At the close of the first millennium, Europe existed in an age of belief, a time when the words of a religious leader could launch thousands of ships and true believers on an epic, costly journey to the Holy Lands to wrest relics and sites from the hands of infidels. This video recaptures the long, sometimes strange saga of the "sacred brotherhoods" who answered the call to service in 1095, when the Pope rallied men to join the first Crusade: ultimately 100,000 faithful volunteers would begin the march on Jerusalem, commencing a centuries-long Christian and Islamic struggle over religious domination and lucrative trade routes. At first, the mission of the Knights of St. John (who would later become the Knights of Malta) was humane, establishing hospitals to care for the sick in the Holy Land. Later, there would be disputes between orders, high living and debauchery, state piracy, slavery, and moments of incredible brutality (at one point, these knights decapitated captured soldiers, then used their heads as cannonballs.) At the same time, the brotherhood contributed to advances in medicine and shipbuilding, perfected the art of castle building, and were early, important patrons of the arts. Still, their riches made them tempting targets for ambitious European leaders, and the knights' days of glory had faded by the age of Napoleon. Astutely employing music and modern views of castles and Mediterranean towns, this program does a good job retelling its complicated story of an age when knights created a legend by joining monastic and military ideals. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)
The Crusades and the Knights of Malta
(1999) 54 min. $24.99. Vision Video. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-56364-366-9. Vol. 15, Issue 6
The Crusades and the Knights of Malta
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