Michael Baizerman Author

  My recent contribution to the re-editing project of the initial chapters of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East," has commenced. View it https://www.academia.edu/143090131/Where_is_the_Heart_of_the_World_The_Location_of_Jerusalem_on_Medieval_Mind_Maps The article places Jerusalem in the center of the papal vision of the Crusades, the pilgrim's desire to visit the Holy City, and the mapmakers' intention to establish the spatial center of the world.  The previous chapters are available: https://www.academia.edu/127139711/What_if_the_Earth_Is_the_Sphere https://www.academia.edu/127881027/How_to_measure_the_Earths_circumference https://www.academia.edu/128448718/How_Long_Spans_the_Inhabited_World https://www.academia.edu/129455182/The_World_as_the_Trefoil My upcoming Zoom lecture titled "The Siege of Chandax," based on the article of the same name, will take place on August 11 . View https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byza...

  I have just uploaded a new article, which is my sixth account of medieval naval battles. You can find it here: https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_. The article includes five main points: 1. The Dogged Rivals 2. The Escalation of Violence 3. The Final Confrontation 4. The Outcome 5. The Re-imagining This version draws upon Matthew E. Parker's dissertation, "Sinking Pisa: The Decline of a Commercial Empire in the Thirteenth Century" (Saint Louis University, 2019). It also references "The Templar of Tyre," translated by Paul Crawford (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003), which is an anonymous fourteenth-century chronicle.   You read the sixth article from the cycle devoted to maritime battles in the medieval Mediterranean. The Pisans and Genoese went face-to-face, battling for the hegemony of the key islands, and, by extension, of the entire western basin of the Inland Sea. Only one of them could taste victory, though the geopolitical ...

I am currently revising a chapter about the Cretan War, which involved the Byzantine army led by General Nikephoros Phokas and the Muslim forces in Crete. This conflict reached its climax during the siege of Chandax (960-961). My paper will be divided into 14 sections and will include a re-evaluation of key themes. The first section, titled "The Outcasts," narrates the story of a group of Andalusian Muslims who were exiled from their homeland. In their search for a new home, they formed a naval detachment that succeeded in conquering Crete from the Byzantine Empire.   In the second section, "The Byzantine Chronicles," I discuss my perspective on the primary sources for this narrative, including "The History of Leo the Deacon." The third section, "The Emirate of Crete," explores the political situation on the eve of the invasion and examines the economic relations between the Muslim and Christian populations. Additionally, I am revising the first ...

I am re-editing a new chapter on medieval naval tactics in the Mediterranean, focusing on the final Byzantine attempt to recapture Crete from the Muslim Emirate (c. 824-961). My paper relies on both Byzantine and Arab sources to create a more balanced perspective; however, this approach also leaves some gaps in the narrative. For instance, it remains unclear what happened to the Muslim fleet, which did not participate in the defense of the island. Additionally, the accounts of the size of the East Roman fleet are often exaggerated. The Roman commander Nikephoros Phokas appears to be a solitary figure, lacking the support of senior officers. We only know the name of one officer who perished, as he disregarded his orders. This is the chapter template: a. The Importance of Crete b. An Overview of Byzantine Chronicles c. The Emirate of Crete d. The Declaration of War e. The Voyage f. Landing g. Setting Up Camp h. The Siege i. Guerrilla Operations j. Winter k. Relations...

  I have finished writing this chapter. It starts with a small introduction about Byzantine chronicles. I added this section because my narrative primarily draws from these chronicles, and I want   to caution the reader about their credibility. Often penned by monastic historians poorly versed in naval and military matters, they contain hagiographic material or facts biased by the witnesses' viewpoints and political agenda. I also attached the Reassessment, the summing up of my story. As usual, I will keep it on hold. My next chapter will deal with the Battle of Meloria, August 1284, which pitted the Pisan and Genoese fleets off Porto Pisano. Like the Battle of Chandax, it was a decisive confrontation that put an end to the naval domination of the City on the Arno. It also supplies an excellent  example of the encirclement of  hostile forces, worth discussing in military academies. I also received an OK from the Institute of  Integration coordinator for a s...