“The main reason for hostility to Muslims was fear of their power.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that the main reason for the hostility to Muslims was fear of their power. Candidates may refer to European anxieties about access to Jerusalem and how this stoked their fears of Muslim power after the Seljuk invasions. Some may argue that economic power and the expansion of Muslim controlled lands was the reason for hostility as they controlled important trading routes. Clear examples of this are the tensions between Muslim traders and the important Christian cities of Pisa and Genoa. Another reason for hostility could be Muslim power in the Mediterranean. The Crusades in this respect can be viewed as a direct counterattack against their power. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example the economic decline of Europe or religion, which drove expansionism in the eastern Mediterranean to protect Eastern Christian people. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that the main reason for the hostility to Muslims was fear of their power.