I don’t think I’ve ever read an article with greater historical projection.
That’s where an author takes today’s issues and attitudes and projects them into the past and criticizes historical figures for not making their decisions using them.
As if Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492 should have negotiated their treaty with Granada based primarily on the need to avoid the rise of Islamism in the late 20th century.
I especially liked the claim that all 17th century Europeans should have ignored their own very real differences and joined together to destroy Islam because they had technological superioirity.
Today the West has the greatest tech superiority in history, but we are not likely to join together to use it in this way. But historical figures should have ignored their own needs and concerns to address those of the author.
And anyone who believes that post Reconquista Spain was a place of religious tolerance and freedom may contact me privately as I have some green moon cheese to sell them.
Yep, this is revisionism a la a liberal. Good call and post.