Crusaders of the Middle Ages Friends and Foes 6-pc Set

Crusades Six-Piece Set: Friends And Foes

The Crusades fought from 1096 to 1291 were a series of military expeditions undertaken by the Christians of Europe to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. Typically seen in black-and-white terms as simply a battle between Christians and Muslims, the Crusades also had a grey area that involved political intrigue, secret alliances, and confrontations that transcended barriers between the various Christian, Muslim, and Jewish factions. The Latin and Orthodox Christians certainly had their differences, while the Sunnis and Shiites were known to have infighting as well.

Christian And Muslim Coins Feature Starkly Different Designs

Here, you have a collection of six coins from the Crusades—three from Christian states and three from Muslim ones—featuring starkly different designs. Whereas the Christians wove religious imagery such as crosses, saints, or the hand of God into their coins, Islamic art has focused on the depiction of patterns and Arabic calligraphy, rather than human or animal figures!

About The Crusades

In terms of Christian involvement, the Crusades varied in size, strength, and degree of success. During the crusades, the Catholic knights murdered both Muslims and native Christians. Instead of setting Islam back, many people accepted Allah because of the horrors inflicted upon them by the Christian Crusaders. The Crusaders ravaged the countries they marched through, devastated the Mediterranean ports, fought amongst themselves as much as the “Infidel,” and fleeced their subjects to fill their coffers. Murder and massacre in the service of the Gospel was commonplace. The end came in 1291 with the fall of Acre, the last Christian stronghold in the Holy Land.

• The First Crusade (1096 – 1099) ended successfully for the Christian Crusaders and resulted in the creation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
• The Second Crusade (1145-1149) saw the fall of Jerusalem to Muslims led by Saladin, the founder of the Ayyūbid dynasty and sultan of Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine. The most famous Muslim hero, Saladin’s capture pf Jerusalem ended early nine decades of occupation by the Franks.
• The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was led by Richard the Lionheart—Richard I of England—who led the Crusaders to several victories over Saladin resulting in agreements that allowed pilgrims free access to holy places.
• The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a failure and saw the Crusaders sacking Constantinople in 1204, and then refusing to move forward to the Holy Land.
• The Fifth Crusade (1217–1221) was a Crusader defeat. Despite the capture of Jerusalem at their fingertips, the Crusaders were forced to retreat with nothing.
• The Sixth Crusade (1228–1229) saw the Crusaders returning home, once again with very little to show for their efforts
• The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254) was a Crusader failure, as Louis IX of France and his army failed to capture any meaningful territory in the Holy Land. In fact, Louis was captured and ransomed for 400,000 dinars.
• The Eighth Crusade (1270) began with French King Louis IX once again taking up the cross. He led his army to Tunis where dysentery overtook the troops, killing many of them—including Louis himself—before they could even engage the Muslims in battle.
• The Ninth Crusade (1271-1272) is sometimes called Lord Edward’s crusade and is considered by some historians as actually being a part of the Eighth Crusade. It was led by Edward, Duke of Gascony, who achieved some victories but was unable to wrest control of the Holy land from the Muslim. It was also the last Crusade to reach the Holy Land before the fall of Acre in 1291 and brought an end to the permanent Crusader presence there.

Limited Availability, So Order Now

This historic six-coin set comes in a wooden box with an informational story card. Throughout the Crusades, the rulers in Europe and the Middle East assembled armies to either recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims or defend it against Christian invaders. Small coins were minted to pay the troops and ultimately became the standard currency for the common people. Could these coins have once been carried in the money purse of a lonely Crusader making his way back from the Holy Lands or used by tired Muslim warrior to pay for a meal before the next wave of attacks? Hold these coins for yourself and feel the history! Availability is limited, so order yours now!