THE AWAKENING examines the profound influence Islam had on the intellectual development of the West during the Middle Ages. It covers the spread of Islam into Spain and the flowering of science, architecture, art and medicine as well as the achievements of the "House of Wisdom" in what is now Baghdad. It also tells the story of the Crusades -- from the point of view of Islam, including the storming of Crusader castles, battles over faith and trade, and the recapturing of Jerusalem by Saladin the Great.

Note: This is part 2 of a series of 3 parts.