Arab Conquests and Early Islamic Historiography: The Futuh al-buldan of al-Baladhuri

Abstract

draw out the specific relationships and networks facilitating this ongoing exchange. One point of particular interest for many scholars in this field is Andronikou’s contribution to the debate on the term “crusader art”. In recent years many have queried this term on strong grounds, but it has remained in use at least in part due to the absence of a suitable replacement. Producing a collective term for the artistic production of the Crusader States (both mainland and Cyprus) remains a challenge, not least because, as Andronikou states, the term “crusader art” prioritises Latin Christian artists, whilst marginalising other artists working within these territories. Having said that, the point is made here – seemingly on the basis of utility and familiarity – that this term should remain in use to describe an artistic “lingua franca” employed in many places, not just the Crusader States, even if it remains problematic in many respects. This preferencing of utility over strict accuracy accords well with many terms central to the study of the crusades, including “Crusader States”, “Latin East” or even simply the term “Crusade” itself. Taken overall, Italy, Cyprus and Artistic Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean provides a highly thought-provoking analysis that will be of interest both to art historians and to scholars researching cross-cultural exchange during this era. It sheds light on matters as diverse as the cult of saints, crusading propaganda, commerce and international politics. More importantly, it describes a long-term trajectory for the development of “Crusader Art” across Italy and many areas of the eastern Mediterranean that encompasses and informs a whole range of developments, whether artistic, political, military, commercial or cultural. Elegantly written and enriched with many colour photographs, it represents a major addition to scholarship in this field.