Les États latins d’Orient ont vu la création d’une société en Terre sainte développant un art syncrétique au carrefour des mondes latin, byzantin et arabe. Outre l’architecture religieuse et militaire, les manuscrits sont également les témoignages d’une culture levantine aux multiples influences. L’étude des œuvres croisées nous a montré une très nette augmentation de la production de manuscrits après le séjour de Louis IX au Proche Orient, ainsi qu’un changement dans la nature même des textes copiés. Les manuscrits liturgiques sont ainsi délaissés au profit de la littérature historique, telle l’Histoire Ancienne jusqu’à César. À partir d’un texte venu de Flandre, les nobles francs de Terre sainte et les enlumineurs à leur service ont recréé un cycle de miniatures pour inscrire leurs images dans la tradition multiculturelle croisée. Des partis-pris artistiques ont ainsi été mis au jour et définis comme des choix conscients visant à personnaliser les copies levantines et les inscrire dans une tradition de près de deux siècles : l’emprunt à différentes traditions artistiques, occidentales et orientales, pour la création des miniatures, la mise en lumière de héros liés à la Terre sainte ou aux Francs, et parfois la figuration de leur environnement oriental. Ces processus de personnalisation des images, replacés dans le contexte de la vie culturelle de Saint Jean d’Acre de la fin du XIIIe siècle, nous amènent à dépasser la constatation de phénomènes d’acculturation à leur milieu oriental pour évoquer, de la part des nobles francs de Terre sainte, une volonté d’affirmer visiblement leur identité sociale collective et leur double culture, entre Orient et Occident. / The Crusader States have created a society in the Holy Land developing a syncretic art at the crossroads of Latin, Byzantine and Arabic worlds. In addition to religious and military architecture, manuscripts are also evidences of a cosmopolitan Levantine culture. The study of Crusader Art has shown that the painting of manuscripts was revived at Acre in the early 1250’s, after Louis XI’s stay in the Middle East. Secular manuscripts written mostly in Old French became popular, as well as new historical literature. The most popular examples were the Histoire d’Outremer by William of Tyre and the Histoire Ancienne jusqu’à César. This illustrated text was first composed in France for Roger de Lille and brought to the Crusader East in the mid-thirteenth century. Frankish aristocracy and crusader illuminators have created a cycle of miniatures in order to integrate their images in the cosmopolitan Crusader Art. Artistic choices have then come to light and been defined as conscious choices to offer works that represent the best of the Frankish culture of Acre and integrate them in an almost two centuries old artistic tradition : the borrowing from Western and Oriental artistic traditions in order to create their miniatures, the revelation of heroes linked to the Holy Land and the Franks, and sometimes the representation of their Oriental environment. This process of personalization and multicultural content, set within the context of the cultural society of Saint Jean d’Acre at the end of the thirteenth century, are the evidences of the remarkable artistic acculturation of Frankish society in the Holy Land, at the crossroads of the West and the Near East.

Résumé : Suite à la première croisade (1096-1099) qui aboutit à l’établissement de quatre États latins au Proche-Orient, les chrétiens et les musulmans s’engagent durant les deux siècles suivants dans une lutte pour le contrôle du territoire syro-palestinien, également connu sous le nom de Bilâd al-Shâm. Toutefois, l’essor de nouvelles dynasties musulmanes, soit les zengides, les ayyoubides et les mameloukes, permet avec le regain du jihad une reconquête graduelle des possessions chrétiennes, mettant fin à l’existence des États latins d’Orient en 1291 malgré plusieurs croisades. Cette reconquête progressive menée par les musulmans s’accompagne de divers processus d’appropriation et de marquage de l’espace obéissant à un cadre islamique et pouvant être regroupés selon deux concepts : l’islamisation et l’arabisation. En analysant plusieurs sources chrétiennes latines, telles des chroniques, des récits de pèlerinage et des projets de croisade, nous constatons que les chrétiens affichent une certaine connaissance de ces processus d’appropriation religieuse, politique, sociale et culturelle. À la lumière des perceptions chrétiennes de l’islam et de la polémique anti-musulmane, la présente étude se penche sur les différents processus d’islamisation et d’arabisation perçus par les chrétiens latins et démontre comment ces processus sont interprétés par ces derniers. // Abstract : After the First Crusade (1096-1099) and the establishment of four Crusader states in the Near East, Christians and Muslims initiate a two century struggle for the control of the Levant, also known as Bilâd al-Shâm. However, the rise of new Muslim powers, such as the Zengid, Ayyubid and Mamluk dynasties, allows a revival of jihad and a gradual conquest of Christian territories, thus putting an end to the Crusader states in 1291. This conquest is accompanied by several mechanisms of territorial appropriation in the newly captured territories, linked to processes of Islamization and Arabization. By analyzing many Latin sources, such as chronicles, pilgrimage relations and Crusade manifestos, we find that Christians show a certain knowledge of these processes of religious, political, social and cultural appropriation. In light of Christian perceptions of Islam and of the anti-Islamic polemic, this study examines the different processes of Islamization and Arabization as seen by Christians and shows how these processes were understood.

