Teach Medieval10 Okt 2025

What was the early Islamic response to the crusades? (Ep.2: Later unity)

The early Islamic response to the First Crusade was deeply disunited, with rivalry, distrust and self-interest undermining all hope of any real cooperation. This lack of unity was a major factor in the Crusaders’ remarkable success, allowing them to seize territory and establish the states of Outremer. In this new mini-series, Dr Thomas Brosset explores the nature and extent of this early disunity before turning to the emergence of key leaders who, in time, managed to coordinate a stronger, more muscular response to the Frankish presence in the Near East.

This episode is one of a two-part mini-series:

Ep.1: How disunited was the response in the early decades?

Ep.2: How and when did unity begin to emerge?

This mini-series was part-inspired by:

The First Crusade and the Failure of Kerbogha’s Campaign from Mosul to Antioch (March–June 1098): A Re-evaluation

Dr Thomas Brosset refers to this work in 'Ep.1: Disunity':

Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Making of the Medieval Middle East

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