The Oxford History of the Crusades

Here, the story of the Crusades is told as never before in an engrossing, comprehensive history that ranges from the preaching of the First Crusade in 1095 to the legacy of the crusading ideals and imagery that continues today. Here are the ideas of apologists, propagandists, and poets about the Crusades, as well as the perceptions and motives of the crusaders themselves and the means by which they joined the movement.

The book's coverage ranges from the elaborate social and civic systems that arose to support the Crusades to vivid descriptions of the battles themselves. The authors provide keen and insightful commentary on the reactions of the Muslims to a Christian holy war. The book even includes coverage of crusades outside the eastern Mediterranean region and post-medieval crusades.

From descriptions of the battles and homefront conditions, to a thorough evaluation of the clash (and coalescence) of cultures, to the legacy that continues into our conflict-torn present, to the enduring artistic and social changes that the Crusades wrought, The Oxford History of the Crusades offers an unsurpassed panorama of one of the great movements in western history.