Description
Book SynopsisJonathan Harris's classic text chronologically surveys Byzantine history in the time of the Crusades. The book reveals the attitudes of the Byzantine ruling elites towards the Crusades and their ultimate inability to adapt to the challenges this presented. Using evidence amassed in a wealth of primary sources, Harris successfully makes the point that Byzantine interactions with Western Europe, the Crusades and the crusader states is best understood in the nature of the Byzantine Empire and the ideology which underpinned it, rather than in any generalised hostility between the peoples.Incorporating recent scholarship, this 3rd edition has 25 further images, as well as additional maps and genealogical tables. This new edition also comes with two significant additions to the text:*
Appendix I sees the inclusion of seven critical Latin primary sources taken from across three centuries. Translated by the author, these sources are then discussed in detail, providing multiple first-han
Trade ReviewJonathan Harris continues to offer new insights in this, the third edition of a well-established classic. No student of the crusades or of relations between Byzantium and the West can afford to overlook this important study. * Alfred J. Andrea, Professor Emeritus of Medieval World History, University of Vermont, USA *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Acknowledgements Timeline Genealogical Tables Introduction 1. The Empire of Christ 2. The Power behind the Throne 3. Response to Crisis 4. The Passage of the First Crusade 5. Jerusalem and Antioch 6. The Friend of the Latins 7. Andronicus the Tyrant 8. Iron not Gold 9. Paralysis and Extortion 10. The Rivers of Babylon 11. And so the Land is Lost! Epilogue: The Impact Appendix I: Author Translations and Discussions of Key Latin Primary Sources Appendix II: Assessing Representations in Fiction and Non-Fiction Notes Bibliography Index
