Jonathan Phillips

The Call of the Crusades

An idea promoted by Pope Urban II at the end of the 11th century continues to resonate in modern poliltics. Jonathan Phillips traces the 800-year history of ‘Crusade’ and its power as a concept that shows no sign of diminishing.

Published October 15 2009

War in Paradise

Jonathan Phillips explains how Damascus, ‘Paradise of the Orient’ and a spiritual home for Muslims, became a major battleground of the Second Crusade; one in which the resistance of its people, coupled with the tactical errors on the part of the crusaders made it a turning point in the fortunes of the Christian cause in the Levant.

Published August 14 2007

The Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinople

Jonathan Phillips sees one of the most notorious events in European history as a typical ‘clash of cultures’.

Published April 22 2004

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Lords of the Northern Forest

The Hudson's Bay Company was one of the central forces moulding the development of the vast tracts of land that today are Canada - but as Barry Gough explains here, the circumstances of its launch in 1670 also reveal much about the commercial forces, personalities and rivalries of Restoration England.