News Article

The Gonzaga University history department is honored to host the annual Phi Alpha Theta history honors society regional Northwest Conference April 10-12. Thomas F. Madden, professor of history and director of the Center for Medieval Studies at St. Louis University, will deliver the opening night lecture Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jepson Center’s Wolff Auditorium. Pre-registration required for the conference but the opening night lecture is free and open to the public.

The title of his lecture is, “The Crusades and Us: Medieval and Modern Perceptions of Christendom’s Holy Wars.” The lecture is sponsored by the William J. Davis S.J. Lecture Fund, and will be followed by a reception and an opportunity for all attendees to meet the speaker. This also marks the 40th anniversary of Gonzaga’s Xi-Gamma Chapter, founded in 1968.

In the lecture, Madden will examine the changing ways that Muslims and Christians have understood the Crusades from the time they were happening until today. It examines the constructed and reconstructed memories of the Crusades within the historical contexts and agendas of diverse people and places. It argues, among other things, that modern misconceptions of the Crusades are an important factor in the tensions between the Muslim and Western worlds.

A prolific author, Madden also is a respected media expert appearing in such venues as The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, NPR, and others. His books include the best-selling “New Concise History of the Crusades (2005)” and the award-winning “Enrico Dandolo” and the “Rise of Venice” (2003).

Madden has also published extensively on the ancient and medieval Mediterranean and the history of Christianity. Awards for his scholarship include the 2005 Otto Grundler Prize, awarded by the Medieval Institute, and the 2007 Haskins Medal, awarded by the Medieval Academy of America. Madden chaired the history department at Saint Louis University. He received his B.A. from the University of New Mexico and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois with research specialties in Medieval Europe, Ancient Rome, and Islamic history. He continues to write and lecture on a variety of historical topics. His current research involves an examination of ancient Roman imperialism in light of modern events. Visit Madden’s Web site for more information on his various projects and publications.

For more information contact Andrew Goldman, GU history assistant professor, at (509) 323-6691.