Books and Resources
The Crusades: A Reader, Second Edition
Author: S.J. Allen & Emilie Amt
Time Period: 4TH CENTURY-2008
About The Book
Since the publication of the first edition of The Crusades: A Reader, interest in the Crusades has increased dramatically, fueled in part by current global interactions between the Muslim world and Western nations. The second edition features an intriguing new chapter on perceptions of the Crusades in the modern period, from David Hume and William Wordsworth to World War I political cartoons and crusading rhetoric circulating after 9/11. Islamic accounts of the treatment of prisoners have been added, as well as sources detailing the homecoming of those who had ventured to the Holy Land-”including a newly translated reading on a woman crusader, Margaret of Beverly. The book contains sixteen images, study questions for each reading, and an index.
About The Author
S.J. Allen is Associate Lecturer in Arts and Humanities at The Open University, UK. Emilie Amt is the Hildegarde Pilgram Professor of History at Hood College, Maryland. Her books include Medieval England: 1000-1500: A Reader (2009) and Women’s Lives in Medieval Europe (2010).
SYLLABI
The Crusades: An Introduction
This sample syllabus is for an introductory course in which first- and second-year undergraduates with little or no background in medieval history will explore the movement known as the Crusades.
Download the syllabus here.
Crusades Seminar
This sample syllabus is for a more advanced seminar on the Crusades, in which students will be assumed to have some background in medieval history and some basic knowledge of the Crusades to the Middle East. The course is organized topically, with a discussion format based on the readings.
Download the syllabus here.
Sample Paper Assignment
This sample paper assignment can be used in any course on the Crusades, and draws on four different topics in The Crusades: A Reader. It includes a rubric for grading.
Download the sample paper assignment here.
Sample Instructions for Discussion Leadership
These sample guidelines for student-led discussion can be used in any course on the Crusades. They include a rubric for grading.
Download the instructions here.
Case Study: The Deeds of the Franks
This sample case study, written by Scott Mauer, focuses on the Council of Clermont as described in The Deeds of the Franks. It includes definitions, a cast of characters, background and a chronology of events, analysis, questions, and references for further reading.
Download the case study here.