...To what extent had the crusader states overcome their problems by the end of 1144? Having succeeded in taking Jerusalem in 1099 the crusaders’ problems were just beginning. Despite some turning back home, many stayed facing problems such as geographical situation, climate, unification under Zengi, internal divisions, military threats, lack of manpower and a different culture. However the period 1097 to late 1144 was, in general, a successful time for the Franks. They consolidated the achievements of the First Crusade and founded four fully viable Latin States, although the loss of Edessa to Zengi in December 1144 was a most serious setback. Two particular features stand out when reading contemporary narratives of this time. First, the huge energy and effort required to establish the Frankish hold on the Holy Land is immediately apparent. The need for almost ceaseless campaigning – against a series of enemies – and exhausting marches and counter – marches is striking; the energy of King Baldwin II is especially worthy of note. Secondly, there were only four appeals to the West for the crusades compared to at least fifteen for the period 1149 – 1186. This emphasises the Franks strength in this first phase of settlement and also reflects the relative weaknesses of their enemies. One of the main problems that the crusaders had to face up was the difficulty of terrain and climate as well as their new geographical location. The region settled by the crusaders, which soon...
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...Greco-Roman Gods and the Christians were prone to revolt against Roman rule. Christianity survived because it had many teachings that appealed to the downtrodden in Roman society, these teachings being that even though they were suffering they would gain equality and possibly superiority in the next life, Christianity gave them hope. When Emperor Constantine “converted” to Christianity, this conversion is not fact and often debated, after the Christian God gave him a vision that he would win a battle if he put the sign of Jesus Christ on his soldier’s banners. He did and won the battle decisively giving credit to the Christian God and then proceeded to favor Christianity over all religions in the Empire. Constantine’s favor was the turning point in the Christian religion. Under his rule Roman citizens converted in droves. When the Western Roman Empire collapsed around 476 A.D. all non-religious authority broke down throughout this empire and central Europe. Germanic tribes began to invade and take over these areas and the rule of law became almost non-existent. The Catholic Church maintained its organization giving the Christians a place to look for guidance during this dark time only increasing their power and influence. Because of the lawlessness of this era other hallmarks of Roman life dwindled including education (How Christianity rose to dominate Europe n.d.). The lack of education only strengthened the Churches power more because people began to look to the Church...
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...sultan of Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, and one of the most famous of Muslim heroes. In wars against the Christian crusaders, he achieved final success with the disciplined capture of Jerusalem (Oct. 2, 1187), ending its 88-year occupation by the Franks. The great Christian counterattack of the Third Crusade was then stalemated by Saladin's military genius. Saladin was born into a prominent Kurdish family. On the night of his birth, his father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, gathered his family and moved to Aleppo, there entering the service of 'Imad ad-Din Zangi ibn Aq Sonqur, the powerful Turkish governor in northern Syria. Growing up in Ba'lbek and Damascus, Saladin was apparently an undistinguished youth, with a greater taste for religious studies than military training. His formal career began when he joined the staff of his uncle Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, an important military commander under the amir Nureddin, son and successor of Zangi. During three military expeditions led by Shirkuh into Egypt to prevent its falling to the Latin-Christian (Frankish) rulers of the states established by the First Crusade, a complex, three-way struggle developed between Amalric I, the Latin king of Jerusalem, Shawar, the powerful vizier of the Egyptian Fatimid caliph, and Shirkuh. After Shirkuh's death and after ordering Shawar's assassination, Saladin, in 1169 at the age of 31, was appointed both commander of the Syrian troops and vizier of Egypt. His...
