Infidels: A History of the Conflict Between Christendom and Islam

Front Cover

How did we learn to hate or despise? Simply, because we were taught to.

In 638 the Christian Patriarch of the Holy city of Jerusalem called the Muslim Caliph's presence an abomination in the sight of God. Christians and Muslims have since regarded each other warily and have silently thought of each other as 'infidels.'

This book traces the long history of this troubled relationship. It was a campaign without end, waged with the pen, through the printing press, by the power of the human voice and on sublte and insidious suggestions with paintings, drawings and engravings. In this brilliant book we see how and why a battle is still being waged today, through the press, books, television, radio and the internet.

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About the author (2004)

Andrew Wheatcroft was educated at St John's school, Leatherhead, Christ's College Cambridge, and the University of Madrid. He is the author of many books on early modern and modern history, and most recently The Ottomans (1995) and The Habsburgs (1996). He has been researching Infidels for more than 17 years. He is the Director of The Centre for Publishing Studies and also teaches English at the University of Stirling. He lives near Moffat in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

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