Thank God for the Crusades! (Dr. Thomas Madden) | Ep. 568

Dr. Thomas Madden, Professor of Medieval History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University, sits down to set the record straight on the Crusades. Demystifying one of history's most misunderstood chapters. Dr. Madden draws on 30 years of scholarship and archival work to trace the full arc of the Crusades from their origins in centuries of Muslim expansion to the catastrophic Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople. Whether you think the Crusades were an act of aggression, piety, or geopolitical chaos, this conversation will challenge what you thought you knew. Ep. 568 Dr. Thomas Madden's book "The Concise History of the Crusades" is available here: https://a.co/d/0jjYdCFm -- -- -- ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction: Who is Dr. Thomas Madden? 1:03 What drew Madden to medieval history & the Fourth Crusade 7:22 Debunking common myths about the Crusades 10:08 The Crusades as a response to centuries of Muslim expansionism 17:03 The cultural and religious world that launched the First Crusade 21:31 Indulgences, piety, and why crusaders weren't motivated by greed 22:54 The First Crusade: the march and siege of Jerusalem 45:29 The Second Crusade and how crusader states evolved 51:45 The Military Orders: Templars and their purpose 62:09 Just war theology and how the Church justified crusading violence 71:58 Saladin, the Battle of Hattin, and the fall of Jerusalem (1187) 75:20 The Third Crusade and Richard the Lionheart 82:30 The Fourth Crusade: Venice, debt, and a crusade gone wrong 91:38 The sack of Constantinople in 1204 and its lasting consequences 1:48:08 The Children's Crusade, myth vs. reality -- -- – Today's Sponsors: St. Paul Center - Join the Bible Study movement alongside a global community. Sign up today at https://stpaulcenter.com/pints PreBorn - Make a difference for generations to come. Donate securely online at https://preborn.com/PINTS or dial #250 keyword 'BABY' Good Ranchers - Subscribe and get $100 off over your first three orders when you use code PINTS at https://GoodRanchers.com Charity Mobile - Visit https://charitymobile.com/MATTFRADD to get started. Shopify - Sign up for your $1-per-month trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/pints -- -- -- Become a Daily Wire Member and watch all of our content ad-free: https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe 🍿 The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin is now streaming exclusively on DailyWire+ https://dwplus.watch/ThePendragon -- -- -- 📕 Get my newest book, Jesus Our Refuge, here: https://a.co/d/bDU0xLb 🍺 Want to Support Pints With Aquinas? 🍺 Get episodes a week early, score a free PWA beer stein, and join exclusive live streams with me! Become an annual supporter at 👉 https://mattfradd.locals.com/support -- -- -- 💻 Follow Me on Social Media: 📌 Facebook: https://facebook.com/mattfradd 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/mattfradd 𝕏 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Pints_W_Aquinas 🎵 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@pintswithaquinas 📚 PWA Merch – https://dwplus.shop/MattFraddMerch 👕 Grab your favorite PWA gear here: https://shop.pintswithaquinas.com #MattFradd #ThomasMadden #Crusades #PintsWithAquinas #CatholicPodcast #CatholicYouTube #DailyWire #TheDailyWire