Jerusalem

Jerusalem in 1110

Jerusalem is an ancient city situated on a plateau at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.

History

In 1110, after sailing across the Mediterranean Sea, King Sigurd Magnusson's crew of men and gargoyles arrived in Jerusalem. ("Fortune Favors the Brave...")

Simultaneously in 1951 and 1996, the Spirit of Destiny shared to Macbeth, Arthur Pendragon, David Xanatos, and Peredur fab Ragnal that the Stone of Jerusalem was but one of its many vessels. ("Rock of Ages")

Real World Background

The name of Jerusalem (in Arabic, اَلْـقُـدْس; in Hebrew, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם‎) dates back to around 1500 BC, meaning 'Founded by Shalem", a reference to the Canaanite god of the dusk (and tied to the Evening Star, i.e., the planet Venus). [1]

Solomon's Temple was built on the Temple Mount in the 10th Century BC, near and possibly atop what is now considered the Foundation Stone. After its destruction in 587 BC, it was rebuilt around 516 BC and known as the Second Temple. Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 AD. In 363, Emperor Julian of Rome ordered the Temple to rebuilt once more, but efforts failed soon after, likely the result of an earthquake. [2]

In 638, Omar, second caliph of the Rashidun Empire, took control of the city and, by the end of the 7th Century, the Islamic shrine known as the Dome of the Rock was completed. In 1099, Jerusalem was besieged by crusaders and the region became known as the Kingdom of Israel. During this time, the Dome of the Rock was converted into an Augustinian Church. King Sigurd did visit the city as noted in the comics, with crusader King, Baldwin I, gifting the Norse king a splinter believed to be from the True Cross. [3] Sultan Saladin reclaimed the city once more in 1187 and the Dome of the Rock reverted back to a mosque. [4] The city was then governed by the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1917 where control then went to the British.

In November 1947, the United Nations agreed by a two-thirds majority to Resolution 181, which would have given Jerusalem international status administered by the UN itself. [5] The plan was ultimately not implemented, and in 1948 war broke out which left the city split between Israel controlling the western part of the city and Jordan controlling the eastern part. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel now occupies East Jerusalem as well. The United Nations has maintained its position that Jerusalem have a separate international status as recently as 2011.

See Also

• Jerusalem at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
• Kingdom of Jerusalem at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia