**Book Talk**
The House of War
Simon Mayall on 1300 years of Islamic-Christian conflict and how it affects today's world.
Arabist, historian and recently a commander of Middle Eastern-based troops, Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall discusses his latest book, The House of War. You will hear how this vivid story-filled analysis of the last 1300 years of conflict between the Caliphate and Christianity affects today's conflicts.
The evening promises to be fascinating and entertaining. It may change your perceptions. Useful not just for Revellers but also for policymakers and commentators keen to know first-hand Sir Simon's uniquely informed, prescient analysis of what's happening now in the Middle East.
£25 before 1st November. £35 after that.
Monday 18th November 2024
The Bridge Room (upstairs), The Prince Albert, 85 Albert Bridge Road, London SW11
Arrive 7pm - Drinks at the bar
Talk starts 7.30 pm
Optional dinner 8.30 pm
As The House of War Reviewers put it...
“It should be essential reading for diplomats, military leaders and politicians”
General Sir Patrick Saunders.
“No one could be better qualified to write on such a fascinating subject”,
Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny.
An engrossing account of over a thousand years of conflict that shaped our world”.
Dan Snow
About Simon Mayall
Lieutenant-General Sir Simon Mayall is an Arabist who spent his childhood in the Middle East. He is an engaging speaker and author who brilliantly brings to life historical events.
Simon read Modern History at Oxford, specialising in the Crusades, completing a thesis on Jihadi ideology. Commissioned to serve in the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars, Simon commanded multinational forces in the Middle East during both Gulf Wars and the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces on secondment. In 2010, he became Defense Advisor in the Middle East, dealing with the Arab Spring and the rise of ISIS. His last appointment was as Prime Minister Cameron's Security Envoy to Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government after the fall of Mosul to Islamic State in 2014.
Extraordinary Stories
Discover the Epic Clashes Between Islam and Christendom
Simon explores a compelling new history chronicling the 1,300-year struggle for supremacy between Islam and Christendom. This narrative unveils the relentless battles for power and influence from Caliph Umar's capture of Jerusalem in the 7th century to the Ottoman Empire's fall after World War I.
Renowned Middle East and Crusades historian Simon Mayall delves into pivotal conflicts: the sieges of Jerusalem, the fall of Constantinople, the battles of Rhodes and Malta, and the Ottoman push into Europe, culminating in the Allied capture of Jerusalem and the Ottoman Empire's collapse.
"The House of War" offers a sweeping narrative, highlighting key battles and influential leaders who shaped the course of history, setting the stage for modern Europe and the Middle East.
What you'll discover at the talk includes:
* An understanding of the Middle East today, its past and its likely future projection through the prism of Sir Simon's childhood living there, his studying it at Oxford, and his military experience commanding Arab and UK forces in the Middle East. (All of which informs his books, Soldier in the Sand and The House of War.)
* How historical battles between Islam and Christendom, like the Battle of Hattin in 1187, influence modern political and religious dynamics.
* How "death to unbelievers, heretics and infidels" became the takfiri ideology in 657AD, and is now espoused by ISIS and Al Qaeda today.
* How the Sunni-Shia divide and Mongol invasions are critical to Middle Eastern complexity.
* Why Saladin, after his victory over the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, had been and is still revered by Muslims and Christians.
* The horrors of the First Crusade and the Crusaders' sacking of Jerusalem and their subsequent slaughter of both Muslims and Jews sowed the seeds of hate towards Christians in the Middle East.
* Why Acre was so strategic in controlling Syria, Palestine, and the Eastern Mediterranean, and how the Christians lost control of it in 1291 thanks to a drunken brawl that developed into a massacre of Muslims.
Monday 18th November 2024
The Bridge Room (upstairs), The Prince Albert, 85 Albert Bridge Road, London SW11
Arrive 7pm - Drinks at the bar
Talk starts at 7.30 pm.
Optional is at dinner 8.30 pm.
£25 before 1st November. £35 thereafter.
Cancellation Policy
If we must cancel the event or you (with at least five days' notice) can't make it, you will receive a complimentary ticket to another Revellers' Club-organised event. If there isn't one that you wish or can attend, you will receive a refund. Tickets are not transferable.