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The Second Crusade: Extending the Frontiers of Christendom
The Second Crusade (1145-1149) was an extraordinarily bold attempt to overcome unbelievers on no less than three fronts. Crusader armies set out to defeat Muslims in the Holy Land and in Iberia as well as pagans in northeastern Europe. But, to the shock and dismay of a society raised on the triumphant legacy of the First Crusade, only in Iberia did they achieve any success. This book, the first in 140 years devoted to the Second Crusade, fills a major gap in our understanding of the Crusades and their importance in medieval European history.
Historian Jonathan Phillips draws on the latest developments in Crusade studies to cast new light on the origins, planning, and execution of the Second Crusade, some of its more radical intentions, and its unprecedented ambition. With original insights into the legacy of the First Crusade and the roles of Pope Eugenius III and King Conrad III of Germany, Phillips offers the definitive work on this neglected Crusade that, despite its failed objectives, exerted a profound impact across Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.
Historian Jonathan Phillips draws on the latest developments in Crusade studies to cast new light on the origins, planning, and execution of the Second Crusade, some of its more radical intentions, and its unprecedented ambition. With original insights into the legacy of the First Crusade and the roles of Pope Eugenius III and King Conrad III of Germany, Phillips offers the definitive work on this neglected Crusade that, despite its failed objectives, exerted a profound impact across Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2002
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About the author
Jonathan Phillips
81 books65 followersDr. Jonathan Phillips is Professor of Crusading History in the Department of History, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. His scholarly contributions to the crusades include the books Defenders of the Holy Land: Relations Between the Latin East and West, 1119-1187, The Crusades, 1095-1197, and most recently, The Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinople. His articles have appeared in a number of British publications including BBC History, History Today, and the Independent. Additionally, he is regularly consulted on radio and television programs as a leading expert on crusades history.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 27, 2022
I purchased this book after reading Jonathan Phillips’ excellent book on the Fourth Crusade. Unfortunately the two books couldn’t be more different. As thrilling as the former was, this book on the Second Crusade was a complete let-down.
According to my Kindle reader, 41% of the book is taken by appendices, notes and the bibliography. If we exclude the introduction, only 56% of the book is the actual content. It is divided into 14 chapters, but the first 7 chapters are dedicated to the theological arguments underpinning the crusade, the preaching around France and Germany, and the preparations for the crusade. While it may be interesting to know that some knights had to sell or mortgage land to abbeys to raise funds for the expedition, after reading the umpteenth example it can get seriously tedious. Of the seven chapters about the crusade itself, one only three are related to the events in the Near East. Two are about Iberia, one about the crusade against the Wends in Northeast Germany, and the last one is about the aftermath of the crusade. So in a book of 364 pages, less than 100 pages are about the crusade itself, and even these pages aren’t particularly riveting. The most interesting chapter, in my opinion, was the siege of Lisbon.
For such a well-researched and annotated academic book it is surprising that the author should make quite a few simple spelling mistakes in names. He writes Nuremburg instead of Nuremberg, not once, which could pass as a typo, but several times. Likewise he constantly writes of the Count of Maçon instead of Mâcon (two mistakes in one word), but does the opposite mistake by writing Rancon when it is actually Rançon. He describes Archibald VII of Bourbon as a Count when he was in fact a mere seigneur.
According to my Kindle reader, 41% of the book is taken by appendices, notes and the bibliography. If we exclude the introduction, only 56% of the book is the actual content. It is divided into 14 chapters, but the first 7 chapters are dedicated to the theological arguments underpinning the crusade, the preaching around France and Germany, and the preparations for the crusade. While it may be interesting to know that some knights had to sell or mortgage land to abbeys to raise funds for the expedition, after reading the umpteenth example it can get seriously tedious. Of the seven chapters about the crusade itself, one only three are related to the events in the Near East. Two are about Iberia, one about the crusade against the Wends in Northeast Germany, and the last one is about the aftermath of the crusade. So in a book of 364 pages, less than 100 pages are about the crusade itself, and even these pages aren’t particularly riveting. The most interesting chapter, in my opinion, was the siege of Lisbon.
For such a well-researched and annotated academic book it is surprising that the author should make quite a few simple spelling mistakes in names. He writes Nuremburg instead of Nuremberg, not once, which could pass as a typo, but several times. Likewise he constantly writes of the Count of Maçon instead of Mâcon (two mistakes in one word), but does the opposite mistake by writing Rancon when it is actually Rançon. He describes Archibald VII of Bourbon as a Count when he was in fact a mere seigneur.
March 9, 2018
Автор глибоко дослідив підготовку та події Другого хрестового походу, в якому брали участь французький король Людовік VII та німецький король Конрад ІІІ. Важливою подією цього походу була облога Дамаска. Крім того, під час цього походу проводились військові дії на Іберійському півострові та на Північному сході Європи.
