Pope Gregory X and the Crusades (Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 41)

First full-length study of Pope Gregory X in relation to Crusade, demonstrating his significant impact.Pope Gregory X stood at the very centre of the crusading movement in the later thirteenth century. An able diplomat, he showed himself adept at navigating the political waters of Europe and the Mediterranean World. His crusade gained the participation of virtually all of the leaders of Western Europe, and even the Byzantine emperor and the Ilkhan of the Mongols: crucial if his crusade were to have a chance of defeating the very formidable and successful Mamluk Sultan Baybars. However, Gregory's premature death put paid to his crusade plans. Perhaps because of this, Gregory has hitherto been somewhat neglected by historians - a gap which this book aims to fill. It provides a full account of his contribution to the Crusade, demonstrating that he left a lasting mark on how crusading would operate in the years to come. PHILIP BALDWIN eceived his doctorate from Queen Mary, University of London. First full-length study of Pope Gregory X in relation to Crusade, demonstrating his significant impact. Pope Gregory X stood at the very centre of the crusading movement in the later thirteenth century. An able diplomat, he showed himself adept at navigating the political waters of Europe and the Mediterranean World. His crusade gained the participation of virtually all of the leaders of Western Europe, and even the Byzantine emperor and the Ilkhan of the crucial if his crusade were to have a chance of defeating the very formidable and successful Mamluk Sultan Baybars. However, Gregory's premature death put paid to his crusade plans. Perhaps because of this, Gregory has hitherto been somewhat neglected by historians - a gap which this book aims to fill. It provides a full account of his contribution to the Crusade, demonstrating that he left a lasting mark on how crusading would operate in the years to come. PHILIP BALDWIN eceived his doctorate from Queen Mary, University of London. Pope Gregory X stood at the very centre of the crusading movement in the later thirteenth century. An able diplomat, he showed himself adept at navigating the political waters of Europe and the Mediterranean World. His crusade gained the participation of virtually all of the leaders of Western Europe, and even the Byzantine emperor and the Ilkhan of the Mongols: crucial if his crusade were to have a chance of defeating the very formidable and successful Mamluk Sultan Baybars. However, Gregory's premature death put paid to his crusade plans. Perhaps because of this, Gregory has hitherto been somewhat neglected by historians - a gap which this book aims to fill. It provides a full account of his contribution to the Crusade, demonstrating that he left a lasting mark on how crusading would operate in the years to come. Philip Baldwin received his doctorate from Queen Mary, University of London.00 Frontcover 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 10 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 14 1 The Early Life of Pope Gregory X 26 2 ‘We Saw with Our Eyes and Felt with Our Very Own Hand’: The Importance of Understanding the Condition of the Holy Land 53 3 Interim Crusade Planning 88 4 A Problem of Governance? Pope Gregory X, Charles of Anjou, and the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem 117 5 Political Exigencies and Gregory’s Crusade 150 6 Imagining Gregory’s Crusade 181 Conclusion 234 Bibliography 240 Index 254 Backcover 265 Examines Pope Gregory's central role in the crusading movement and his ability to enlist the participation of virtually all the leaders of Western Europe, the Byzantine emperor, and the Ilkhan of the Moguls to attack the Mamluk Sultan Baybars. Although Gregory's premature death put an end to his crusade plans, the book demonstrates that he left a lasting mark on crusading in the years to come.