Friday, March 17, 2006

The Crusades

I almost missed this one- Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch discussing the Crusades.

Early in the ninth century the persecutions grew so severe that large numbers of Christians fled for Constantinople and other Christian cities. In 937, Muslims went on a rampage in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, plundering and destroying the Church of Calvary and the Church of the Resurrection.

In 1004, the Fatimid Caliph, Abu 'Ali al-Mansur al-Hakim, ordered the destruction of churches, the burning of crosses, and the seizure of church property. Over the next 10 years 30,000 churches were destroyed, and untold numbers of Christians converted to Islam simply to save their lives.

This is a period of history on which my knowledge is sparse to say the least. It's an interesting read, and one sure to spur me on to learn much more. I think it's time I got my copy of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades ordered.

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