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...Question: Explain the development and the nature of the Byzantine institutions (church and state), social and urban life, and cultural achievements? Answer: Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire from about the 5th century until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. (The Roman Empire during this period is conventionally known as the Byzantine Empire.) The term can also be used for the art of states which were contemporary with the Byzantine Empire and shared a common culture with it, without actually being part of it, such as Bulgaria, Serbia or Russia, and also Venice, which had close ties to the Byzantine Empire despite being in other respects part of western European culture. It can also be used for the art of peoples of the former Byzantine Empire under the rule of the Ottoman Empire after 1453. In some respects the Byzantine artistic tradition has continued in Greece, Russia and other Eastern Orthodox countries to the present day. The finest work, the most elegant, and the most accomplished technically, was, naturally enough, associated with the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, which was the very hub of the civilized world from the foundation of the city as capital around 330 till its conquest by the Turks in 1453. But there were other great centers too. In Rome, Milan, Ravenna, and elsewhere in the West works of the greatest importance that were in no way provincial were executed in the early years of Christendom...
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...far can the Potato Famine (1845-49) be seen as a turning point? Irish nationalism has been said to have changed hugely during the period of 1815 to 1922 in which the movement of nationalism took many changes in directions to complete a vast range of goals including fair rent and Home Rule. These changes were caused by different turning points along the way of which the Potato Famine has been said a key one. The Potato Famine did cause change to an extent but was not alone in the changing in direction of the Irish nationalist movement as other turning points contributed such as Catholic Emancipation, and the first Home Rule bill which both changed the objectives and strategies of the nationalist movement to an extent. The Potato Famine can be seen as a turning point in the change of Irish Nationalism as it was the first time the country had collectively focused on campaigning for cultural nationalism and this suddenly came about due to the catastrophic changes the famine had on the majority of the classes in Ireland, especially amongst the lower-class. It not only created a deep-seated hatred towards Britain amongst the Catholic population, but also had the devastating effect on the Irish population. It led to the death of approximately one million people and, by 1850, to the emigration of a further one and a half million. It accelerated a prolonged reversal of demographic trends in Ireland, and this can be said to the key point in which the Catholic Irish came together in the...
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...family of Provence. Francis was one of several children. According to a legend, he was born in a stable that dates from the fifteenth century only, and appears to have originated in the desire of certain writers to make his life resemble that of Christ. At baptism the saint received the name of Giovanni, which his dad changed to Francesco. The child was still able to learn French even though he was renamed. Francis received elementary teachings from the priests of St. George's at Assisi, even though he learned more in the school of the Troubadours. He was not very studious, and his literary education remained incomplete. Francis showed little liking for a merchant's career, and his parents seemed to have indulged him. Thomas was Francis's first biographer, who speaks very fond of him. No one loved pleasure more than Francis. Francis had a ready wit, sang merrily, enjoyed in fine clothes and showy display. He showed sympathy with the poor, and though he spent money lavishly. In 1201 he took part in an attack on Perugia, was taken hostage, and remained a captive there for a year. His mind began to turn to religion, but around 1205 he enlisted in another military expedition, to Apulia. However, he had a dream in which God called him to his service, and he returned to Assisi and began to care for the sick. In 1206, he had a vision in which Christ called him to repair his church. He resolved to become a hermit, and devoted himself to repairing the church. His father got angry at...
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...This text talks about the three years of occupation of Egypt by the French people. The French Expedition was considered a turning in modern history of Arab countries in the point of view of western people. The expedition started in 1798 and ended in 1801. The French people wanted to spread their liberal beliefs and ideas and so, they started with the most well developed Arab country, which is Egypt. Although Egyptians were unprepared to be ruled by the French as they were different culturally and ideologically but their influence soon began to appear. One of the ways the French tried to manipulate the Egyptian mind is by using the anti-feudal system strategy. The Egyptian suffered from this system through which their land was owned by the Mamleuks and they were their slaves. The French expedition came after the French revolution which destroyed the feudalist system. And so the French said they came to liberate them from this oppressive system as well! Arabs were isolated at the time of Mamleuks and they thought that they were under the protection of the Turkish people. But after the French people came, they that they are weak and they are oppressed by the Mamleuks. Napoleon Bonaparte was the significant figure of this expedition. He was smart person and a great pretender. He knew the mentalities of the Egyptian and he knew how to reach to their hearts and minds thinking that they would believe him and accept him as his leader. However, this wasn’t the case. Egyptians or most...
