Saint George Between Empires: Image and Encounter in the Medieval East

This book explores Saint George's intertwined traditions in the competing states of the eastern Mediterranean and Transcaucasia, demonstrating how rival conceptions of this well-known saint became central to Crusader, Eastern Christian, and Islamic medieval visual cultures. It features new research on monuments and artworks that are no longer available to scholars due to the occupation of Syria and parts of Iraq and will be welcomed by scholars of Byzantine, medieval, Islamic, and Eastern Christian art and cultural studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 19 December 2023
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

This comprehensive volume delves into the intricate tapestry of Saint George's traditions in the fiercely rival states of the eastern Mediterranean and Transcaucasia, unveiling how competing conceptions of this renowned saint became integral to the Crusader, Eastern Christian, and Islamic medieval visual cultures. Saint George Between Empires establishes a vital connection between the visual cultures of Byzantium, North Africa, the Levant, Syria, and the Caucasus during the Crusader era, offering a fresh perspective on interfaith relations and artistic networks. By meticulously recovering and recontextualizing a vast array of images and literature, from etiquette manuals and romances to miracle accounts and chronicles, Heather Badamo paints a captivating history of Saint George during a period of profound religious and political fragmentation. In Badamo's insightful analysis, Saint George emerges as a remarkable exemplar of cross-cultural encounter and global translation.

This volume also presents significant new research on monuments and artworks that have been inaccessible to scholars due to the occupation of Syria and parts of Iraq. Consequently, Saint George Between Empires will be warmly embraced by scholars specializing in Byzantine, medieval, Islamic, and Eastern Christian art and cultural studies.

Weight: 1332g
Dimension: 213 x 263 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271095226