Empire 295. Crusader Gaza: Saladin & Richard The Lionheart (Part 5)
79 snips
Oct 1, 2025 
Jonathan Phillips, a Professor of Crusading History at Royal Holloway, dives deep into the Crusades and the remarkable Saladin. He explores the motivations behind Crusader expansions into Gaza and the Levant, and how Saladin effectively united forces to challenge the Franks. The discussion reveals the Mamluks' noteworthy rise, emphasizing their defeat of the Mongols at Ain Jalut and subsequent prosperity in Gaza. Through intriguing anecdotes and historical insights, Phillips brings to life a forgotten yet impactful legacy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Timing Made The First Crusade Possible
- The First Crusade (launched 1095) arrived during a period of deep Muslim political fragmentation.
- Jonathan Phillips explains that the Crusaders' success owed much to luck and division among Seljuks and Fatimids.
Remission Of Sins As The Recruitment Engine
- Pope Urban II used spiritual rewards to mobilise huge numbers for the Crusade, promising remission of sins.
- Phillips says this pilgrimage-framed incentive was a major driver for knights and nobles to join.
Propaganda Fueled Crusader Zeal
- Crusader propaganda exaggerated Muslim atrocities to motivate recruits, but Phillips says most claims lacked truth.
- He emphasises that demonising the enemy was a deliberate tool to drive aggression toward the Holy Land.
