Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

What does this tell us about the Crusades?

By Christopher Smith '22

Since Samson is an Old Testament figure, people from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths could have appreciated this religious hero and strong man, making this textile a valuable item and highly sought after during the Crusades.

Regardless of the man's identity, he represents sheer physical strength and the domination of enemies. These themes resonate with Crusaders, who would have wanted to have this textile displayed so that others would recognize them as strong, courageous, dominant, and triumphant, just like the man in the textile.

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