re: #716 SanFranciscoZionist

Being a European history major, I’ve read a few books about the period. I guess I should clarify. I’m looking for a reputable scholarly source to back up the claim that the early Crusades were wars of defense, fought to stop the spread of religious Islam.

And here is your reputable, scholarly source for what you are not looking for:
re: #728 LudwigVanQuixote