Department of History
Subject: Jerusalem in the 12th century: Systematic Analysis of a Developing Urban Landscape – dissertation summary
Supervisor: Professor Ronnie Ellenblum & Professor Iris Shagrir
Abstract: This dissertation aims to reconstruct different facets in the formation of the cityscape of Frankish Jerusalem, particularly during the first six decades of the twelfth century following its conquest by the Crusaders. The analysis is based on a spatially and chronologically organized database encompassing the widest possible array of documents from the examined period. This database allows tracing various patterns concerning different aspects in the urban development of Jerusalem that could not have been detected otherwise. The study analyzes the patterns of economic activity of the city’s major institutions, demonstrating their impact on the formation of urban space. This impact can be traced both in their involvement in urban endeavors as well as in their architectural expansion during the examined period. Other objectives include an analysis of urban social constructs, as well as an examination of Jerusalem in its wider socio-economic context, through its relationship with its rural hinterland.
Rotenstreich Stipend 2013/14