Crusades

... to quote the great Jack Nicholson. while it is true that in any conflict there are atrocities on both sides, not one of the negative commentators can refute any of the claims made in this series, they can only point out that it is one sided. well yes, that is the point, it is about the Christian crusades, if it was about the side of the muslims it would have been called "jihad" or something. it is very suitable that a python would handle this subject since much of it verges on farcical, if it weren't so utterly horrible. just the fact that when they finally get to to Jerusalem not only is it not occupied by the people that were supposedly oppressing it (the turks were already kicked out) that in fact everybody was getting along quite well. that's a python moment if there ever was one! i can hear the dialogue now

Christian: "We have to come to rescue you from the infidel blasphemers!"

jerusalem resident: "No thank you, we're doing just dandy actually, perhaps you would like to save the next city?"

Christian: "But we have travelled for years through untold hardship and struggle to kick out the infidels! God has willed it!"

jerusalem resident: "Look, it's not my fault we're not being oppressed, what do you want me to do, beat myself over the head?"

and so on .... and of course they end up looting and pillaging the "holy city". and you know, i don't think the Arab world has forgotten this period as much as we have, and we are still paying for those dark and bloody times. i'm glad this series was made, we must face the truths of history, no matter how ugly they are or how much they shatter our fragile myths we have created to shield ourselves from the true horrors of our past.

Terry Jones, Oxford history graduate and former member of the Monty Python team, helms an unromantic and sometimes irreverent look at the political, economic and religious machinations behind the Crusades, with a particular emphasis on the absurdities and atrocities. Travelling along the crusader trail, he uses interviews with historians and traditional weapon-makers, translations of Arab folk tales and medieval letters, clips from old movies and some startling visual effects to create an unforgettable documentary.

Many viewers might be surprised to see "Monty Python" alumnus Terry Jones doing a historical documentary, but he has made some wonderfully entertaining film in this genre. My favorite of these is "Medieval Lives" and I used portions of this show back when I was teaching World History. "Crusades" is also exceptionally good as it puts a different spin on the significance of these wars. Unlike conventional wisdom, Jones explains in this lengthy four-part series that the end result of the Crusades was the STRENGTHENING of the Muslim world---uniting the various Islamic kingdoms and the creation of a spirit of Jihad that we still feel today.

To provide this history lesson, Jones uses some amazing visuals--with actors dressed like living mosaics. You just have to see and marvel at them to believe them. Additionally, his anachronistic and droll sense of humor makes the film well worth seeing and enjoyable. Worth your time. The only negative is seeing Jones in a Speedo! I could have done without this.

While a very well-crafted, creative, and funny documentary, it unfortunately falls short in the fact department, glosses over long periods of history, and falls yet again in the "Christian Bad--Everyone Else Good" camp.

I found most interesting the use of "never before published" accounts written by Muslims at the time of the Crusades. What a treasure trove, if they are legitimate. Additionally, building and testing siege engines and actual armor long before Discovery and TLC made such things commonplace was a masterstroke.

I found least interesting the very end of the show, detailing the sack of Constantinople by showing a topless woman (the prostitute on the throne) singing Louisiana blues in Venice.

Terry Jones is not only a talented comedian, he is also an accomplished historian. I found this series to be a well crafted and accurate view of a particularly dark time in history when ambition and zealotry brought terrible violence to western Asia. Jones blends humor and insight with storytelling to give a vivid picture of the motivations and fears of the different players. Unfortunately, the pacing in the 3rd and 4th episodes seemed a bit hurried, but this is a minor criticism of an otherwise fine documentary.

One of my favorite parts was the account of the Byzantine emperor's handling of successive waves of peasants and soldiers that arrived at his gate during the first crusade. He was a clever statesman that was struggling to keep his imperiled world safe from threats from every direction.

If you enjoyed this work, I also recommend Terry Jones' Medieval Lives.