Captives. The works of Johannes Schiltberger, George of Hungary and Konstantin Mihailović as testimonies about late medieval search for identity and cultural integration in the Muslim world Bc. Karolina Srncová The master's thesis enquires into the phenomenon of late medieval reflection on Muslim society in captivity narratives, treatises and memoirs from the pen of former Christian captives. Through a comparison of testimonies by three Europeans, who spent long years in Ottoman or Tatar captivity, the thesis investigates the process of their integration in the Muslim world, their perception of this world, and the notion of it they kept after their return to Christian Europe. Apart from the literary reflection on the other the thesis also pursues authors themselves - how they perceived and constructed their cultural identity in the strange environment, what long-term modus vivendi they employed and by what narratives they tried to present their infidel past back in their homeland. Thus the work aims to contribute to our notion of the Christian-Ottoman encounters in the 15th century, but also to consider the cultural adaptability of late medieval man and the role of captives, men between two worlds, who had to cope with the demands of such an adaptation.

This dissertation is devoted to the preparation and process of the Fifth Crusade, i.e. the stage from 1213, when it was declared by The Pope Innocent III. to 1221. It investigates the way of recruiting crusaders and the attitudes of the official representatives of the Church structures during the Crusade in relation to secular rulers. Their actions confronts with activities of other actors - from the Christian perspective primarily with the actions of Francis of Assisi. The dissertation evaluates benefit of his activities for the Crusade movement and for the future of the Franciscan order. The dissertation is also attempting to demonstrate the characteristic of the crusade given a Muslim environment including the Muslim perspective of Francis's actions and sermon. The epiloque describes the Crusade of Frederick II as the continuity of the Fifth Crusade. In the end there is a valorization of the results of the Crusade movement.

