F76E The Crusades: History, Causes and Lasting Effects (Zoom; OLLI @ UofA)
Zoom | Available (Membership Required)
We trace the Crusades from the world that spawned them to their enduring legacies, beginning with the pressures facing Byzantium, the Islamic Golden Age, and the feudal rivalries of medieval Europe. We examine the religious, political, and economic forces behind the First Crusade and the fall of Jerusalem in 1099. We follow the Muslim resurgence under Saladin, his rivalry with Richard the Lionheart, and the decline and fall of the Crusader movement through the fall of Acre in 1291. We close with legacies of cultural exchange, military orders (e.g. The Templars) and lasting tensions.
Born in Lebanon, Samih Baalbaki is a lawyer by training who spent 17 years in Dubai working on projects across 22 Middle Eastern countries giving him knowledge of the region’s cultures and history. He audited 12 college courses on comparative religions and the Crusades and taught at four OLLI programs for the past 14 years.
Note: Daylight Savings Time ends on November 1, 2026. After that date this class will begin at 1 pm ET.
*This registration item is ZOOM-only; there is not an in-person component to this course. It is offered and run by The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at The University of Arizona.*