Under crescent and cross: the Jews in the Middle AgesDid Muslims and Jews in the Middle Ages cohabit in a peaceful "interfaith utopia"? Or were Jews under Muslim rule persecuted, much as they were in Christian lands? Rejecting both polemically charged ideas as myths, Mark Cohen offers a systematic comparison of Jewish life in medieval Islam and Christendom--and the first in-depth explanation of why medieval Islamic-Jewish relations, though not utopic, were less confrontational and violent than those between Christians and Jews in the West.Under Crescent and Cross has been translated into Turkish, Hebrew, German, Arabic, French, and Spanish, and its historic message continues to be relevant across continents and time. This updated edition, which contains an important new introduction and afterword by the author, serves as a great companion to the original. |
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UNDER CRESCENT AND CROSS: The Jews in the Middle Ages
User Review - Jane Doe - KirkusA thorough comparative study of the conditions of medieval Jewish life in Christian and Muslim lands. Cohen (Near Eastern Studies/Princeton) explores and explodes the recently resurrected myth of ... Read full review
Under crescent and cross: the Jews in the Middle Ages
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictDid medieval Jews enjoy peace and security while living in an interfaith utopia under the crescent of Islam but experience hostility and persecution under the cross of Christianity? In this important ... Read full review
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Abraham Ahkdm ahl al-dhimma Almohad anti-Jewish antisemitism Arab Arab Lands Ashkenazic Baron Bible Cairo caliph canon law chapter Chris Christendom Christian Christian-Jewish chronicles church collective memory Compare contrast conversion countermyth Crusade culture dhimmis economic Egypt English ethnic European expulsion Fatimid Fattal galut Geniza gentile Geonim Goitein Hebrew hierarchy Ibid Ibn al-Qayyim Ibn Taymiyya interfaith utopia Ishmael Islamic law Islamic world Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish community Jewish history Jewish-Christian Jewry law Jews and Christians Jews living Jews of Islam jizya Judaism Kisch Latin Lewis Maimonides Mamluk medieval medieval Islam Mediterranean Society merchants moneylending Muhammad Muslim myth non-Muslims northern Europe ofjewish ofjews oppression Pact of Umar pagan Palestine papal period persecution polemics Prophet protection Qur'an Rabbi relations religion religious rulers Saadya scholars social order Spain status Studies synagogue Talmud theJews Theodosian Code thirteenth century tion tolerance Torah trade trans translation twelfth century urban usury verse writes Yemen