at the Holy Land; as well as various unofficial crusading activities that arose; such as the misnamed "Children's Crusade." Madden also concludes the book with eye-opening reflections on how the history of the Crusades has passed (often inaccurately) into the modern imagination.Overall the book was far more interesting than I would have expected; and much to my surprise made me interested in reading further on many of the points that he was unable to develop more fully in this concise volume. One will find that the Crusades are a far more complex phenomenon than they might have expected. And while I think they were greatly misguided from a theological point of view; they had a significant impact in the history of the Middle East and Europe. This book is an excellent place to begin your study of the Crusades; or even if its the only book you read.
