The Crusades: The Crescent & The Cross, History Channel 11/6 & 11/7, 9PM

History Channel ^ | 11/6/05

[Dr. Scarpetta]

It was the collision of two great faiths…a clash between two of the world’s most enduring and powerful religions.

A thousand years ago, they battled each other for two centuries during three Crusades, each seeking control of what they claimed as the rightful holy lands of their people.

Heroes and villains emerged, and acts of barbarism cut wounds that are still felt to this day.

This November, The History Channel travels back in time for a historical, vivid and clear-eyed look at the first three Crusades, the battle between the Crescent and the Cross, which still shapes the Middle East and relations between the two great religions in our present-day world.

[virgil]

Back in the day, you might get a crusade against you if you sack and loot the Vatican. You might also get a crusade against you if you invade the southern Italian peninsula and depopulate it of its native population by selling it off into slavery. Occupy Sicily and Spain for fun and profit.

Here's the reasons for crusade: Preemption, if you get to be too much of a nuisance and just to deliver a generous spanking by rapacious Norman adventurers (who also had a reputation for being a very nasty nuisance). I guess the Pope just thought the best way to fight a nuisance is with another nuisance.

[TheCrusader]

"They even had Christians eating Muslims! Was there any truth to that in real history?"

Sounds like pure anti-Catholic drivel. I've read extensively on the Crusades, from both Catholic and anti-Catholic perspectives and have never even heard of this before. One thing I do know, however, is that Muslims in Jerusalem persecuted, tortured and murdered Christians regularly.

A favorite Islamic torture for Christians was to open their bellies with a knife, pull out their bowels and nail them to a stump. Then they would whip the Christian, forcing him to walk away and disembowel himself. This atrocious, satanic practice was one of many reasons for the Crusades. When Western Europeans heard of this torture it, needless to say, incited them to battle against Islam.

[sageb1]

"Who financed this lavish production? I'm serious. Where did the money come from? That certainly will explain the unabashed bias"

I'm with you. I think it's research time (of course, it's always research time). Let me know if you find anything. I'll do the same.

[texasbluebell]

I've a couple of Chesterton quotes handy, but not on islam -- the first one especially is very appropriate for this time, I suppose:

"These are the days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed except his own."

"There are those who hate Christianity and call their hatred an all-embracing love for all religions."

[texasbluebell]

Link to "Lepanto" by GKC:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Ff-Kpa6vtlcJ:www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/5443/leppoem.htm+chesterton+lepanto&hl=en

and just the last verse here:

Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath
(Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreath.)
And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in Spain,
Up which a lean and foolish knight for ever rides in vain,
And he smiles, but not as Sultans smile, and settles back the blade....
(But Don John of Austria rides home from the Crusade.)

[Don W]

Here's a wee anecdote about National Review.

I followed your link about 2 minutes ago, but I refuse ALL "activeX" components and controls.

If you can't answer my query with simple verbiage and/or graphics, you just can't answer my query.

I closed the NRO window after actually COUNTING (my program gives me a quiet audio cue) over one hundred attempts at running said program.

[Psycho_Runner]

So far it looks like anti christian.

[RedTail]

Can anyone recommend a good, unbiased book on the early Muslim conquests, the Crusades, and the Muslim incursions into Europe?

[freepersup]

My favorite recitation of a 'fact' during the episode tonight was when the Franks had constructed two breaching towers and the commentator/narrator mentioned how a captured mooselimb had been placed upon a catapult and airmailed back into the city of Jerusalem... BBBAAAWWWHHHAAA!!!

[Don W]

I'm glad you mentioned janissaries, as I recently read an OLD novel in which the main character was one.

It's titled "The Gentle Infidel", and sorry, I can't remember the author's name.

The main character is pressed into service under false pretences, is used by (among other muslim carpetbaggers), a clever muslim couple to further their aims, and ends up... well, I don't want to ruin the read.

I really enjoyed the read, though it does use some archaic language structure.

I *do* have the book still, but it's somewhere in a box, waiting for me to finish my library shelves.

[kellynla]

Well I hope you will confirm or deny the storyline on this program. I admit I am a Catholic and I studied the Crusades in high school which was a long time ago but I don't recall much of what is being derogatorily said about the Christians on the History Channel. I'm recording the rest as I have an early reveille in the a.m.

So since this is more of your expertise; I would appreciate your input.

Nytol,
Kelly

[nutmeg]

I don't think I'll bother watching this tomorrow.

*** Same here. It was so anti-Christian.

I've got to watch. How else can I document their lies and distortions other than quoting the very words they scripted? and, of course, the ones they conveniently "forgot", or pretend never happened.

Please DO watch and document, Publius6961. I'm no expert on the Crusades, but this documentary sure reeked of anti-Christian bias IMHO.

[nutmeg]

A favorite Islamic torture for Christians was to open their bellies with a knife, pull out their bowels and nail them to a stump. Then they would whip the Christian, forcing him to walk away and disembowel himself. This atrocious, satanic practice was one of many reasons for the Crusades. When Western Europeans heard of this torture it, needless to say, incited them to battle against Islam.

OMG. But... but this can't be possibly be accurate because the History Channel didn't include this information in its documentary... /sarcasm

[Delphinium]

I have read alot too, (old history books) and have never heard that before tonights propaganda on the "history" channel.

[redgolum]

Watched it for an hour and a half, and finally turned it off. I guess when you have read so much about it, a fluff piece just doesn't hold the attention.

And I was waiting for the theme song from the "Empire Strikes Back!" to start on some of the scenes with Pope Leo! But was more frustrating was that there was no mention of the anti pope of the time. That played into why the Holy Roman Emperor didn't go on crusade, and why the crusade was made up of more lesser nobles.

Also, did anyone notice that the actors playing the muslim writers were in the well lit court yard while William of Tyre and the other chronicler were in a dark room or dirty side street? The part where William was eating a full meal while writing about the starvation during the siege of Antioch was a nice touch also /sarcasm.

I guess it was disappointing, but not surprising, how the HC handled it.

[Bigg Red]

A favorite Islamic torture for Christians ....

...but this can't be possibly be accurate...

**
Exactly. The Moslems are the brave warriors, while the Christians are the evil invaders only interested in riches...

I, for one, will not watch any more of this series.

[Bigg Red]

Please DO watch and document, Publius6961...

&&&

Ditto. And please ping me with your update. Thanks.

[ClaireSolt]

You seem very sure of yourself, but I think you are wrong. I can count myself as a crusade historian, what are your credentials?

[TheCrusader]

"I have read alot too, (old history books)"

You are very wise. Old (even antique) history books are the ones to read and study as they were written before revisionism became so popular. Though you do have to screen the Catholic-hating authors, which seem to have always been around. I find them all the time in antique shops and antiquarian book stores, and they are usually very cheap.

This isn't the first time Christians have been falsely accused of cannibalism though, the ancient Romans and Jews also accused them of it. Whatever works to make people hate Christians is their motto, no matter how outrageous the lie.

[VOA]

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