History of the Crusades (elective)

$725.00

Course Description:  The Middle Ages saw the development of Christendom and the rise of a new religious and political force, Islam. The clash of these two civilizations reverberates today. Why did Medieval Europeans seek to defend the holy land? Why were Muslim forces seeking to expand their reach? Though both of these traditions claim lineage to Abraham, they diverge greatly in their theology. This study seeks to reveal possible motives, dispel common misconceptions, and explain how this conflict gave shape to Medieval Europe.

Course Objectives:  At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Identify the church and political leaders involved in these conflicts
  2. Chart 25 events/figures from the crusade era
  3. Design a map of one major conflict during one of the wars
  4. Write an encomium/vituperation of one figure from a specific crusade
  5. Develop a persuasive paper concerning one aspect of the crusades
  6. Deliver a presentation considering the theological and political dynamics


Credits: 1 (Elective), Non-honors

Pre-requisites: This course is for high school students only.

Mtg. Days:  2 days each week

Required Materials:  

  • Any modern English translation (not a paraphrase) of the Bible.
  • Henty, G. A. The Boy Knight: A Tale of the Crusades. Dover, 2006. ISBN: 9780486448039
  • Ibrahim, Raymond. Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam, 2022. ISBN: 9781642938203
  • Phillips, Charles & Craig Taylor. The Complete Illustrated History of the Crusades: An In-Depth Account of the Crusading Armies and Their Leaders, 2023. ISBN: 9780754835783
  • Stark, Rodney. God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades, 2009. ISBN: 9780061582608
  • PDF documents provided by the instructor.

 

This  COURSE AVAILABILITY SPREADSHEET 2026-2027 shows who teaches this course and at what time. It also shows all available seats (it is updated daily).