WARRIORS OF GOD GUIDED READING QUESTIONS CHAPTER 1: A SULTAN IS BORN 1. Why did the First Crusade succeed? 2. Who were the three leaders that advanced the Arab cause and what were their accomplishments? 3. How did the Latin Kingdom maintain its control of the newly conquered territory? CHAPTER 2: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN 4. Who became the prominent figures in the Crusader kingdom? 5. What qualified a conflict as a just war? A holy war? 6. What enabled the Crusaders to stop feeling guilty? 7. In what ways were the Europeans transformed? 8. For what specific reasons did the Arabs resent the European invaders? 9. Who were the Poulains? 10. How did Guy de Lusignan rise to power? CHAPTER 3: THE FLINT AND THE SPARK 11. What was unique about Kerak? 12. Why was Reginald de Châtillon the most hated man in all the Muslim world? 13. What was the event that triggered the righteous anger of Saladin? CHAPTER 4: PRINCE RICHARD 14. Why were the sons of Henry II dissatisfied? 15. What was the conflict between Henry II and Thomas à Becket? 16. How did Richard manage to subdue the impregnable fortress of Taillebourg? CHAPTER 5: JIHAD 17. How did Raymond of Tripoli differ from Reginald of Châtillon? CHAPTER 6: THEIR LIONS WERE HEDGEHOGS 18. Why did the King of Jerusalem finally decide to send troops to fight Saladin at Tiberius? CHAPTER 7: STILL WATER 19. What was Saladin s strategy for dealing with the Christian army? 20. What did the Muslim chronicler mean by Their lions have become hedgehogs? 21. Why did Saladin let Raymond and his men escape? 22. Why did Saladin have Châtillon slain, but spare King Guy? CHAPTER 8: LOVERS AND KINGS 23. What were the concerns of Pope Alexander III? 24. What was the relationship between the Capetians and the Plantagenets? 25. How does the author depict the relationship between Richard and Philip? 26. What deal did Henry make with King Philip? 27. What was the relationship between Henry and his sons? 28. What was the relationship between Henry and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine?
CHAPTER 9: THE BRIDE AND THE CAMEL 29. How does the author characterize Conrad of Montferrat? 30. What was the strategic importance of Ascalon? 31. How did Saladin try to make use of King Guy? 32. What mistake did Saladin make with Gerard de Ridefort? 33. In 1099, how had the Crusaders treated the Muslims and Jews living in Jerusalem? 34. In 1187, what siege weapons did Saladin s forces use to batter the walls of Jerusalem? 35. What role did Bailian of Ibelin play in negotiating terms of surrender with Saladin? CHAPTER 10: MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL 36. How did the capture of Jerusalem by Muslims in 1187 contrast with the capture of Jerusalem by the First Crusaders in 1099? 37. Why did Saladin leave the Church of the Holy Sepulcher untouched? 38. How did the Muslim victors treat their women captives? 39. What does the author find admirable about Saladin s actions during the takeover of Jerusalem? CHAPTER 11: THE HOUSE OF DAVID 40. How did the Christians of the First Crusade treat the Jews of Jerusalem? 41. How did Saladin treat the Jews after his recapture of Jerusalem and why did he decide on that particular course? 42. Why did Saladin s treasurers and advisers question his actions in Jerusalem? CHAPTER 12: HEATHENS IN THINE INHERITANCE 43. Why did many in the Christian world hold Christians responsible for the fall of Jerusalem, rather than Saladin? 44. Why did Pope Clement III focus on England to undertake a new crusade? 45. According to the author, why did another crusade seem like a winning idea? 46. How did tensions erupt between Henry and Philip? 47. What was the relationship between Henry and Richard and what actions did they take against each other? 48. What evidence exists of Richard s anti-semitism? CHAPTER 13: APPOINTMENT AT VÉZELAY 49. Why was Richard known as the hero of Europe? 50. What was the Saladin Tax and how was it raised? 51. What were the favored weapons of the English crusaders? 52. Why was the Third Crusade militarily more daunting than the First Crusade? 53. Contrast the characters of King Richard and King Philip. 54. Why were there divisions and discord between Richard and Philip? 55. What were the terms of the treaty between Richard and Philip? CHAPTER 14: RED SAILS 56. Why did Richard s code of military conduct prove ineffective? 57. What happened to Frederick Barbarossa, Emperor of Germany? CHAPTER 15: DISPATCHES FROM THE PROMISED LAND 58. What does the author identify as the first critical mistake made by Saladin? 59. What was the new strategy that Saladin adopted? 60. What does the author identify as Saladin s second critical mistake?
