NH166: This unit focuses on diverse experiences during the Crusades, incorporating Muslim, Christian, and Jewish perspectives. Various impressions Muslims and Christians had of each other are presented through the analysis of primary documents relating different forms of cultural and social interaction. In one lesson, Richard the Lion Heart and Salah al-Din are taken as examples of the ideal leader and warrior in an effort to demonstrate the types of ideals to which average soldiers aspired. Other topics covered include military tactics, technology, the warrior ethos, and overall goals of both sides in the conflict. A variety of women’s accounts, which shed light on their experiences during the Crusades, are also included.

Lesson Titles:

Lesson 1: Crusaders Living in Muslim Lands

Lesson 2: Crusader Meets Mujahid: The Military Encounter

Lesson 3: Salah al-Din (Saladin): An Ideal Muslim Leader

Lesson 4: Ideals and Motivations for the Crusades, and the Muslim Response

Lesson 5: Glimpses of Women's Experiences During the Crusades

Grades 7-12