People of the First Crusade

by Michael Foss

In this work Michael Foss casts new light on the reality of and motives behind the Crusades in general, and in particular the First Crusade, which set the tone for all those that followed. As the eleventh century came to an end, the Christian lands of Western Europe were in trouble. Afflicted by repeated invasions from the north, by the collapse of internal order and safety, by the increasing laxity and ignorance of the clergy, and by the unrestrained tyranny of the feudal lords, life in the West was, as one philosopher described it, "nasty, brutish, and short." To make matters worse, the Seljuk Turks, recently converted to Islam, had overrun the Holy Land. Pope Urban II, searching for a way out of the increasing anarchy and to rid himself of unruly, marauding knights, exhorted the faithful, at the Council of Clermont in 1095, to free Jerusalem from the Infidels. The response was immediate and enthusiastic. Proud knights, poor peasants, artisans armed with pikes and bows and arrows - and often only sticks or clubs - set out on the great adventure, fighting or negotiating their way through strange, exotic lands, until, four long years later, the ragged remnants of the once proud army stood below the forbidding walls of Jerusalem. Michael Foss tells the stories of these men and women of the First Crusade, often in their own words, bringing the time and events to life. Through these eyewitness accounts the cliches of history vanish, the distinctions between hero and villain blur: the Saracen is as base or noble, as brave or cruel, as the crusader. In that sense, the fateful clash between Christianity and Islam teaches us a lesson for our own time. For the attitudes and prejudices expressedon both sides in the First Crusade became the basic currency for all later exchanges, down to our own day, between the two great monotheistic faiths of Mohammed and Christ.

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction, Middle East, European History

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paired this with the "Crusades through Arab Eyes" which made each more interesting. This is a good summary of how the crusades got started and the amazing feat of leaving home and going to the holy land. These people had guts, for sure, but maybe not many brains.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work is a short history of the First Crusade. The political, religious, and economic factors leading to the Crusade are examined. Numerous quotes from other work are used throughout. This is a good introduction to the conflict between Christianity and Islam.

[Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

To use People of the First Crusades as a precursor to learning about the later Crusades is feasible, it follows broadly what events occurred and has a basic grasp on important historical dates, but lacks the political depth of more critical works. Over the 232 pages of People of the First Crusade Foss uses seemingly direct accounts of people, both common folk and Kings, he never acknowledges where exactly these accounts came from and if they are accredited works. Recommending this work to anyone who is unfamiliar or uninterested in the Crusades would be a mistake in some ways, although the text is easy to digest and broad it can quickly become convoluted. Foss mentions different names frequently and scarcely takes time to explain with any depth who these people are and why they are important. He quickly glosses over Peter the Hermit, tends to leave out defining features of integral people, resorts to using first names, and on occasion drops the titles of many people. The abundance of names and places can be overwhelming even with basic knowledge of these people. To recommend this title to a newcomer of the Crusades would be a disservice; People of the First Crusade is meant for someone who has researched broadly or in depth what the Crusades entailed. Having a good grasp on the topic and an understanding of the major figures present during the First Crusade makes People of the First Crusade easier to understand and digest. Foss’s human approach is exciting to see in a historical work but this book is just that, a historical work documenting the lives of people, remembering that can be difficult with his emotional emphasis making the book feel more like a work of fiction.

[Nicole Issel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice quick read.
This lacks references to sources and the book being written as a story that is an account of an account of an account sets my mind up for it to likely have some influence of "Chinese whispers". Some is bound to be "one man's idea" or decided "better said like this", and then there will be the interpretation of the reader to leave events up to one's own imagination. Nevertheless, it sets up the characters well, whether a true account or not (you get the "gist"), and the story flows nice and simply to provide a good beginning to learning of the events of the crusades.
It isn't greatly detailed, but this made it an enjoyable side track read as a genre that is not generally my go to for distraction.
It has maps, and I like maps. Also a few interesting and relevant historical artworks represented within.

[Thomas Funke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author basically summarized some source materials...both from a Christian & Muslim perspective.

I'd give it a higher rating but yet again another history book with no bibliography. I had to glean it from the text.

[Ellis Knox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical popular history book. In trying to engage the reader, the approach in fact distances its audience from the events. Or maybe it was just the failing of the author. Either way, it's certainly no challenge to Runciman.

[Meredith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm finished because it's filled with misinformation. If you are going to read one book about the Crusades, pick another one. Kind of written in the point of view of the historical personages. I found this seemed to encourage a lot of editorializing.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably about 2.5 stars, but I wasn't feeling generous.

The prose was a bit of a chore to read.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good history of the people that made up the first crusade, not a history of the crusade itself except in generalities. Good read.

[Robert Grebasch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because I knew little on this subject. It was a very detailed account of how the crusades originated and why. It also described in awful detail the viciousness of this "Holy War and Jihad" . The world was a terrible place in the eleventh century.