Book Review: Armies Of Heaven By Jay Rubenstein

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In Jay Rubenstein's book, "Armies of Heaven," he tells the story of the Crusades in its entirety, beginning with the events that shaped the world into the chaotic time period of the Crusades. Unlike most books on the Crusades, Rubenstein makes an interesting connection with the apocalypse and its effect on the Crusades. In "Armies of Heaven," Rubenstein proposes that the whole reasoning behind the Crusades was to prepare for the apocalypse and the second coming of Jesus Christ. The book begins by providing the background of the city of Jerusalem and its first thousand years after Christ. Rubenstein depicts all the events that shaped the holy city's state of being at the beginning of the crusade. For instance, the city was sacked by the Romans in 70 AD, which destroyed most of the city's important religious artifacts. Later, the city was completely destroyed and covered in 135 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
Rubenstein delves deeply into the background of the crusade, as many of the events and ideologies that inspired it are critical to understanding its reasoning and justifications. This sets Rubenstein apart from the Madden textbook, which begins at the council at Claremont and does not provide essential background information. Rubenstein's book serves as an excellent introduction to the history of the Crusades.

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