History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Calculations are only as good as your numbers
  • Pants on fire?
  • Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
  • Very Interesting
  • History as Science Fiction
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

5 out of 5 stars Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

5 out of 5 stars Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

5 out of 5 stars Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

4 out of 5 stars History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Cambridge Paperback Library)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Another great book by Steven Runciman
  • An Invaluable Resource
  • Best on the subject
  • A Must Read For Christian History Enthusiasts!
  • Enlightening
The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Cambridge Paperback Library)
Steven Runciman
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521313104

Book Description

This is Sir Steven Runciman’s established and widely admired classic account of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, first published in 1968. The Great Church, as the Greeks called the Orthodox Patriarchate, was the spiritual centre of the Byzantine world. The Church’s survival during the four centuries of Turkish rule which followed the fall of Constantinople bore witness to its strenght and to the unquenchable vitality of Hellenism. Sir Steven Runciman’s history of the Great Church in this period is written with scholarship, sympathy and style.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Another great book by Steven Runciman.......2006-11-04

I'll be honest with you.The only reason I bought this book, was because I'd already read all of Runciman's "real" history books and just wanted to complete my collection.Church history and theology aren't exactly my cup of tea.So, I thought I'd open it, start reading and fall asleep after page....ix.But I was wrong of course.I underestimated Runciman's ability to make even a debate about the role of Epiklesis in Transubstantiation appear interesting.No,really,I'm being serious.This is a well-written and interesting book that provides an answer, from a unique perspective, to the question everyone has after reading the "Fall of Constantinople": "Well,what happened next?"
We also get a deeper insight on Runciman's own ideas about religion and theology that we only catch a glimpse of, in his most ...ermm, "secular" works.
This book also piqued my interest on a more personal level as well, being (nominally) Orthodox.For anyone who has read his books, it's not a secret where Runciman' s sympathies lay - and he certainly tries to explain and excuse many "unfortunate" acts and decisions on behalf of the Orthodox Church.But be warned - this isn't a rose-tinted hagiography - the story of the "Great Church" in "captivity" becomes literally nauseating at times, and it doesn't lack in cynicism and petty squabling.It certainly didn't make me want to get rid of that pesky "nominally" in front of my religion....

5 out of 5 stars An Invaluable Resource.......2006-03-03

It is rare to find a work of excellent scholarship that is also very readable. Runciman has once again achieved this result.

5 out of 5 stars Best on the subject.......2006-02-02

This excellent monograph from the most objective world leader on the subject, is without parallel. A must read for all those interested in the bad but not-that-bad fate of the Orthodox Church under the Ottoman Turks.

5 out of 5 stars A Must Read For Christian History Enthusiasts!.......2004-12-27

This gifted British historian captures you with his prose and holds on to you with his glorious tale and historiography which is second to none. A must read for anyone interested in the Orthodox Church or Christianity. He deals with his subject with a sense of empathy without losing his objectivity. A must buy!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Enlightening.......2004-04-08

The dilemma facing English speakers of Greek decent is that there are so few books written in English on Greek medieval history, and I can think of none written specifically on the Orthodox Church during the turkocratia, except of course Runciman's "The Great Church in Captivity". At first, I was skeptical. After all, Runciman is an Englishman and I was leery about potential ignorance or bias which could seep its way into his book. No need to be concerned. Runcimen's book is a well researched and a thorough history on the subject. I could hardly put it down.

Generally, the book was easy to read and very informative. One chapter deals heavily with theology, and finding the subject brain numbing, I must admit, I skipped over most it. No matter, the balance of the book, which deals with Church history, was very enlightening. I do have one issue with Runcimen's account, however. Greek history teaches that during the captivity, Greek children were taught Greek by the clergy, under covert conditions, usually at night in underground caves, so as to not alert the Turks. By doing this, the Greek people were able to maintain their identity through language and religion, and resist turkification. This is a fact of paramount significance to the Greek people, a legend of heroism passed down from generation to generation, yet there is no mention of it by Runciman. Even though this account was omitted, there is so much content in this book, that I highly recommend it to those interested in the history of the Orthodox Church.

To Greeks: A bit of warning to the wide-eyed and uninitiated: You were not taught this history at home or in Sunday school, so you may be shocked by some of this. I was.
Chronicles of the Barbarians:: Firsthand Accounts of Pillage and Conquest, from the Ancient World to the Fall o f Constantinople
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Romantic Writing.
  • Daddy like
Chronicles of the Barbarians:: Firsthand Accounts of Pillage and Conquest, from the Ancient World to the Fall o f Constantinople
David W. Mccullough
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0812930827
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Amazon.com