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...Today is the day Ladies and Gentleman! We are gathered here today to discuss one of the greatest subjects in the history of mankind! If we don’t act now, the planet as we know it will never be the same. I am here today, to fight for the future, to fight for the coming generations and to fight for our survival! The world as we know it is changing! Today is the day! The day where we will be united as one. Today is the day where we make use of the endless power and intelligence God gave us upon creation. We will work together as a team, regardless of wealth and poverty, black and white, young and old, gay and straight, disabled and not disabled, to save the future of tomorrow! A study, by scientists at the World Health Organization determined that 154,000 people die every year from the effects of global warming. These numbers could almost double by 2020. This is not acceptable! We can’t just close our eyes, and hope for the best. We made this problem, and we are the only ones who can get us back on track. No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten every coastline and families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. Katrina as well as the tsunami in 2004 was just the beginning. Fellow citizens! Is this really a place for our children to live, to grow up? You and I may not feel the consequences of the climate change...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Chaplains, the Constitution, and Pluralism Submitted to Dr. Paul B. Greer, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the course CHPL 500 – B03 Introduction to Chaplaincy by William K. Resor Jr. February 26, 2014 CHAPLAINS, THE CONSTITUTION, AND PLURALISM Introduction The foundation of chaplaincy can be traced as far back as biblical times. Dr. Steve Keith shares in his video that the Old Testament has examples of priests going into battle, marching alongside the soldiers, sounding the horns, and carrying the Ark of the Covenant. He mentions biblical heroes such as Aaron and Gideon as being forerunners to what we call chaplains today.[1] Bergen adds: "Certainly those interested in origins can find numerous biblical accounts of priests at war... Indeed, Old Testament militarism has been a problem for Christian exegesis from early on. Nevertheless, national chaplaincies invoke various examples of chaplain-like functions."[2] There is little doubt that chaplains, or their counterpart in ancient times, have been acting in one way or another with the military groups of their specific era. This paper will examine the history of chaplaincy from the periods of 27 AD to 1600 AD and find that the common principle among these priests of ancient times and chaplains along the spectrum of time is that they offer a glimpse of spiritual hope in situations that can be riddled...
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...environmental cause, in President Nixon’s case, the public’s outcry and attention towards the environment stimulated him to use executive action on environmental initiatives, most notably, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. President Nixon was a shrewd statesman and took full advantage of the social and political situation enveloping America during the early 1970s. Although he personally did not care too much for environmental causes, there were benefits to be reaped by his executive leadership. The creation of the catalytic converter was a key development that was a direct result of the EPA’s creation, lowering emission rates and saving lives from the detrimental effects of lead contamination. Unfortunately, his environmental crusade died with a second term secured, and here, it is important to note an important facet of his presidential behavior. Richard Nixon positioned himself against the establishment, railing against liberal intellectuals when appealing...
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...with snapshots of Lahore life. Changez arrives in America as a student of Princeton University, where he studies for a business degree, graduating with high honours and successfully gaining a training contract at top valuation firm Underwood Samson. Upon graduating, before his employment begins, he goes on a celebratory holiday to Greece with some wealthy university friends, among them a girl named Erica. Changez soon falls for Erica, but has to content himself at first with being simply friends – Erica is still mourning her first boyfriend, who died from cancer a year earlier. Back in New York, Changez accustoms himself to his working life with alacrity, displaying excellent financial and business skills and reaching first place amongst his peers quickly; at the same time he maintains his relations with Erica, visiting her in her parents’ home and accompanying her to parties and restaurants. Changez is on a work assignment in Manila when the World Trade Centre is attacked on 11th September 2001. Although at first pleased to see America ‘brought to her knees’, he is...
