Episode 9: Getting Medieval on the Battle of Tours


Eighteen years ago, at the beginning of the third millennium after the birth of Christ, Muslim jihadists flew planes into the Twin Towers in New York City. Was this a watershed in the clash of civilizations? You would think after eighteen years, we would know, but historians have been arguing for centuries about the meaning of the Frankish encounter with Muslim forces at the Battle of Tours-Poitiers.  Spoiler alert: The Franks won! But how was the battle remembered? Do we have Charlemagne to thank for defeating the Saracens? You know very well the story is more complicated than you have heard!

Video with subscription at Unauthorized.tv (History and Logos Channel)

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  1. tjgannon@sbcglobal.netSeptember 14, 2019 at 2:27 PM

    This is an informative point of view. Most important is that the people involved were not clear on what the overall significance of this battle until long after. Before this lecture I followed Rodney Stark's "How the West Won" to understand this battle. Even Rodney admits a lack of clarity about the exact location of either battle. What I learned from Rodney is the significance of superior western technology and tactics to the Arab t&t. It is interesting that the Franks learned the shield wall from Roman tactics and had large shields that would make a wall. The Arabs had small shields and depended on foot charges and cavalry. Their horses had no stirrups so the riders had no leverage against the shield wall and were turned back. The purpose of Frankish cavalry was to hunt down the stragglers running away after the ranks were broken. They did not go past the Arab camp lest they be encircled, nor did the army pursue lest it over extend its lines.
    My main take away from Rachel and Rodney is that the Franks wanted the Arabs out of their territory. Myth and glory came later.

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