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Jerusalem
The Biography
Jerusalem (2011) tells the story of a city considered holy by three of the world’s major religions, and which is central to some of the greatest conflicts in human history. These blinks detail the history of Jerusalem, the near-constant battles it has inspired and the fundamental role it has played in shaping humankind over the course of millennia.
- Anyone interested in theology, history and war
- Jews, Christians and Muslims
- Anyone interested in the crucial precursors to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East
Simon Sebag-Montefiore is an award-winning British author of historical nonfiction. His titles, including Young Stalin, Catherine the Great and Potemkin and Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar have received multiple awards and have attracted worldwide critical acclaim.
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Jerusalem
The Biography
- Read in 27 minutes
- Audio & text available
- Contains 17 key ideas
Synopsis
Jerusalem (2011) tells the story of a city considered holy by three of the world’s major religions, and which is central to some of the greatest conflicts in human history. These blinks detail the history of Jerusalem, the near-constant battles it has inspired and the fundamental role it has played in shaping humankind over the course of millennia.
Key idea 1 of 17
Jerusalem was inhabited as early as 5000 BC, and the Israelites arrived 4000 years later.
The Bible, in addition to being a holy text, also offers an early history of Jerusalem. However, since the Bible contains a great deal of contradictory information, it’s not a reliable factual account in and of itself.
That’s why we have to use archaeology and other ancient texts to verify certain biblical events.
For instance, the origins of the name “Jerusalem” date back to ancient Egyptian texts that refer to “URSALIM,” a variation on the word “Salem,” meaning “god of the evening star.” And while widespread archaeological research in the area is restricted by the land’s holiness, excavations conducted in surrounding areas have found that people inhabited the region as early as 5000 BC.
From there, we know that the first texts attributed to a Jerusalemite date back to 1458 BC, when the Egyptian empire included the entirety of modern-day Palestine. Those early texts show that King Abdi-Heba requested that Egyptian archers defend the city.
Then, about a century later, the first Hebrews, or Israelites, arrived. These newcomers proved considerably different from the Egyptians as they worshiped a single God.
Moses would later help the Israelites escape from Egypt, but it was his successor, Joshua, who brought the Israelites to Jerusalem. They struggled for more than a century after their arrival there, from 1200 to 1050 BC. That’s when the Philistines defeated them in the Battle of Ebenezer and stole the Ark of the Covenant, their holiest object, which contained the remains of the Ten Commandments.
David was born after this battle, though, and he would go on to fight and defeat Goliath, the Philistines’ best warrior. David became a great leader, uniting the tribes of Israel to beat the Philistines and retake the Ark.
In the wake of this victory, Jerusalem grew – but not by too much.
The settlement called City of David was built just outside the old town, along with a palace, but Jerusalem remained quite small, especially when compared to the neighboring city of Babylon. It was also during this time that David planned to build the city’s first temple, although it wouldn’t be completed until after his death, by his son, Solomon.
Key ideas in this title
- Jerusalem was inhabited as early as 5000 BC, and the Israelites arrived 4000 years later.
- Jerusalem’s first two temples offered a connection to God and played a central role in the development of Judaism.
- Jesus was born in a tumultuous time, which led to his crucifixion and contentious resurrection.
- The Roman emperor ordered an attack on Jerusalem, leading to the fall of the second temple.
- The Romans converted to Christianity and began building their empire around it.
- Muhammad led his followers on a spiritual journey to Jerusalem.
- Attempts at Muslim unity were disrupted when the First Crusade ravaged Jerusalem.
- Muslim rebellion led to future crusades and a continual battle over Jerusalem.
- An army of slave-soldiers retook Jerusalem, leading to the city’s reconstruction.
- After the Mamluks, Jerusalem was taken over by the Ottomans and the city grew.
- Around the turn of the twentieth century, hopes for Jewish and Arab independence flourished.
- Following World War I, a number of international treaties increased tensions in Jerusalem.
- The decades after WWI were filled with escalating violence and increased extremism.
- Escalating violence led to the Battle of Jerusalem in 1948.
- An angered Egyptian President spurred on a brief conflict that secured a decisive victory for Israel.
- The situation in Jerusalem remains a complicated standoff.
- Final summary