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Medieval History

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Christianity

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Full-Text Articles in History

The First Crusade, Was It Christian?, David C. Taylor Jr Mar 2015

The First Crusade, Was It Christian?, David C. Taylor Jr

David C Taylor Jr

On February 5th, 2015, President Barack Obama addressed the audience at the National Prayer Breakfast. During this breakfast he made comments about the Islamic State and the Crusades that sent waves throughout the religious world. In his speech, he claimed that just like the Islamic State is doing things, terrible things, in the name of Islam, we should remember that terrible things were done in the name of Christ during the Crusades. While it did not sit well with members of the church, the question must be asked. Was he right? This paper will examine the First Crusade, its cause, …


Religion, Longevity, And Cooperation: The Case Of The Craft Guild, Gary Richardson Jul 2009

Religion, Longevity, And Cooperation: The Case Of The Craft Guild, Gary Richardson

Gary Richardson

Whenthe mortality rate is high, repeated interaction alonemaynot sustain cooperation, and religion may play an important role in shaping economic institutions. This insight explains why during the fourteenth century, when plagues decimated populations and the church promoted the doctrine of purgatory, guilds that bundled together religious and occupational activities dominated manufacturing and commerce. During the sixteenth century, the disease environment eased, and the Reformation dispelled the doctrine of purgatory, necessitating the development of new methods of organizing industry. The logic underlying this conclusion has implications for the study of institutions, economics, and religion throughout history and in the developing world …


Being A Pilgrim: Art And Ritual On The Medieval Routes To Santiago, Kathleen Ashley, Marilyn Deegan Jun 2009

Being A Pilgrim: Art And Ritual On The Medieval Routes To Santiago, Kathleen Ashley, Marilyn Deegan

Kathleen M. Ashley

The Way of St James has been a pilgrimage event for over 1000 years as people have flocked to the site of the burial of the apostle St James the Great. Legend states that the body of James was carried by boat from Jerusalem to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where a church was erected on the site of the tomb. There is no single route for the pilgrims to follow, but there are several key paths. Kathleen Ashley and Marilyn Deegan capture the experience of the medieval pilgrim through an examination of art, historical and social contexts as well …