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...• Characteristics of Medieval Literature Themes of Medieval Literature: • The Seven Deadly Sins • The Seven Heavenly Virtues • Physiognomy and "The Humours" • Values of "courtly love" • The Code of Chivalry(CF) The Poets and Authors: Caedmon: First English poet; author of "The Dream of the Holy Rood." Venerable Bede: wrote the Ecclesiastical History of England and the scientific treatise, De Natura Rerum. Geoffrey Chaucer: Famous Medieval author of the Canterbury Tales. Margery Kempe: Author of the first autobiography in English. John Gower: Medieval poet and friend of Geoffrey Chaucer Francesco Petrarch: Italian poet, and a humanist. Famous for his poems addressed to Laura. Dante: Medieval poet and politician. Christine de Pizan: Medieval author and feminist. William Longland: English poet who wrote the Vision of Piers Plowman. Boccaccio: Italian writer who was famous for writing the Decameron. Raphael Holinshed: Medieval author of Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. (KM) Romance: • Chivalry was the reason behind this type of literature. • The greatest English example of the romance is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. • The romance hero-who often has the help of magic-undertakes a quest to conquer an evil enemy. (KM) Chivalry: • A system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewoman. • The rules included: taking an oath of loyalty to the overlord and observing...
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...Home AS and A Level History International History, 1945-1991 Was the "Battle of Britain" a Major Turning Point In World War II. Level: AS and A Level Subject: History Topic: International History, 1945-1991 Word count: 2716 Save Was the “Battle of Britain” a Major Turning Point In World War II For this essay I am going to study the Battle of Britain and analyse its importance as a *turning point of World War II. *A turning point is a particular decision or act that significantly alters the turnout of a conflict. In 1939 Adolph Hitler led Nazi Germany on a crusade to dominate all of Western Europe. After crushing Poland, Norway and eventually France with their vicious and relentless “Blitzkrieg” or “Lightening War” tactics Germany had only one obstacle left before it attained total Western European domination; Great Britain. After a humiliating defeat in France, the British Expeditionary Force, or B.E.F. as it was better known, was faced with a terrible choice. Either stay to fight the German advance and risk encirclement, or pull back to the beaches of Dunkirk, and attempt to get as many men as possible back to Great Britain. Eventually the British and French commanders decided that France was lost and that they should evacuate as soon as possible. What followed was a mass withdrawal using as many floating vessels as were available. Under heavy bombardment from both land and air, cargo ships, freighters, battleships and even fishing boats were used in an...
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...food to support the growing population. A feudal system began to take place that would shape Europe for history. Through these changing times, Normandy was a central focus for multiple nations. . (Brohpy, Cole, Robertson, and et al 350-353) Normandy is a province in North Western France, and the history of it begins with the conquest of England. After the Danish king Canute died, Edward the confessor took power over England. However, Edward did not have any children leading to a dispute over who would be his heir. The Anglo-Saxons decided to pick one of their own to be the heir. Harold Godwinson became the new king but he was quickly challenged but others who also believed they had claims to the throne. Harold Hardradi of Norway was the first challenge. He landed in Northern England with an army ready to take the throne. He, however, was defeated by Godwinson at the battle of Stamford Bridge. This victory was to be short-lived because he would soon have to face another contender for the throne. Duke William of Normandy was the cousin of Edward the Confessor and claimed he was promised the throne after Edward’s death. He wanted to take what he...
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...The Jewish people settled in Spain for a long period of time, with significant proof from as early as 300 C.E., though likely earlier, before they were expelled in 1492. The unpredictable mass expulsion of this seemingly well integrated assiduous people was simply stimulated by the king’s foolish greed accompanied by the intensified nationalism felt by those who had just been inspired by the power of the Roman Catholic Church through the First Crusade against the Muslim Moors. It was the religious zeal of not only the Church and the Queen but also of the masses that really caused the expulsion of the Jewish people from Spain. Of course, the official justification for exiling the Jews was because they were counterproductive to the Church’s ultimate goal – they attempted to prevent the Marranos from severing their ties with Judaism. Anti-Semitism began soon after the beginning of Christianity with the inherent hatred toward Jews simply because they have differing theological and religious practices are not Christian, not because they are specifically Jewish. Anti-Judaism began with the crucifixion of Christ – it became commonly believed that the Jewish people were responsible for the crucifixion which caused initial discriminatory writings against the Jews as a people, as well as societal misunderstanding and distrust. The Jewish people were exposed to severe persecution under Visigoth control in the Mediterranean and more Christian control in Spain. It is therefore not surprising...
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