"When a Scythian overthrows his first enemy," Herodotus tells us, "he drinks his blood; and presents the king with the heads of the enemies he has killed in battle; for if he brings a head, he shares the booty that they take, but not if he does not bring one. He skins it in the following manner...." Well, OK, perhaps we don't need to revisit that part of the classics just now. But if you have a hankering for ancient and early-medieval history, Chronicles of the Barbarians will take you straight to the source. Among the other Greek and Roman authors cited in this anthology are Livy, Polybius, Tacitus, and Julius Caesar; later sections provide eyewitness glimpses of Genghis Khan ("in the subjugation of his foes his rigour and severity had the taste of poison") and Tamerlane (who "loved bold and brave soldiers, by whose aid opened the locks of terror and tore in pieces men like lions and through them and their battles overturned the heights of mountains"). One caveat: Edward Gibbon's passages on the death of Alaric and the Vandal attack on Rome are very eloquent, but they are, properly speaking, out of place in a collection of firsthand reports. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

The greatest superheroes face their greatest threat.

• Explosive fighting tips customized for each character's superpowers
• Smashing strategies for using the destructible environments to your advantage
• Heroic tactics guide you through all seven levels of Story Mode
• Reveals special moves, juggles, and critical hits for all characters
• Maps, hazards, weapons, and strategies for each arena

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Romantic Writing........2006-01-09

Well Written, detailed, told with a little tongue in cheek empathy for the various peoples that were called barbarians. Yet,the author at times seems to ridicule the very authors he so often quotes. Since the barbarians did'nt choose to write their own histories, does not mean that their enemies who they attacked were lying in their descriptions." Indeed, numerous archaeological finds far often than not prove the Classical records to be true." Most scholars use to snicker at the very idea that the Amazons existed, they were proven wrong!

5 out of 5 stars Daddy like.......2003-02-03

This book is awesome. There is nothing like getting history straight from the sources especially when that history is about peoples who were at best semi-literate. The sources used in this book are varied and impressive from Herodotus to Doukas with a lot of famous and not so famous guys in between. It is also interesting to learn what the "civilized" people thought of the "barbarians". Anyone interested in ancient or medieval history, and likes a few crazy barbarians this book is for you.
The Fourth Crusade: The Conquest of Constantinople (The Middle Ages Series)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Thick but good
  • An objective, balanced history of a difficult topic
  • A lucid explanation of a perplexing historical event
The Fourth Crusade: The Conquest of Constantinople (The Middle Ages Series)
Donald E. Queller , and Thomas F. Madden
Manufacturer: University of Pennsylvania Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812217136

Book Description

""A masterful, up-to-date revision, which has taken a classic to an even higher level of historical inquiry and subtlety.""--James Ross Sweeney, Pennsylvania State University ""As a work of scholarship the new edition is a considerable achievement since it

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Thick but good.......2006-08-20

This book is very good, but at times it can read like a textbook, with a lot of information on every single page. It is a good one though and the middle sucks you in and you just can't put it down. With the exception of a short nap to rest your brain.

4 out of 5 stars An objective, balanced history of a difficult topic.......2005-05-26

The Fourth Crusade is one of the most important events in world history, in that it solidified the schism between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches that still exists today, but most know little or nothing about it. Most who claim to know something about it actually know little about the facts of the matter. This book does a great job of making the facts more available to the modern lay reader.

Queller and Madden do an excellent job with helping the reader to understand the mind of the people of that time, instead of having a self-righteous modern attitude towards all things middle ages, as is too common today.

In any book about the 4th Crusade, three questions must be answered:

(1) Why did the Crusade end up in Constantinople instead of the Holy Land?
(2) How was this small army able to successfully conquer Constantinople - one of the best defended cities of the time?
(3) Why was the sack of Constantinople particularly brutal, even by medieval standards?

This book successfully answers questions (1) and (2). The authors show the tragic set of circumstances and morally questionable decisions that led the crusaders to Constantinople - against the explicit command of Pope Innocent III, who called the Crusade in the first place. They also show how the lack of understanding of the Latins led Constantinople to fall so easily.

However, this book doesn't really answer the most important question of the actual sack. Had the crusaders simply sacked the city like most sacks of the time, it is doubtful it would have engendered such animosity in the East for all things Western. But instead they ravaged the city in an orgy of violence, sex, sacrilege and greed. Why? Queller and Madden's only explanation is that there was no strong leader of the army to control them. But this seems to fall short - the crusaders had made a vow right before the sack to not touch any women or churches - yet they ignored that vow almost immediately. What caused such a shift in their behavior? Unfortunately, we'll have to look elsewhere for an answer.

