Archaeological Sources for the History of Palestine: The Frankish Period: A Unique Medieval Society Emerges
Beginning with the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, Frankish rule in Palestine lasted until the abandonment of ˓Atlit Castle in 1291. These two hundred years were a remarkable period in the region's history. The Crusaders carved out a "Kingdom of Jerusalem," controlling an area extendin...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
University of Chicago Press
1998
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| In: |
Near Eastern archaeology
Year: 1998, Volume: 61, Issue: 3, Pages: 138-173 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Beginning with the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, Frankish rule in Palestine lasted until the abandonment of ˓Atlit Castle in 1291. These two hundred years were a remarkable period in the region's history. The Crusaders carved out a "Kingdom of Jerusalem," controlling an area extending from north of Beirut to south of Gaza on the coast and stretching inland several kilometers east of the Jordan Valley and the Arabah Desert all the way to the Gulf of Aqaba. Essentially a European-type monarchy, the Franks ruled a varied population: Suni and Shi˓ite Muslims, Christian sects, Jews and Samaritans. Massacres of local communities and the repatriation of the majority of the Crusaders left the Franks with the difficult task of repopulating the emptied cities. Village inhabitants continued their lives little changed from their status under Muslim rule. In the cities, the Frankish settlers began a natural process of Orientalization in an environment that differed greatly from their home in the West. The urban population-a small class of nobles and a much larger class of free city-dwellers, artisans, and shopkeepers-was joined by merchant communes from European cities. The Church and the military orders also emerged as important elements in Frankish society, possessing extensive properties. And Frankish society extended beyond the city walls as well. Adrian Boas begins his portrait of this unique medieval society with a survey of its historical chronology and a review of the history of archaeological work. Boas then turns to settlement pattern, depicting first the life of the cities: From city walls to cemeteries. His consideration of rural settlement focuses on villages (including planned villages founded by the Franks) and their various residential dwellings, from narrow barrel-vaulted homes to courtyard houses. Boas's portrait of the defense of the kingdom brings the awesome Crusader and Muslim castles into view. Boas concludes his portrait of Frankish society with a review of material culture, the element of the Crusader remains that offers the clearest demonstration of the interplay of Eastern and Western influences. This interplay manifests itself in the finer arts as well as mundane objects. Boas's presentation of Crusader archaeology leaves the reader with a vibrant appreciation of the vast panorama of Frankish life in Palestine. |
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| ISSN: | 2325-5404 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Near Eastern archaeology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3210688 |