The Crusades

A series of medieval religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church, typically directed against Muslim-held territories in the Holy Land. The term is used here to refer both to the historical events and to their contested framing and interpretation as holy triumph.

Claims that use this term

• The Crusades were tied to enduring European xenophobia rooted in Greek thought
• The Crusades used religion to mask social and economic conflicts
• The Crusades were less coherent religious triumph than convenient enemy-making
• The Crusades as holy triumph is a myth masking internal massacres
• The Crusades were framed as a militaristic pilgrimage against Islamic advance
• The Crusades introduced the figure of Muhammad as the anti-Christ into European thought