The Apple of His Eye: Converts from Islam in the Reign of Louis IX

Description

The thirteenth century brought new urgency to Catholic efforts to convert non-Christians, and no Catholic ruler was more dedicated to this undertaking than King Louis IX of France. His military expeditions against Islam are well documented, but there was also a peaceful side to his encounter with the Muslim world, one that has received little atten

William Chester Jordan is the Dayton-Stockton Professor of History at Princeton University. His many books include Louis IX and the Challenge of the Crusade: A Study in Rulership (Princeton), The French Monarchy and the Jews: From Philip Augustus to the Last Capetians, Men at the Center: Redemptive Governance under Louis IX, and From England to France: Felony and Exile in the High Middle Ages (Princeton).

"Jordan's book, full of imaginative sympathy with those undergoing total displacement, constructs an intricate picture of the convert experience in France. . . . He writes in measured prose, guiding readers along unfamiliar historical paths."---Michael Duggan, Catholic Herald "[This] book has a great deal to offer historians working on range of topics. For those concerned with missionary activity during this era, Jordan's ability to shed light on the post-conversion experiences of these families represents a real step forward in our knowledge."---Nicholas Morton, Journal of Religious History, Literature, and Culture "Jordan carefully tracks down and puts together the records of the crown's financial outlays and legal and administrative measures for these immigrant converts. This painstaking detective work provides a fascinating study that will be of great interest to historians of the crusade and of the French crown."---John Tolan, Journal of Ecclesiastical History