In Distant Lands, Lars Brownworth
In Distant Lands, Lars Brownworth
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In Distant Lands
A Short History of the Crusades

Author: Lars Brownworth

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 8 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/11/2017


Synopsis

In the late fall of 1095, Pope Urban II gave a speech in Clermont, France, and set all of Europe into motion. As many as a hundred and fifty thousand people eventually responded to the call, leaving everything they knew behind to undertake what appeared to be a fool's mission: marching several thousand miles into enemy territory to reconquer Jerusalem for Christendom. Against all odds they succeeded, creating a Christian outpost in the heart of the Islamic world that lasted for the better part of two centuries.

Perhaps no other period in history is as misunderstood as the Crusades, and in this fast-paced account Lars Brownworth presents the entire story, from the first clash of Christendom and Islam in the dusty sands of Yarmouk, to the fall of the last crusader state. Along the way he introduces the listener to an exotic world peopled by mighty emperors, doomed Templars, grasping generals, and ambitious peasants. Some of the most famous names of the Middle Ages—Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the legendary Prester John—illuminate this era of splendor, adventure, and faith.

About Lars Brownworth

Lars Brownworth, the author of Lost to the West and The Normans, created the genre-defining history podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers. Lars has written for the Wall Street Journal, and he has been profiled in the New York Times. He lives in Maryland with his wife.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Letitia Todd on November 15, 2017

Another superb historical account from Lars Brownworth. Brownworth is an exceptional storyteller, gifted at unearthing and telling *the story* behind what many other historians would dryly present as a series of dates, characters, and events. Throughout, the reader is impressed with not just what ha......more

Goodreads review by Betsy on February 12, 2019

Consistent with its title, this is a short history. It is nice to read a history that doesn't get bogged down in endless details about every battle that took place. It does give a general overview of the impetus and the results of each crusade. What struck me most about that time period is how depen......more

Goodreads review by Björn on March 24, 2022

An Unbiased Overview (Tldr at the bottom) Lars Brownworth has straight up become one of my favourite authors. His books on the Norsemen and Normans were both fantastic and interesting reads but this book outdoes it. I went from knowing fragmented pieces of information about a controversial and heavil......more

Goodreads review by Nathan on December 22, 2020

What this book offers is mainly a short narrative history of the Crusades. Given that depending on one's count there are either eight or nine crusades, to cover them all and the periods in between (and after) them in under 250 pages means that the coverage is very short. To be sure, there are longer......more

Goodreads review by JD' on April 05, 2022

The #1 lesson to be learned from kings in distant lands leading armies into battle to conquer is that "Pride comes before a downfall." My favorite king is the leper king, whom Ridley Scott made a movie about. The crusades and Byzantium have the most amazing history of legendary battles between Salad......more