Jusqu’aux croisades, les rencontres entre l’Orient musulman et l’Occident chrétien avaient été réduites à des échanges commerciaux anecdotiques ainsi qu’à de rares pèlerinages en Terre sainte. Et alors que les musulmans méprisaient souverainement des peuplades septentrionales vouées, selon eux, à l’égarement et à l’ignorance, les Occidentaux avaient fait de la jeune religion orientale et de ses sectateurs l’Antéchrist de leur eschatologie apocalyptique. Tous étaient imprégnés d’un théocentrisme intransigeant ne laissant aucune place à un Autre ignoré ou abhorré, si ce n’est celle de l’Ennemi. Il fallut donc une guerre généralisée entre ces deux ensembles civilisationnels aux antipodes pour qu’enfin ils se rencontrent et se côtoient durablement, jusqu’à estomper en partie des préjugés et des images déformées longtemps entretenus. Paradoxalement, la guerre et ses principales émanations (la stratégie, la tactique, l’armement et l’architecture militaire) allaient être les causes d’une meilleure connaissance mutuelle. En cherchant à répondre au mieux au défi militaire lancé par l’adversaire, chacun fut contraint de scruter les intentions, la mentalité, et surtout l’art de la guerre de l’autre ; ainsi, on n’hésita pas à en copier les concepts et les procédés jugés profitables, de même que les deux camps firent montre, dans ce domaine, d’une adaptabilité multiforme exceptionnelle. En somme, loin de la vision répandue présentant les croisades comme des conflits séculaires purement religieux ayant opposé de manière manichéenne deux conceptions monolithiques et hermétiques du monde et de la guerre, il semblerait en réalité que la Syrie du XIIe siècle fut d’abord un creuset d’échanges dans lequel le maître mot était "pragmatisme". / Until the Crusades, the encounters between the Muslim East and the Christian West had been limited to anecdotal trade exchanges as well as rare pilgrimages to the Holy Land. While the Muslims intensely despised dedicated northern tribes, in their opinion, to misguidance and ignorance, the West had made the young Eastern religion and its followers the Antichrist of their apocalyptic eschatology. All were imbued with an uncompromising theocentrism leaving no room to another ignored or abhorred, except that of the Enemy. This necessitated a general war between these two civilizational sets of the antipodes so that finally they meet and come together permanently, to the extent of partly diminishing prejudice and distorted images which were long maintained. Paradoxically, the war and its principal emanations (strategy, tactics, weaponry and military architecture) would be the causes of better mutual understanding. In seeking to best meet the military challenge launched by the enemy, everyone was forced to scrutinize the intentions, attitudes, and especially the art of war of the other, so they did not hesitate to copy the concepts and procedures deemed beneficial, as both sides made shows in this area, a multifaceted exceptional adaptability. In short, far from the common vision with the crusades as purely secular religious conflicts that opposed in a Manichean manner two monolithic and hermetic conceptions of the world and war, it would seem that Syria of the twelfth century began as a crucible exchanges in which the watchword was "pragmatism".

While known for his accomplishments surrounding the Fall of Edessa in 1144, the career of Imad al-Din Zengi receives little coverage in the modern Historiography on the Crusades. Even though the careers of other famous Muslim warriors during the Crusading period tend to overshadow his accomplishments, Zengi had a remarkable career which provided him the opportunities to advance his own agenda within the larger Saljuq political structure. This structure allowed Zengi the opportunity to establish power within the Levant (modern day Syria, Iraq). Zengi succeeded in further stabilizing his own military position through manipulation of both political relationships and religious practices, specifically the calling for and waging of jihad, both of which allowed him to build toward developing his own independence from the Saljuq sultanate. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This paper examines Wolfram von Eschenbach’s juxtaposition of contrary things in Parzival as the beginning of the road to spiritual salvation for Parzival. Men’s quest for fame and honor in the material, Arthurian world is compared to the divine Grail kingdom and the godlike women who shed compassionate, Christ-like tears. Wolfram’s message of peace and love for brother is examined through his use of symbolism, particularly through womens’ tears and turtledove imagery. Parzival, Gâwân and Feirefiz are compared in order to show that the love and quest for personal honor in the Arthurian world is a necessary step on the path to God’s divine love and salvation. Compassion and love for one’s neighbor must be learned before Parzival attains his destiny. How marriage teaches Parzival triuwe and how he demonstrates this characteristic are examined. Romantic love, emulation of women and divine love lead Parzival to his destiny.

Despite ruling over arguably the most powerful Christian nation in the period, in a time when European and middle-eastern history entered a new phase of interaction due to the Crusades, John's reign has received little scholarly attention. The only major monograph is Chalandon's Les Comnènes from 1912, since which a number of new sources have come to light, together with numerous studies on his contemporaries. Despite the impression that sources are lacking for his reign, in fact there are over 50,000 words of court letters and poetry that allow us to take the political pulse of the Komnenian court. When incorporated with the extra information found in Syriac, Arabic, Russian, Hungarian and many other texts, archaeological remains, sigillographic and numismatic evidence, John's reign is in fact very well covered, and ripe for analysis. Between fieldwork in Turkey, Serbia and Kosovo and translations of these previously unused texts, this thesis contains new material on top of over a century of updated methodologies and research since Chalandon. As such, this thesis will reevaluate assumptions concerning John and his reign, including rewriting the narrative itself, which has previously been distorted due to the agendas of the few sources used. Through the reconstruction of this narrative John's empire can be reexamined, and how it operated in the changed world of the twelfth century determined. The empire found itself in a more multi-polar power dynamic, and tackled this by operating more as an empire than it had as a larger polity as in the previous century: incorporating other peoples as clients and emphasing the rhetoric of imperial piety and legitimacy of the Roman empire. Equally, all of John's actions on the frontiers were fuel for the political theatre that was Constantinople, and this dynamic shaped his actions and resulted in the empire that Manuel inherited.

