Franks, locals and sugar cane: A case study of cultural interaction in the latin kingdom of Jerusalem

Judith Bronstein; Edna J. Stern; Elisabeth Yehuda

doi:10.1080/03044181.2019.1612185

Franks, locals and sugar cane: A case study of cultural interaction in the latin kingdom of Jerusalem

Judith Bronstein, Edna J. Stern, Elisabeth Yehuda

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study examines influences and cultural interactions between Frankish settlers and the local populations in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem through the prism of sugar cane, a local food crop unfamiliar to many crusaders and Latin settlers. Combining textual and archaeological evidence for sugar cane cultivation, production and consumption, the article explores the extent to which the Latin population – a numerical minority and the ruling elite – was influenced by and influenced their new environment and the local inhabitants. It focuses on sites near Acre for which there is historical and archaeological evidence of sugar production from before the arrival of the crusaders, and during Frankish period (twelfth and thirteenth centuries). After acquainting themselves with the new land and its products, the Franks became largely involved in the production of sugar, one of the kingdom’s most lucrative cash-crops, which brought significant technological developments and changes in the lives of local inhabitants.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	316-330
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Medieval History
Volume	45
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/03044181.2019.1612185
State	Published - 27 May 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Judith Bronstein is Assistant Professor of History in the Department of Israel Studies and in the School of History, University of Haifa. Her fields of research are the Military Orders, the crusade movement and the Latin East. She is currently engaged in a research project titled ‘Food and Food Habits in the Crusader Context, 1095‒1291’, funded by the Israel Science Foundation.

Funding Information:
We would like to express our gratitude to the Israel Science Foundation for funding our project ‘Food and Food Habits in the Crusader Context, 1095–1291’ (Grant Number 1327/16), which has led to this article.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

Agriculture
Cross-cultural encounters
Food history
Intercultural exchange
Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
Sugar cane
Sugar moulds

ASJC Scopus subject areas

History

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10.1080/03044181.2019.1612185

Cite this

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title = "Franks, locals and sugar cane: A case study of cultural interaction in the latin kingdom of Jerusalem",

abstract = "This study examines influences and cultural interactions between Frankish settlers and the local populations in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem through the prism of sugar cane, a local food crop unfamiliar to many crusaders and Latin settlers. Combining textual and archaeological evidence for sugar cane cultivation, production and consumption, the article explores the extent to which the Latin population – a numerical minority and the ruling elite – was influenced by and influenced their new environment and the local inhabitants. It focuses on sites near Acre for which there is historical and archaeological evidence of sugar production from before the arrival of the crusaders, and during Frankish period (twelfth and thirteenth centuries). After acquainting themselves with the new land and its products, the Franks became largely involved in the production of sugar, one of the kingdom{\textquoteright}s most lucrative cash-crops, which brought significant technological developments and changes in the lives of local inhabitants.",

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Franks, locals and sugar cane: A case study of cultural interaction in the latin kingdom of Jerusalem

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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