Esoteric Universalism and Crusader Evangelism in the Work of Ramon Llull

Ramon Llull is an extraordinary figure both as a Christian apologist and as a collater of the various streams of knowledge that converged in medieval Spain. Predating Marsilio Ficino's *prisca theologia* by a few hundred years, Llull sought to chart the hidden unity amongst the Abrahmic faiths despite their apparent diffusion. This esoteric universalism is a theme of Western esotericism that runs through the present, with both benign and not-so-benign historical outcomes. While pointing out what is noble and in accordance with Christian truth in his Jewish and Muslim interlocuters, Llull advocated for further crusades on the grounds of his "Art". Influenced by intellectual historian Tomoko Masuzawa, this paper is a contribution to the dialogue on Euro-Christian universalism and its aftereffects, for better or worse.