Korstågen har haft stor inverkan på världshistorien. De stora krigshärarna som drog ut i strid i främmande områden lämnade ett blodigt spår efter sig där de drog fram i Mellanöstern, Baltikum, Spanien såväl som i södra Frankrike. Korstågen gestaltar dessutom det kontroversiella ämnet om relationen mellan religion och politik som har genomsyrat historien och som är av lika stor vikt i modern tid. Korstågen har därför en särskild plats inom historievetenskap, fiktion såväl som modern politisk agenda. Denna studie ämnar lyfta fram användandet av Gud och religiösa uttryck i påvliga brev mellan 1145 och 1215 för att, genom en adaptering av Foucaults diskurs- samt maktanalys, påvisa hur makt användes genom religiösa uttryck och vad Foucault kallar för pastoral makt. Syftet med denna studie är att skapa en större förståelse för religiöst inflytande under medeltiden samt hur den religiösa makten manifesterades i påvliga brev.

Le Comté de Tripoli est le dernier à être fondé des quatre Etats Latins d’Orient issus de la Première Croisade. Ce Comté est le seul à garder sa capitale en possession des croisés jusqu’aux dernières années de l’existence de ces Etats. Ce Comté possède certains des plus anciens châteaux construits par les croisés au début du XIIe siècle tels les châteaux de Tripoli et Gibelet.Cette thèse a plusieurs objectifs, elle vise à préciser les frontières du Comté de Tripoli, énumérer et préciser l’ensemble des places fortes de ce Comté, étudier d’une façon exhaustive les différents sites fortifiés situés sur le territoire de la République Libanaise, et l’élaboration d’une typologie de l’architecture défensive de l’époque des croisades aux XIIe - XIIIe s. dans ce Comté.Grâce aux différentes méthodes de prospection archéologique, l’étude topographique du terrain avec l’archéologie du paysage, il était possible d’identifier et de découvrir plusieurs sites fortifiés, essentiellement des tours, qui n’étaient pas connus auparavant.Un intérêt spécial a été consacré dans notre travail à la lecture approfondie et l’analyse systématique de quelques sites fortifiés majeurs. Cela a permis une meilleure compréhension de l’installation de ces sites, de leur histoire, et de l’évolution de leur construction. Les sites en question sont: Archas, le château de Gibelet, le château de Smar Jbeil, le château Saint-Gilles à Tripoli, la tour Bahani et la tour Mouheich. / The County of Tripoli was the last one to be created between the Frenkish States established after the First Crusade. It is the only State that kept its capital city within the power of the Crusades till the last years of the existence of these States. Some of the oldest castles built at the beginning of the XIIth century are located in this County; such as the castles of Tripoli and Gibelet.This PhD has several objectives; it aims to define the frontiers of the County of Tripoli, to list and specify all its strongholds, to study exhaustively the various fortified sites in the territory of the Republic of Lebanon, and to develop a typology of defensive architecture of the Crusades during the XIIth - XIIIth centuries in this county.Through various methods of archaeological survey, study of the topography of the territory with archaeological landscape reading, it was possible to identify and explore several fortified sites, mainly towers not known before. In our work, special interest was devoted on extensive reading and systematic analysis of some major fortified sites. This enabled a better understanding of their installation, their history and the evolution of their construction. The sites are: Archas, Castle of Gibelet, Castle of Smar Jbeil, the castle of St. Gilles in Tripoli, the tower Bahani and the tower Mouheish.