CHAPTER 16: VISITATIONS IN SICILY 61. How did Richard s actions on his arrival in Sicily differ from Philp s? 62. Who was Tancred and what was the origin of his negative relationship with Richard? 63. What actions did Richard take that provoked resentment from the people of Messina? 64. Why did Richard attack Messina? CHAPTER 17: THE FRUIT OF APHRODITE 65. According to the author, why did Richard marry Berengaria? 66. What were the problems facing King Guy of Jerusalem? 67. What tensions existed among the Crusaders? 68. Why was Cyprus important? CHAPTER 18: THE HOLY TEST 69. How were both Christians and Muslims bring blockaded at Acre? 70. How did Saladin manage to communicate with his fellow Muslims? 71. What was the value of Henry of Champagne? 72. Why did Saladin change his tactics and pull back his divisions? 73. What were the different catapults involved in the siege? 74. What were Philip s strengths and weaknesses? CHAPTER 19: WASTE NOT THE HIRE 75. How did Richard use Philip s weaknesses against him? 76. What excuse did Saladin offer for his refusal to meet with Richard? 77. Who were Karākūsh and Mashtūb? 78. What was the situation inside the walls of Acre? 79. What tactics did Richard use to conduct the siege of Acre? 80. Why did Saladin burn the village of Haifa? 81. What caused the breakdown of diplomacy between Saladin and Richard? 82. After the fall of Acre, what were the surrender terms? 83. Why did the agreement disintegrate and how did Richard react? CHAPTER 20: HOME FIRES SMOLDERING 84. What problems were plaguing England while Richard was on crusade? 85. What was the source of tension between John and Longchamp and how did it manifest itself? 86. What role did Geoffrey the Bastard play in changing the dynamics in England? 87. What was the Truce of God and how did Eleanor make use of it? 88. How did John plan to gain access to the throne? 89. What action of Richard and Philip caused resentment among their allies and how did it affect Duke Leopold? 90. How did Richard snatch defeat from the jaws of victory after the fall of Acre? 91. Why was Guy named King of Jerusalem? 92. Why did Philip desert the Crusaders and what was the impact of his departure? 93. What agreement did Philip make with the Holy Roman Emperor? CHAPTER 21: THE PLAIN OF SHARON 94. How did Saladin react to Richard s massacre of Muslims? 95. Why was it important that Saladin halt Richard at Arsuf? 96. Why did Saladin reject Richard s peace feeler?
CHAPTER 22: THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF SHA BĀN THE HONORED 97. What provoked the spontaneous charge of the Crusaders against the Muslims? 98. What was the outcome of the rolling waves? 99. Why did Richard forbid his knights to enter the woods at Arsuf and what did it reveal about his military capabilities? 100. How did the events of Acre and Arsuf determine the strategy of Saladin? 101. Why was Ascalon so important? 102. What did Saladin decide to do with Ascalon? CHAPTER 23: ANGST AND DELIRIUM AMONG THE POMEGRANATE TREES 103. Why did Richard inform the Abbot of Clairvaux that the Crusaders would not remain in Syria beyond Easter 1192? 104. Why does the author believe that the fire went out of the Crusade in Jaffa? 105. What did Richard identify as the three main points of conflict between the Crusaders and Saladin? 106. What action did Conrad of Montferrat take? 107. Why did Saladin refuse to meet with Richard? 108. What factors led to the improvement of morale among the Crusaders? CHAPTER 24: SACRED AND DEMONIC FLAME 109. What actions did Philip take on his return to Paris? 110. In England, what course was John pursuing that proved troubling to Richard? 111. What actions did Eleanor take to disrupt John s plans? 112. In her letter to Richard, what actions did Eleanor insist that Richard take? 113. Regarding an attack on Jerusalem, what was the dilemma that confronted Richard? 114. Why did the Crusaders retreat from Jerusalem? 115. What actions did the Crusaders take in Ascalon? 116. Why did the French leave Ascalon? 117. Why did the Crusaders choose Conrad as Richard s replacement? 118. What happened to King Guy? CHAPTER 25: THE DAGGER ON THE PILLOW 119. Who ordered the killing of Conrad of Montferrat and why? 120. Who were the Assassins? 121. Why did Sinan resent Saladin? CHAPTER 26: THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS 122. Why does the author say that time was on the side of Saladin, not Richard? 123. How did Richard bring about the fall of Darum? 124. Why did Richard decide to lay siege to Jerusalem and delay his return to England? CHAPTER 27: SAMSON S COUNTRY 125. Why was Saladin s council against his original plan of keeping his entire force within the walls of Jerusalem when the Crusaders attacked? 126. How did Saladin revise his plan for Jerusalem? 127. What happened to the caravan from Cairo? 128. What orders did Saladin give to deny Jerusalem to the enemy?
CHAPTER 28: THE DRY TREE OF HEBRON 129. Why did Richard resign his command and announce the withdrawal from Jerusalem? 130. What is the significance of the name of this chapter? CHAPTER 29: THE RAM BACKS FOR BUTTING 131. What were Saladin s terms for peace? 132. Why was Ascalon the cause of such an intense dispute between Richard and Saladin? 133. Why does the author believe that the momentum had now shifted to Saladin and the Muslim side? 134. How did Richard recapture Jaffa so quickly after it had been captured by Saladin? 135. What role did Saladin and Richard play in the last battle of the Third Crusade? CHAPTER 30: HERE IS MY HAND 136. What were Saladin s terms for peace and why did Richard ultimately accept them? CHAPTER 31: A SLENDER STRING 137. How did Philip slander Richard? 138. Why was there hatred toward Richard in the Piedmont, in all of Italy, in Germany, and in Byzantium? 139. How was Richard captured by Duke Leopold of Austria? 140. Why did the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI, demand Leopold hand over Richard? 141. Upon hearing of Richard s capture, what actions did John take in England? 142. What actions did Pope Celestine III take and why? CHAPTER 32: THE LAST CONQUEST 143. Regarding Christian pilgrims, how did Saladin disregard the wishes of Richard? 144. What were the circumstances of Saladin s death? CHAPTER 33: NOT BY THEIR LEAVES OR THEIR BLOSSOMS, BUT BY THEIR FRUIT 145. What actions did John take when Richard was imprisoned and after he was released? 146. How, why, when, and for how much money was Richard ransomed? EPILOGUE 147. After Richard s release, what happened to relations between England and France? 148. What were the circumstances of Richard s death? FOOD FOR THOUGHT 149. For whom do you think the author has more respect: Richard or Saladin? 150. Our good friend, Wikipedia in this case very reliable offers the following definition of popular history: Popular history is a broad and somewhat ill-defined genre of historiography that takes a popular approach, aims at a wide readership, and usually emphasizes narrative, personality and vivid detail over scholarly analysis. How do you think this applies to Reston s book?