Peace in the Middle Ages: Exploring Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives

In the popular imagination, the Middle Ages are often seen as a period in which people's lives were especially affected by violence, including violence based on religion. Their thoughts about peace have been neglected. Using a variety of primary sources, this book introduces readers to ways that medieval Jews, Christians, and Muslims approached the concept of peace and insists that their respective approaches are best explored side by side rather than separately. This book examines how peace was discussed, negotiated, dreamed about, created in gardens, and woven into folktales and commentaries.

Endorsements

"Beautifully written and crisply argued, Peace in the Middle Ages should be read by everyone interested in the Abrahamic religions' rich history of thinking about and making peace."

—Thomas E. Burman, University of Notre Dame

"An engaging survey of how Christians, Muslims, and Jews have thought about peace and have tried to make peace for centuries. Respectful, nuanced, and inspirational."

—Walter Simons, Dartmouth College

"A panoramic sampler of complex conceptions and practices of peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This captivating book contests the popular perception of medieval cultures as dominated by interreligious violence."

—Jessalynn Bird, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN

Anne Marie Wolf is a professor of history at the University of Maine at Farmington. She earned her PhD in medieval history at the University of Minnesota, focusing on Iberia. She is the author of Juan de Segovia and the Fight for Peace: Christians and Muslims in the Fifteenth Century (2014).

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