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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 6, 2026

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Well, no, that's why I didn't mention Godfrey originally.

I give Philip II pretty good marks as King of France, I think. I just don't think he's synonymous with crusading the same way that Richard is. He went on a crusade to the Holy Land when it was politically convenient, abandoned it opportunistically when it was advantageous to him, and also dragged his feet and avoided participating in the Albigensian Crusade. I consider him a successful king overall, probably more so than Richard, but certainly his commitment to crusading was, at best, tactical.

Though now I'm wondering who I would consider the most Trumpian figures of the Middle Ages... it's an interesting question. Richard II sprang to my mind, but I may just be unduly influenced by Shakespeare there, in the portrayal of an erratic, absolutist king who struggles against his own government and advisors.