5 out of 5 stars A lucid explanation of a perplexing historical event.......1998-06-30

To the contemporary mind, the Crusades represent a bizzare, even horrific, historical event. It is difficult, if not impossible, for those living in the 20th Century to comprehend the religious fervor that prompted thousands from Western Europe, both the great and the humble, to commit themselves and their fortunes to the expirgation of the infidel from the Holy Land. Of the sordid history that is the Crusades, however, the most baffling is perhaps the notorious Fourth Crusade in the early 13th Century, when Christians from Western Europe, and their Venetian allies, attacked and laid waste to Constantinople, arguably the greatest city on earth and, more to the point, inhabited by fellow Christians. The mystery is made even more remarkable by the knowledge that the Pope himself forbade the Crusaders' attack of Constantinople. What prompted the Crusaders to rebuke the Holy See? What went wrong? The present work provides an insightful and lucid analysis of the unhappy events that culminated in the destruction of the greatest city in Christiandom. "The Fourth Crusade" is essential reading for anyone who has tried to make sense of a momentous historical event that seems to defy rational explanation, or for those who simply conclude that Constantinople fell victim to the Crusaders' greed. The reality is much more complex, though "The Fourth Crusade" manages to present its analysis in an entertaining and engaging manner that brings to life a period of history like no other.
The Fall of Constantinople: The Ottoman conquest of Byzantium (General Military)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • It's a powerful survey not to be missed.
The Fall of Constantinople: The Ottoman conquest of Byzantium (General Military)
David Nicolle , Stephen Turnbull , and John Haldon
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1846032008
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Book Description

Byzantium was the last bastion of the Roman Empire following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It fought for survival for eight centuries until, in the mid-15th century, the emperor Constantine XI ruled just a handful of whittled down territories, an empire in name and tradition only.

This lavishly illustrated book chronicles the history of Byzantium, the evolution of the defenses of Constantinople and the epic siege of the city, which saw a force of 80,000 men repelled by a small group of determined defenders until the Turks smashed the city's protective walls with artillery. Regarded by some as the tragic end of the Roman Empire, and by others as the belated suppression of an aging relic by an ambitious young state, the impact of the capitulation of the city resonated through the centuries and heralded the rapid rise of the Islamic Ottoman Empire.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars It's a powerful survey not to be missed........2007-07-07

D. Nicolle, J. Haldon and S. Turnbull's THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: THE OTTOMAN CONQUEST OF BYZANTIUM is a pick for any collection strong in early history, particular of the Roman Empire era. It follows the fall of the Roman Empire in general and Byzantium's eight-century struggle for survival. Constantine's powerful central city and its amazing wall system fell to the Turks during a massive siege train against the city, which held out for four months until Turkish artillery succeeded in destroying it. It's a powerful survey not to be missed.
The Conquest of Constantinople (Records of Western Civilization Series)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Primary sources are fabulous.
  • Family History
  • A great history of Byzantium by a Westerner
  • An Interesting account of the 4th Crusade
The Conquest of Constantinople (Records of Western Civilization Series)
Robert of Clari
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. Memoirs Or Chronicle Of The Fourth Crusade And The Conquest Of Constantinople Memoirs Or Chronicle Of The Fourth Crusade And The Conquest Of Constantinople

ASIN: 0231136692

Book Description

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) set out to capture the Holy Land; it ended up sacking Constantinople, an Orthodox Christian city and the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Robert of Clari, an obscure knight from Picardy, provides an extraordinary recounting of the decidedly mixed triumphs of the Fourth Crusade, an event that deepened the rift between the Eastern and Western churches. His chronicle is one of the few accounts of the crusades told from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He provides firsthand descriptions of battles with the Greek defenders of Constantinople and the various hardships endured on the crusaders' eastward journey. Robert also serves as a guide, describing the marvels of Constantinople and other sights he encountered during the crusade.

Robert's account tells of the practical, political, and theological negotiations and disputes that defined the Fourth Crusade. He recounts the Venetian Doge's stubborn bargaining with the crusaders over the use of his ships and how the pope's bishops vigorously campaigned for the conquest of Constantinople. Throughout the crusade, various kings and lords from Europe jockeyed for power as they tried to assert their political and military leadership. Robert's chronicle concludes with the political disputes between various nobles to control the Byzantine Empire and the spoils of battle.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Primary sources are fabulous........2005-10-29

I just recently finished reading The Conquest of Constantinople for my War in the Middle Ages class, and I found it extremely helpful in my studies. The translation is very clear and is full of footnotes to explain some strange translation issues as well as to expound further on specific events in the 4th crusade. While the subject matter can be quite grueling, it's a great resource for medievalists studying this period of time. As an historian who does not focus on war history, I found that the source was even helpful in a social history context.

5 out of 5 stars Family History.......2003-09-05

This review is biased, since the subject is family history, but Robert's contribution to world history is significant with his document because he does not seek personal glory with his narrative, but instead wishes to chronicle events as he experienced them. While others wrote of their greatness during the Fourth Crusade, Robert's avoided such self-bestowed platitutes and described actions, events, and experiences in a manner similar to a documentary.

