Royal Holloway, University of London - Postgraduate Taster Lecture

In this Postgraduate Taster Lecture, led by Professor Jonathan Phillips, we focus on two particular years - 1250 and 1960. The first part will look at the biggest crusade of the thirteenth century, that of King Louis IX of France (1226-70) and show how it helped to precipitate a change in the ruling dynasty of Muslim Egypt. A remarkable tale of forgery, political intrigue and murder resulted in the recognition of Shajar al-Durr (meaning 'Tree of Pearls') as the female ruler of a Muslim land, an almost unprecedented event. The second part of the talk traces the legacy of this episode from the perspective of President Nasser of Egypt (1954-70) and his use of the memory of the defeat of King Louis in his struggle against those he described as western 'crusaders', meaning the British and the French.