For my RE project, I need to make a presentation about the crusaders and religions and cults they got into contact with and brought to Europe. I'm having difficulties finding literature so it would be greatly appreciated if somebody could suggest some sources.
Thank you.
Beep beep paging u/WelfOnTheShelf ...While this specific question hasn't been answered before, let me give you some links about crusaders and cultural interaction. When Europeans conquered the Levant they became a ruling class over a mixed society of not only Arabs/Bedouins of various Islamic sects, but Jews including Samaritans, and various Christian sects of Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Armenians, Nestorians, etc. If you're looking for a book on the subject of Western/eastern Christian interaction there's,
But if you'd like to read something for free, there's two very relevant dissertations (Szoke, Schaller) and a paper (Jotischky) on the subject that I think you'll find helpful:
Religious Culture of the Crusader Kingdoms by Veronica Szoke
Crusader Orientalism: Depictions of the Eastern Other in Medieval Crusade Writings by Henry Schaller
Franks and Natives in the Crusader States: the State of the Question by Andrew Jotischky
And now various helpful askhistorians answers...
Pre-Crusades
Christian and Islamic understandings of Holy War, by Welfontheshelf
Pilgrimages before the 1st Crusade by Welfontheshelf
European knowledge of Islam at the beginning of the Crusades by u/sunagainstgold
Arab knowledge of Christianity at the beginning of the Crusades by Welfontheshelf
Crusader States
Life in the Crusader States, by Welfontheshelf
Jousting in the Crusade States, by Welfontheshelf
Crusader tourism or "pilgrimage industry", by Welfontheshelf
Crusaders and the Knights Templar on Cyprus, by Welfontheshelf
Cultural Interaction
Three answers about how Muslims and/or religious minorities were treated in Christian Europe and the Crusader States, by Welfontheshelf
A Frankish knight spoke Turkish during the 1st Crusade, by Welfontheshelf
Saint Francis of Assisi preached in the Muslim world, by Welfontheshelf
Crusaders converted to Islam after being captured, by Welfontheshelf
European translators in the Crusader States, by Welfontheshelf
European translators in the Mongol Empire, by Welfontheshelf
Bedouin response to the Crusades, by u/amp1212