Jerusalem 1853: The Crimean War's Holy Spark

In Episode 119 of The History of Jerusalem, Lucas and Luna explore the city's role in the lead-up to the Crimean War. They focus on the 1853 dispute over the Holy Sepulchre's keys—the 'Question of the Holy Places'—that pitted Catholic France against Orthodox Russia, with the Ottoman Empire caught in between. The conversation covers Tsar Nicholas I's pressure on Sultan Abdulmejid I, the diplomatic mission of Prince Menshikov, and how a conflict over who could polish a silver star and hold a key to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem escalated into a war that killed over 500,000 soldiers. They also discuss the 1856 Treaty of Paris and the Tanzimat reforms that followed, shaping Jerusalem's modern religious landscape. This episode weaves together church politics, imperial ambition, and the fragile balance of power in the Holy City.

#History #FexingoHistory #Jerusalem #CrimeanWar #HolySepulchre #OttomanEmpire #Tanzimat #NicholasI #AbdulmejidI #NapoleonIII #PrinceMenshikov #TreatyOfParis #QuestionOfTheHolyPlaces #OrthodoxChristianity #CatholicChurch #Bethlehem #ChurchOfTheNativity #ReligiousConflict

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