Nebuchadnezzar's Dream: The Crusades, Apocalyptic Prophecy, and the End of History

by Jay Rubenstein

In 1099, the soldiers of the First Crusade took Jerusalem. As the news of this victory spread throughout Medieval Europe, it felt nothing less than miraculous and dream-like, to such an extent that many believed history itself had been fundamentally altered by the event and that the Rapture was at hand. As a result of military conquest, Christians could see themselves as agents of rather than mere actors in their own salvation.The capture of Jerusalem changed everything. A loosely defined geographic backwater, comprised of petty kingdoms and shifting alliances, Medieval Europe began now to imagine itself as the center of the world. The West had overtaken the East not just on the world's stage but in God's plans. To justify this, its writers and thinkers turned to ancient prophecies, and specifically to one of the most enigmatic passages in the Bible the dream King Nebuchadnezzar has in the Book of Daniel, of a statue with a golden head and feet of clay. Conventional interpretation of the dream transformed the state into a series of kingdoms, each less glorious than the last, leading inexorably to the end of all earthly realms-- in short, to the Apocalypse. The First Crusade signified to Christians that the dream of Nebuchadnezzar would be fulfilled on their terms. Such heady reconceptions continued until the disaster of the Second Crusade and with it, the collapse of any dreams of unification or salvation-any notion that conquering the Holy Land and defeating the Infidel could absolve sin.In Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, Jay Rubenstein boldly maps out the steps by which these social, political, economic, and intellectual shifts occurred throughout the 12th century, drawing on those who guided and explained them. The Crusades raised the possibility of imagining the Apocalypse as more than prophecy but actual event. Rubenstein examines how those who confronted the conflict between prophecy and reality transformed the meaning and memory of the Crusades as well as their place in history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Religion, War, Medieval

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2018

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The typical interpretation of the Crusades is wrong. At least, that's what Jay Rubenstein claims in this enthralling, well-informed book that will forever change the way you see this part of history. As the subtitle indicates, it presents the Crusades as a direct outgrowth of the anticipation (not so much paranoia) of the Apocalypse, in contrast to the more ubiquitous opinion that the Crusades were merely a convenient opportunity for penance and glory. Rubenstein's writing is scholarly, sublime, and often brilliantly amusing. After all, it is hard not to find humor in the misgivings of early historians in the Dark Ages.

The best part by far is the last chapter, entitled "The Ongoing Madness of Antichrist", paralleling an earlier chapter titled "The Oncoming Madness of Antichrist". In this wonderful conclusion, Rubenstein shows how the themes he has built on throughout are still alive in the modern world. Truly, we are more influenced by the ambiguous "Apocalypse" than we ever like to admit.

Special thanks for the Goodreads Giveaway!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rubenstein is one one of the best academic writers I've read--his prose is clear, precise, often slyly funny, and very approachable. However, like Armies of Heaven: The First Crusade and the Quest for Apocalypse, I don't think Rubenstein does enough work to connect the body of evidence with his actual thesis.

To be clear, Nebuchadnezzar's Dream is more scholarly than Armies of Heaven. It expounds on ideas that were not fully explored in the previous book. However, the source analysis is heavily limited to church writers, many of whom were not actually that concerned with crusade. I know trying to do a kind of "history from below" for this era is deeply difficult, but I think moving beyond literary ecclesiastical sources would've made this one stronger.

I still enjoyed reading it, though, and especially if you're not familiar with apocalyptic thought in the high middle ages it's worth reading just for that.

[Chris Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really torn by this book. I loved it and think it has a lot to say to the present age, as people dally with millennialism, end-times and the end of history. Rubenstein does a wonderful job of tying together the First Crusade with apocalyptic views of the capture of Jerusalem and the supposed ushering in of a New Age. He looks at the writings of several people who were trying to make sense not only of the Crusade, its import for the future. Bernard of Clairvaux, Stephen of Blois, Guibert of Nogent, Joachim of Fiore, Hildegard of Bingen, and my favorite, Ralph the Black, are all presented in a respectful manner as the great issues are discussed. My angst is over the fact that most people don't see anything to be learned from this period, and blithely fall for prophets who hope to profit from their naivete that doesn't recognize there are still people trying to foretell the future. It is an excellent read.

[Timothy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of a Christian movement that has some ideas about the prophecies in Daniel, it was interesting to see how they were viewed back in the middle ages. As interesting as the book is, and I think it is worth reading even if you aren't religious just to see how ideas develop, the conclusion really drives it home. The last twenty years has seen a return to apocalyptic fundamentalism that correlates with what happened back then. Maybe if more people read this we could understand what is going on better.

[Tom]

these medieval fellas were syko!!

[frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hope this man knows he's at fault for convincing me to get a masters in medieval studies

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

joachim of fiore, you would have had the reformation

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and interesting. Review to come, still digesting.