It is no surprise that Islam clashes with Europe (or the West in general), as the West is considered by many to be Dar al Harb (house of War). It is an other world. And not to be confused, the West has long seen Islam as a heathen religion, also as outsiders. It is what Samuel Huntington (and others) claimed to be a "Clash Civilizations".
These will not be posts to say that Islam is bad and Christian Europe was/is the shining light of the world. I will not absolve Islam or Christendom of any negative actions they have committed over time. Instead, I hope to give a more detailed history of the relationship between Islam and Christendom.
The posts will break down the following topics:
- Intro: Europe prior to Islam, the beginning of Islam, and terms to know
- Early Expansion: A look into the early expansions of Islam into the Levant, and north Africa.
- Spain: Examining the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the Reconquista
- Turks: How the Turkish people came to control Anatolia, and battle the Byzantine Empire
- Crusades: A factual exploration of the major Crusades (at least the first 4).
- Out of the East: Eastern Europe's relationship with Golden Horde, Tatars,
- Rise of Ottomans: The rise of Ottomans, and their excursions into Balkans, and against Italian states.
- Fall of Ottomans: Eastern Europe as the Ottomans lost power
- Worldwide Battle: Examining Europeans as they battled Islam around the world in the age of Exploration and Colonization
- Conclusion: Considering the present tensions between the West and East, and what the future may hold.
These will not be exhaustive readings, as I simply do not have the time to write a book on each topic (it seriously could be a book for each, with all the information out there).
When possible, I will list resources at the bottom of each post.
That is all for now. I am really excited for this project. :)
-Thomas
I'll be interested in following this, :)
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