Thirteenth-century crusading and missions failed to convert Muslims or reclaim the Holy Land

Evidence

By the end of the thirteenth century and in the following centuries, as the Ottomans obtained hegemony over Anatolia and pushed their way into Europe, few Europeans were optimistic about Christian chances to defeat Islam or to wrest the Holy Land from Muslim control; the calls to crusade were in general for the defense against Ottoman advances into Europe. In this atmosphere, it is the hostile view of Islam of people like Fidentius of Padua that is to dominate European discourse on Islam, rather than the positive portrayal of De statu Sarracenorum or of Burchard of Mount Sion. The “beast” whose imminent demise Innocent III had predicted showed few signs of weakness or defeat; thirteenth-century Muslims proved impervious not only to Christian arms (everywhere but in Spain) but also to Christian missionaries. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1093 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Failed crusades eroded European hopes of defeating Islam by 1300; Arabic-trained missionaries failed to convert many Muslims in the thirteenth century; Muslims resisted both Christian military and missionary efforts throughout the thirteenth century (+24 more)

Broader Connections

• Arabic-trained missionaries failed to convert many Muslims in the thirteenth century #corroborates (0.95)
• Muslims resisted both Christian military and missionary efforts throughout the thirteenth century #corroborates (0.95)
• Thirteenth-century Muslims proved impervious to both Christian arms and missionaries #corroborates (0.95) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1093
• Anti-Islamic polemic froze into its framework by the thirteenth century #complicates (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 382
• Medieval missions to Islam targeted Christians, not Muslim converts #complicates (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1465
• Thirteenth-century missionaries considered Muslims too rational to accept unexamined doctrine. #complicates (0.75) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1260
• Thirteenth-century Canon law tolerated Jews and Muslims but denied status to heretics #complicates (0.75) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 991
• Medieval Christian missions to Muslims focused on servicing resident Christians instead #complicates (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 681
• The 1492 conquest stranded converts on the wrong side of the religious divide #complicates (0.75)
• The conversion of Spanish Muslims failed partly from under-resourced evangelization #complicates (0.75) — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 367
• Europe’s anti-Islam polemics stagnated after the thirteenth century #complicates (0.75)
• Thirteenth-century anti-Islamic polemics were still recycled by Luther and later eras #complicates (0.75) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 63
• Medieval Christian polemic against Islam was ineffective self-consolation since Muslims never engaged it #complicates (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2419
• A thirteenth-century missionary’s theology fractured when military and missionary defeat contradicted it #complicates (0.75) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1239
• Orientalist artists often preferred inherited fantasy to firsthand observation of the actual Holy Land #complicates (0.75) — Ivan Davidson Kalmar, Derek Penslar, Orientalism and the Jews, 200