The Crusades are largely forgotten, but they left a mark

 Some of my previous blogs dealt with the Mid-East, the Holy Land, but they were pretty much contemporary times.  The Crusades happened over 1400 years ago, but have left a mark.  

We are all tied to the past. The Third Crusade in the 12th century revealed a serious conflict between Christians and Muslims.  When the Papacy learned that the holy sites inside the most holy Christian city, Jerusalem were ruled by Muslims a campaign to restore it began.

At this time Muslims looked at Europeans as relatively uneducated.  Literacy and science were more developed in the Mid-East.

We think of Richard as the English King Richard, but he saw himself as French.  He was religious and agreed to take part.  Throughout the Crusades he recognized his actions were needed to protect Christianity and at times it was his religiosity that turned him to focus on the task.  He was truly a magnificent fighter.

Saladin proved himself capable and commanded the Ottoman military, even though he was a despised Kurd.  The Byzantine Empire was still strong, but the Ottoman Turks had control over what is now Turkey, but extended into Egypt and Israel and Jordan.   The Crusaders were able to maintain Cyprus as a Christian nation.

Jerusalem is also a holy city for Muslims, but they allowed Christians to visit holy sites.

Saladin was older than King Richard, and not as physically intimidating.  They both were good as tacticians, but the author concedes King Richard was the better.  The two never met, but communicated through messengers including Saladin's brother, Safadin.  Saladin died in 1193.

Geoffrey Regun recounts several battles that the combatants took turns winning.  One advantage the Turks had was the heat.  The longer the Crusaders endured it, the weaker they became which Saladin stretched to his advantage.

King Richard received messages that all was not well in England or his French territories.  Along the way back home he was captured and put in a German dungeon with demands for a ransom.  This resulted in heavy taxes, but finally after a year and 6 weeks, was enough.  No connection to Robin Hood.  In the end King Richard had a minor wound, an arrow to his neck, but two surgeons botched removing it and gangrene set in.  Knowing he was dying he arranged his will and demanded that his followers pay allegiance to Prince John.  He died in the presence of his mother in 1199.  

The influence of the Crusaders lingered for awhile with Muslim mothers warning their children if they didn't behave, the King of England would be coming.  The Ottoman Turks ruled the Holy Land for several centuries.  It was after WWI, with the help of Lawrence of Arabia that the Turks were forced out and Arabs under the British made headway.

For later historical developments check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/12/lawrence-in-arabia.html  

The photo at the top is of a jacket cover with an aquatint of Richard I and an engraving of Saladin courtesy of Mary Evans Picture Library.

The Future is Peace

 Another book on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but "The Future is Peace" (2026) does have a difference.  They are not advocating a two state solution.

The two authors come with a different background.  Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian who has lost a brother (and others) to the conflict.  Maoz Inon is a Jew whose family had migrated from what is now Moldova and his parents were killed at the recent Hamas onslaught.  One similarity is that they both were tour guides, but that also ended with the conflict.

Ariz had developed the idea of offering the Jewish and Palestinian view for his tours.  Later he persuaded Moaz to adopt the same practice.  Unfortunately tourism itself was hurt by the violence since October 2023,

Yitzhak Rabin was the first Israeli Prime Minister to acknowledge Palestinians had rights.  He along with Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres was recognized with the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize.  Rabin was assassinated in 1995

Aziz has tirelessly pushed for peace.  "Peace work does not necessarily bring peace of mind....In peace work the only failure is inaction...We must treat war and hatred as diseases."  It is pointed out that we do not consider cancer research a failure, but strive to try harder and smarter and so we should consider peace efforts the same way.  

The West Bank settlements are a major obstacle. The Israeli government gives incentives for Jews and places restrictions on the Palestinians.  Over 800,000 olive trees that had been farmed by Palestinians have been uprooted.  In 2018, the Trump administration cut off Palestinian aid programs.  One enterprise, Olive Oil without Borders found the co-operation between Israelis and Palestinians productive was forced to abandon their efforts.l

Saladin, a Muslim leader defeated the Crusaders around 1187 C.E.  He was tolerant of Jews and Greek Orthodox Christians, allowing them to practice their religions freely.

Parts of the world wonder why the Israelis and Palestinians cannot forgive each other.  In 1990 South Africa dismantled apartheid.  In 1998 in North Ireland, the Protestants and Catholics reconciled.  In the early 2000's the Hutus and Tutsis moved forward in Rwanda.  

Palestinians feel Jews used the Holocaust as a tool to gain global sympathy and are reluctant to acknowledge the Jewish pain.  They feel the pain they suffered from what is called the Nakba.  Both need to be made aware of the suffering of the other and then maybe they can reconcile. 

The authors do not believe a two state solution is possible. at the present time.  As the two states would be like a divorced couple.  They feel a solution requires equality, dignity, recognition, safety and security for all.  The efforts of the two authors is a small step in the right direction and needs to be joined by many others. The fields of sports and music are promising, but maybe what they need is a common project such as fighting climate change.

An earlier post with more background:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/10/life-death-and-pursuit-of-peace-in.html