English Literature and the Crusades
Anxieties of Holy War, 1291–1453

Marcel Elias reveals medieval crusade culture's ambivalent, self-critical qualities, providing fresh perspectives on Middle English romance.

Marcel Elias (Author)

9781108832212, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 31 October 2024

252 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.9 cm, 0.5 kg

'… there is much to praise here. Elias demonstrates a close and thoughtful sensitivity to these sources, centred on a clear intent to listen to what these authors are saying, rather than simply mining them to serve a predetermined agenda. This might sound like a very basic compliment, but it is not; this is high praise, a quality that can never be taken for granted. … In short, this is a very important contribution to a rich topic; it only remains to wonder how Elias will build upon this work going forwards.' Nicholas Morton, The Journal of Religious History, Literature & Culture

The period from the Mamlūk reconquest of Acre (1291) to the Ottoman siege of Constantinople (1453) witnessed the production of a substantial corpus of Middle English crusade romances. Marcel Elias places these romances in dialogue with multifarious European writings to offer a novel account of late medieval crusade culture: as ambivalent and self-critical, animated by tensions and debates, and fraught with anxiety. These romances uphold ideals of holy war while expressing anxieties about issues as diverse as God's endorsement of the crusading enterprise, the conversion of Christians to Islam, the sinfulness of crusaders, and the morality of violence. Reinvigorating debates in medieval postcolonialism, drawing on emotion studies, and excavating a rich multilingual archive, this book is a major contribution to the cultural history of the crusades. This title is part of the Flip it Open programme and may also be available open access. Check our website Cambridge Core for details.

Introduction
1. Royal emotions, blasphemy, and (dis)unity in The Siege of Milan and The Sultan of Babylon
2. Hopes and anxieties of conversion in the Otuel romances
3. Women, God, and other crusading motives in Guy of Warwick
4. Therapeutic crusading and excessive violence in The Siege of Jerusalem and Richard Coeur de Lion
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB]