Holy Warriors

Sep 22, 2024 1:26 PM

Author:Jonathan Phillips

Holy Warriors

In his remarkable book, Jonathan Phillips explores the conflict of ideas, beliefs and cultures and shows both the contradictions and diversity of holy war. He draws on contemporary writings - on chronicles, songs, sermons, travel diaries and peace treaties - to throw a brilliant new light on people and events we thought we knew well. Although the notion of fighting for one's faith fell into disrepute in the Enlightenment, Phillips traces the crusading impulse from the bloody conquest of Jerusalem in the First Crusade and the titanic struggle between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin up to the present day - to George W. Bush's characterisation of the war on terrorism as a crusade.

Reviews

Holy Warriors is not only very readable. Its skilful and detailed use of source material serves as a showcase of what is being done in this, the most intensively studied area of medieval historiography

—— Robert Irwin , Literary Review

Elegant storytelling... Phillips delivers an excellent, compelling, flamboyant and refreshing history of the crusades and wonderful character sketches

—— Simon Sebag Montefiore , Financial Times

Totally absorbing and magnificent history

—— Mail on Sunday, Boris Johnson

[An] engaging and sprightly book... Each chapter is telegenic, tele-visual even. We get vivid re-creations of places, personalities and events

—— CJ Tyerman , Times Literary Supplement

He [Phillips] has a real gift for highlighting the picturesque and for bringing the past alive." "With its crisp management, accessible style and deft characterisation, this book stakes a strong claim to be the most appealing narrative account of the Crusades for a general audience.

—— BBC History Magazine

With a dramatist's panache, Jonathan Phillips brings the leading characters and most suspenseful episodes of the Crusades to riveting life, even rendering figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin fresh again...the violence, insanity, courage and belief here make for irresistible reading

—— Benjamin Evans , Sunday Telegraph

Concise, character-driven and draws modern parallels

—— Telegraph

Manifestly a genius, a comic surrealist genius and had no equal

—— Terry Wogan

A totally original comedy writer

—— Michael Palin

Osborne has written a fluent and fascinating book.... Read and enjoy this remarkable book

—— THES

A rich and fascinating portrait of a genius whose life was tragically ended before its time

—— Gay Times

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