While some "historians" have disputed the accuracy of Robert's writing, there are some facts that can not be disputed:
1.) Robert de Claris existed
2.) He participated in the Crusade
3.) Those historians were not there at the time.

The narrative gives the reader
- a view of the style of story telling used during that time;
- a window into the daily life of a knight;
- an average man's view of an event im history that shaped the world.

It is exciting reading!

5 out of 5 stars A great history of Byzantium by a Westerner.......2000-04-08

In the year 1204 the Crusaders launched their fourth expedition to the Holy Land. The Crusaders never made it that far, instead, turning towards Constantinople and sacking the capital of the Byzantine Empire. This tramatic event sealed the rift between the Eastern and Western churches, as well as forever tainting relations between Venitians and Greeks which would later prove critical in 1453.

Hitherto, the only primary source that I had consulted for information on 1204 is that of Niketas Choniates (O City of Byzantium). He was a Greek present during the siege of 1204. His history begins in 1118 (where Anna Comnena leaves off) and goes through 1208. However, his chapters on the siege itself are outstanding in their descriptions of the destruction that ensued once the Crusaders had taken the city. The most well known Western history of 1204 is by Geoffrey of Villehardouin. As for Robert of Clari, he was but a humble knight who otherwise is obscure to history. His history should not be taken lightly however. His descriptions are often just as vivid as Choniates', and remarkably honost. However, as one might expect, he is unfair in his treatment of the Greeks.

If you are interested at all in Byzantian History, or the Crusades in general, this is a must read. It is a fresh perspective on a often overlooked event.

matt

4 out of 5 stars An Interesting account of the 4th Crusade.......2000-04-07

The Conquest of Constantinople Robert of Clari Trans. Edgar Holmes McNeal

Robert of Clari's The Conquest of Constantinople as a chronicle of the fourth crusade presents an interesting perspective to the modern reader of the men who were responsible for the sack of Constantinople in 11th century Clari's account gives us a view of events taken from a different angle than that with which we are most familiar in a variety of ways. First, and perhaps most valuable to a broader view of history is Clari's position as a lesser knight. He is neither a leader of the events at hand nor a heroic or active individual involved with them. Clari is instead a follower, who's brother, a cleric displays more of the cinematic bravery that the present day appreciates. Clari's view however is valuable for this very reason. He is not wraped up in the glorification or even the justification of the seemingly random sacking of Constantinople in the name of the cause of saving the Holy Land. Rather, Clari's account concentrates more one revealing the events that led up to that point, his text covers the facts of the journey to the Holy Land and takes stock of the hardships that the crusaders had to overcome - the finegaling in Italy over ships ( the sack or near sack of Venice), the general headaches caused by dealing with Doge. The Excommunication of the entire body of the Crusaders, hunger, battle, and other terrors. Clari's account is also reflective of the mindset of the crusader involved in the greatest journey of his generation. We are provided through his account with pictorial desciptions of the sights and sounds of Constantinople, one of the greatest cities on Earth at the time. His recollections of the things that he saw while he was there give the impression that even long after his return from the East, this was the greatest event of his life. It probably, we can assume from the lists of the treasures he brought back and enterred in the Church, provided him with some degree of added status, to have made the journey of a thousand miles, and returned enriched. Clari account also stands to represent as McNeals' brief history of the chronicle points out, the accidental nature of the survival of this manuscript. That such an account was nearly lost through desintigration and age make it important that the most is made from what we are provided with in this chronicle, and was deemed only just

barely important enough to be copied out. Clari's words ar important because he chose to have them set down. Obviously he felt that the events of his time on Crusade was important enough to be put down on paper, and as probably the high point of his life shows the prominence of the Crusading ideal in the mind of the middle ages. A good first hand account for anyone interested in studying the fourth crusade.
Constantine, the Last Emperor of the Greeks; or, The Conquest of Constantinople by the Turks (A.D. 1453): After the Latest Historical Researches
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    Constantine, the Last Emperor of the Greeks; or, The Conquest of Constantinople by the Turks (A.D. 1453): After the Latest Historical Researches
    Chedomil Mijatovich
    Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1402176783
    Release Date: 2001-03-06

    Product Description

    This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1892 edition by Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., London.
    Chronicles of the Barbarians
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      Chronicles of the Barbarians

      Manufacturer: History Book Club
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000E4KG4M
      Chronicles of the Barbarians: : Firsthand Accounts of Pillage and Conquest, from the Ancient World to the Fall of Constantinople
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        Chronicles of the Barbarians: : Firsthand Accounts of Pillage and Conquest, from the Ancient World to the Fall of Constantinople
        Unknown
        Manufacturer: New York: History Book Club, 1998
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000MD3QIS
        The Conquest of Constantinople
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Conquest of Constantinople
          Robert of; McNeal, Edgar Holmes, Trans. Clari
          Manufacturer: Columbia House
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000RRUV78

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