Crusader

63-80

Authors: Roin Metreveli

The Crusades had a significant impact upon the fate of the Georgian state. The Georgian royal court used the Europeans’ undertakings to its own advantage. The Georgian king David IV the Builder (ruled from 1089 to 1125) was well-aware of objectives pursued by the Crusade wars. The ruler’s clever approach to laying out the nation’s policy, predicated upon the relevant characteristics of the then-existing international situation, resulted in the Crusades overpowering the might of the Seljuq Turks, which successfully facilitated the stepping-up of efforts to wage a war of liberation on the part of the Georgians. In the East, David IV the Builder was viewed as a protector of Christianity. He, concurrently, was seen as a ruler with a tolerant policy toward Moslems and firm ties with the Moslem world, which was due to a special state of affairs inside and outside Georgia. Thus, the link between the Kingdom of Georgia and the Crusades hinged on certain political circumstances. Among the rulers known to have had dealings with the Crusaders are George III (1156–1187), Tamar the Great (1181–1213), George IV Lasha (1213–1222), Rusudan (1223–1245), and some others. Some of the original sources, like letters from foreign kings, mention with great regard the name of George V the Brilliant (1314–1346), considered a eulogist of Jerusalem’s holy places and a mainstay of Christianity. His activities did not have a direct linkage with the Crusades but, nonetheless, were a continuation of the struggle of their ideology. The solicitude of the Kingdom of Georgia toward Christianity would, eventually, pay off by helping boost its prestige and ensure its high standing internationally.

88-94

Authors: Ruslan B. Gagua

The present article is devoted to life path of Knight Heinrich von Plotzke – one of the highest dignitaries of the Teutonic Order. According to the author, Heinrich von Plotzke played an important role in increasing the power of the state of the Teutonic Order in Prussia and distinguished himself as a manly warrior and a talented commander. Heinrich von Plotzke made a brilliant career in the Teutonic Order, starting to serve as an ordinary knight-brother and then at different times occupying the post of provincial commander, lend master in Prussia, Grand Commander and Grand Marshal. A significant part of his life Heinrich von Plotzke spent in battles and military campaigns. In Prussia, he participated in 15 military expeditions and 4 battles. He arrived to Prussia in the difficult times for the Crusader’s state and has achieved outstanding results in the solution of military issues that arose in this region. Heinrich von Plotzke managed to organize an effective system of a national defense. Heinrich von Plotzke can be attributed to a number of those historical persons who made a significant impact on the history of the Teutonic Order and the Baltic region.

101-111

Authors: Sergei L. Dudarev

The aim of the article is a representation of the main approaches to the study of the Crusades phenomenon in the Russian and foreign scientific thought of modern times. The author shows the reasons for the transformation of the views on the Crusades, aims to find their components. Attention is drawn to the way the Crusades are gradually beginning to be seen from an increasing number of angles, including the point of view of gender. At the same time, the article points out that the authors of a number of very voluminous and valuable works on the Crusades often avoid writing historiographical essays on the topic. In this sense, this article is a desire to fill this gap. The description of Crusades by European authors (including Russian ones) is usually one-sided, this movement is described by "the point of view of Europeans", while it’s time to fully take into account the views of the Muslim world on the Crusades. The author seeks to demonstrate that the study of the Crusades is increasingly losing "accusatory" or hypercritic color in modern times, which, however, still makes itself felt. The most promising is the approach, which considers the Crusades as an integration tool, an important means of getting to know East and West, although, of course, not without a number of negative circumstances.