Rather Turkish than Papist: Islam and the Counter-Reformation

This presentation will discuss the effect of the advances of Islam into middle-age Italy on the Papal philosophies of the Counter-Reformation. One primary subject will be how parallels between the early Arab invasions of Europe and the contemporary Turkish invasions of Europe contributed to a sense of sameness between the two, as well as shaped the Papal perception of Islam’s relationship with Protestantism. Conclusions to be drawn regarding Catholic philosophy not only during the Counter-Reformation but also during later periods, even through modern times. The major take-away of the presentation will be that adjusting our perception of ‘relevant’ Italian history to include the mid to late middle ages can radically change our perception of Catholic philosophies during the related period and that this adjustment can be applied to most topics in pre-modern European history.