February 24, 2011
The Second Crusade: Extending the Frontiers of Christendom by Jonathan Phillips provides a detailed overview of the events of the Second Crusade. He supports his subtitle throughout the book, and emphasizes that those who participated in this crusade did so in an attempt defend Christian lands from further invasions and in order to launch an attack to spread Christianity’s influence. He has chapters on all three theaters of war, and while he spends the most time on the French and German crusaders in the Levant, the shorter sections on Spain and the Baltic are no less interesting or detailed. The successes in Spain were nice to read about after the resounding defeats in the other theaters.
The Second Crusade was launched after the fall of Edessa, initially only to defend the Levant. Pope Eugenius and Bernard of Clairvaux were the strong ecclesiastical supporters behind the new crusade. The pope issued bulls, at different times, to advance crusades on all three fronts. Even when Bernard went ahead and proclaimed the crusade in the Baltic without official backing Eugenius was quick to support the move. The first bull Quantum Praedecessores called for a new crusade based on the successes and tradition of the First Crusade, the familial duties of sons to follow their fathers, the need to help the Eastern Church, Divine authority, and it appealed to the Western knight’s honor. The pope promised remission of all past sins as the reward for the faithful. A strong network of religious leaders across Europe helped to spread the word: the pope, legates, abbots and bishops. They came from a combination of Cistercian, Cluniac and Benedictine backgrounds.
The crusading armies under Conrad and Louis set out with high hopes for success. They were following their fathers in a holy war to defend Christ’s homeland. They thought that nothing would be able to stand against them. When they moved beyond Byzantium they were shocked at the difficulties they faced. The Germans were defeated and turned back to safer lands, when the French arrived they pressed on. The crusaders were overconfident and met with defeat after defeat. Finally they gave up and men returned home broken.
In the Baltic the crusaders found that it was easier to follow their old habits and accept tribute from the pagans rather than giving them the choice between conversion or destruction. The situation in the Levant had changed since the First Crusade and the Muslims were a far stronger opponent. They were more united and experienced at fighting Europeans. The Baltic crusading had not brought forth any fruit, only in Spain were any positive advances made.
The crusaders had set out with high hopes and expectations but returned to Europe defeated and destitute. Back in Europe the leaders struggled to understand the defeat and justify why they had been unsuccessful. Pope Eugenius seemed crushed by the seemingly needless loss of life and expense that had been brought upon the Europeans. Bernard tried to call another crusade to rally from the defeat. Perhaps the goal of trying to extend Christendom on three separate fronts was too idealistic and difficult to succeed.
The Second Crusade was launched after the fall of Edessa, initially only to defend the Levant. Pope Eugenius and Bernard of Clairvaux were the strong ecclesiastical supporters behind the new crusade. The pope issued bulls, at different times, to advance crusades on all three fronts. Even when Bernard went ahead and proclaimed the crusade in the Baltic without official backing Eugenius was quick to support the move. The first bull Quantum Praedecessores called for a new crusade based on the successes and tradition of the First Crusade, the familial duties of sons to follow their fathers, the need to help the Eastern Church, Divine authority, and it appealed to the Western knight’s honor. The pope promised remission of all past sins as the reward for the faithful. A strong network of religious leaders across Europe helped to spread the word: the pope, legates, abbots and bishops. They came from a combination of Cistercian, Cluniac and Benedictine backgrounds.
The crusading armies under Conrad and Louis set out with high hopes for success. They were following their fathers in a holy war to defend Christ’s homeland. They thought that nothing would be able to stand against them. When they moved beyond Byzantium they were shocked at the difficulties they faced. The Germans were defeated and turned back to safer lands, when the French arrived they pressed on. The crusaders were overconfident and met with defeat after defeat. Finally they gave up and men returned home broken.
In the Baltic the crusaders found that it was easier to follow their old habits and accept tribute from the pagans rather than giving them the choice between conversion or destruction. The situation in the Levant had changed since the First Crusade and the Muslims were a far stronger opponent. They were more united and experienced at fighting Europeans. The Baltic crusading had not brought forth any fruit, only in Spain were any positive advances made.
The crusaders had set out with high hopes and expectations but returned to Europe defeated and destitute. Back in Europe the leaders struggled to understand the defeat and justify why they had been unsuccessful. Pope Eugenius seemed crushed by the seemingly needless loss of life and expense that had been brought upon the Europeans. Bernard tried to call another crusade to rally from the defeat. Perhaps the goal of trying to extend Christendom on three separate fronts was too idealistic and difficult to succeed.
April 26, 2010
The singular focus of the book is impressive. The narrative zeros in on a single Crusade and explores it in painstaking detail. To thoroughly absorb this book is to gain a working historical knowledge of its subject, plain and simple. Predictably, the complaints I have with this book arise from that very focus: the narrative sometimes gets tangled up in pedantries, information for information's sake as it were. After gaining a knowledge of the Second Crusade, the reader is given no advice as how to apply that knowledge to a broader concept of the Crusades as a whole. If Phillips were presenting the Second Crusade as an archetype of all the Crusades, his neglect of the others would have been more understandable. As it is, his focus leaves it in a historical vaccuum that forces the reader to go further afield. Because Phillips sets himself up as a contrarian revisionist from the outset of the book, we presumably go further afield back into the misinformation that he has just tried to clear up. Clear, opinionated, but incomplete.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews