The crusades

A short introduction to this album.

Professor David Chichester casts an illuminating eye over the global history of Christianity, from its early rise to modern expansions and prominence in Africa and America.

From the 3rd to the 7th Century, many religious groups experienced expansion and growing interaction, creating an illuminating clash of cultures, ideas and beliefs.

From the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Cambridge, Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith discusses the cultural and historical context of the crusades, why they occurred, and the inconsistencies in modern interpretation.

The 19th Century was a turning point in Indian religious and cultural history, with colonial expansion providing education and a hybridisation of East and West. This lively discussion tracks these changes and their legacy.