History Documentary with no narration published by ZDF in 2004 - English language
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Wars attributed to sanctity have an endless history. It continues today, when Islamic fundamentalists are still convinced that their inhuman terrorism is "holy war" (jihad) in the name of Allah. Calls for jihad are often heard from today's radical Islamists, while many Americans believe in a divine mission for the U.S. military-but the trail of war waged in God's name reaches back over 1,000 years.
In the modern world, many people regard the idea of a holy war as a contradiction. Killing thousands of people seems to be far from holiness. However, religion and war have gone hand in hand for a long time. There has always been fighting, plundering and killing in the name of God. For example, violence played a crucial role in the spread of Islam. The Crusades, when Christian knights repeatedly attacked the Middle East, are regarded as religiously motivated wars par excellence. Finally, in the 17th century, the Thirty Years' War followed, which plunged Germany in particular into murderous chaos...
This three-part series takes a deep look into the history of holy wars - from the Crusades, to Islamic warriors and to Luther's Reformation. "The Holy Wars" examines the historical relationship between militarism and strictly interpreted religion. With penetrating scholarly analysis and an energetic visual style, series provides a wide-ranging perspective on orthodoxy, empire, cultural domination, and the resistance they can incite.
Directed by Dirk Pohlmann ; Medi-Cine Medienproduktions GmbH for ZDF Enterprises in Association with 3sat and Phoenix Kanal
1) In the Name of Christ
The times were turbulent around 1100 AD, when West-Roman Christianity was spreading out in all directions. The Crusades were part of it - perhaps the most important, certainly the best known. The advance of the Islamic Selchuks could not be stopped, especially their attacks on the travel routes of the pilgrims, who were on their way to the holy Christian sites. When news of raids mounted, the Patriarch of the Eastern Roman Church Alexios I asked Rome for help. Even then, Christianity was divided - not into Catholics and Protestants, but into the Eastern Roman (Orthodox) and Western Roman Churches. The Crusades took place in the middle of tension between these different interest groups. The expansion of the West Romans cut a swath through the Islamic territories, which had by then reached the climax of their development. The Byzantine realm increasingly lost its importance. It was not a battle of cultures, not a struggle against Islam, but a chaotic confrontation of warlords and princes. The main goal of the crusades - the conquest of Jerusalem - was soon forgotten, and the first conquest ended with bloodbaths among the civilian population that are still notorious today. The following crusades were equally infamous and far from an honor to Christianity.
This program examines the forces behind European determination to capture Palestine, linking the belligerence of medieval Crusaders with their piousness. Drs. Klaus Herbers of Friedrich Alexander University and Patrick Franke of Martin Luther University draw surprising parallels between East and West, focusing on martyrdom as a vital component of the Crusader's motivation, interreligious notions of knightly behavior, and cases of negotiation and cultural exchange despite numerous atrocities and military disasters. Without neglecting the harsh realities of the Crusades, In the Name of Christ presents a fresh perspective on the medieval clash of Christian and Islamic powers.
