"The Crusades" von Nicolle, David

Essential Histories 1
Author: David Nicolle

Born amid immense suffering and bloodshed, the Kingdom of Jerusalem remained a battlefield for almost 200 years. The Crusades gave rise to the Military Orders of the Templars and Hospitallers, and were a backdrop to the careers of some of history's most famous leaders including Richard 'The Lionheart' and Saladin. On occasion the savagery of the Crusaders left their opponents reeling, creating frictions that survived for more than 700 years. At the same time, as this book lavishly illustrates, art, architecture and learning all benefited from new knowledge the Crusaders brought back from the East.

Contents:

- Introduction
- Chronology
- Background to war: Christendom and Islam in the 11th century
- Warring sides: Byzantines, Turks, Crusaders and Saracens
- Outbreak: The First Crusade
- The fighting: Crusade and jihad
- Portrait of a soldier: Brothers in arms - two crusaders - two fursan
- The world around war: The impact of the Crusades on the Mediterannean and beyond
- Portrait of a civilian: A saint, a lady, a rabbi and a scholar
- How the war ended: The rise of the Mamluks and the fall of the Crusader state
- Conclusion and consequences: The failure of an idea and the rebirth of Islamic expansion

Osprey
96 pages,
Paperback,
2001