The Crusades: An Arabian Perspective, an ambitious four-part documentary produced by Al Jazeera, offers substantial production values, fascinating historical reenactments and a wealth of insightful information about this much-dissected period in world history .
The first episode sets the stage for one of history’s most notorious and protracted conflicts—religious tensions. We witness how Pope Urban II’s empowering speech in November 1095 paved the way for a military conflict that quickly led to the capture of Jerusalem four years later.
Before this shocking loss, Muslim rulers had ruled the region for more than four centuries. The second episode traces their rise from the ashes of their failure. The Muslim people rose into action, waged holy wars against the crusaders, recovered the territory with great determination and efficiency, and achieved a hard-won victory at the end of the Second Crusade in 1149.
Episode three begins with another major Muslim victory, the Battle of Hattin, which recaptures Jerusalem and significantly weakens the Crusaders. Two years later, the Third Crusade was born. The three-year conflict ended with the signing of a peace treaty that allowed Muslims to control the holy city while retaining Christian visitation rights.
The Crusades may have ended, but the struggle against Western occupation was not. The final episode looks at the legacy of these conflicts as it relates to events that followed into the 20th century, including the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.
Interspersed throughout the film are insightful interviews with a group of well-known historians and scholars. All in all, their insights are a great compliment to the stunning reenactment footage as they struggle to explain everyone’s motivations and separate fact from folklore.
“The Crusade: An Arabian Perspective” is an impressive achievement that feels more like a gripping sword-and-sandal saga than a dry documentary.
