Francisco J. Bocero de la Rosa demonstrates genuine fearlessness with his new work ‘That wasn’t in my History of the Crusades book’because it radically changes its register with respect to its two historical novels previous: ‘The defeat’ (2007), set in the days before the Battle of Bailen in 1808, and ‘The king’s last dream’ (2020), a vibrant narrative of the last days of reign of Ferdinand VI.
Intrepid, he said, to move from the comfort zone and the refuge that the universe of narrative provides. Moving away from the licenses of fiction to confront the reality of a past time with the precision and rigor required by the study and analysis of historical documentary sources requires qualities that Francisco J. Bocero has achieved. brilliantly combinenamely: expository clarity, structure and direct and informative language.
The Almuzara publishing houseimmersed in the splendor of its twentieth anniversary and responsible for both this publication and the two previously mentioned novels, demonstrates once again the success and commitment of the Andalusian label to the dissemination of historical knowledge in an accessible and rigorous way. There are many history lovers indebted to this Andalusian publishing house, based in Córdoba. Through accurate and selective choice of historical sources, both primary and secondary, Bocero de la Rosa articulates an enveloping narrative about the very complex history of the Christian crusades in the Middle Ages. The book, then, is limited between the 11th and 13th centuries, specifically, from the Council of Clermont as a trigger for the call for the first crusade under the pontificate of Urban IIuntil the fall of acre in 1291 under “a blood moon”, symbolically considered the end of the crusades.
Throughout its 288 pages, the reasonsSo religious as well as politicians, that encouraged the Pope to call for this initiative, as well as the religious fervor that ignited among the masses throughout Europe; but also the political and personal ambitions of sovereigns, nobles and vassals, motivated on numerous occasions by the mere need to achieve a elusive fortuneand perhaps the glory of heaven. He critical approach of the author throughout the entire book shows us clearly that the crusades were much more than a simple religious confrontation between Christians and Muslims. The cross interestsnever better said, were as numerous as they were diverse.
Perhaps the most outstanding thing about Bocero de la Rosa’s book is that it does not subject the reader to insurmountable erudition. The selection of main and secondary characters is very accurate to build a pleasant story of what were the Christian crusades in the Middle East. The text is accompanied by reproductions of engravings, portraits and, of course, a much-needed chronology and maps that quickly locate the reader.
Furthermore, the journalist from Cordoba does not shy away from the darkest episodes that were unleashed by and during the crusades, such as the massacres of Jews, the palace intrigues and the clamorous betrayals, as well as the internal struggles of both sides. That being so, he provides us with a balanced and critical view of the crusadesavoiding not only the idealization of a stage that fascinates everyone equally, but also building a crucial critical approach to objectively understand all the complexity and moral ambiguity that rest on this chapter of medieval history.
In short, reading ‘That wasn’t in my History of the Crusades book’ should be highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding not only the Christian crusades in the Holy Land, but also the complex interactions between religion, politics and culture that They continue to resonate in the contemporary world.
‘That wasn’t in my History of the Crusades book.’
Author: Francisco Bocero de la Rosa.
Editorial: Lunch Córdoba, 2024.
