How to defeat Crusader Knights
Despite their strength, Crusader knights in the Medieval Middle East had vulnerabilities that could result in their defeat in battle.
New Medieval Books: The Utrecht Chronicle of the Teutonic Order
A chronicle written in the second half of the 15th century, which details the history of the Teutonic Knights, a military order that fought in the Near East and Baltic regions. The account came at a time when the order was in decline, but offers insights into how they viewed themselves and their mission.
Crusaders and the Other Siege of Damascus (1129)
One thing was clear to even the most untalented strategic thinker amongst the Crusaders – they needed to recover at least some of the old Christian inland cities of the Holy Land if they were to create a defence in depth.
Medieval Siegecraft: Crusader vs Turkish vs Mongol
When it comes to sieges, which group was the most successful in the medieval Middle East: Crusaders, Turks or Mongols?
Crusader Fleets: A Missing Ingredient
We tend to associate the Crusaders with all the bold, visually striking, images of medieval warfare. Charging knights and crossbowmen. Castles and siege towers. What we do not often think of is sailors and fleets
Medievalists.net’s Featured Book: The Crusader Strategy
The Medievalists.net Monthly Book Selection for March is The Crusader Strategy: Defending the Holy Land, by Steve Tibble.
The Forgotten Crusaders
In the aftermath of the successful First Crusade, a new strategy was formulated on how to keep the Near East under Frankish control. The Siege of Caesarea was one of the first steps.
The Templar Catastrophe at Cresson
Steve Tibble tells us about the Battle of Cresson, which set the stage for a pivotal moment for the Crusaders..
When the King of Jerusalem came to England
A fascinating look at a little-known episode in which the king of Jerusalem came to England on a fundraising expedition in 1223. Like a microcosm of the crusades, it started with high hopes and ended in bitter recriminations.
“Give the lie to the Devil”: The Battle of Hattin
By John France The dead were scattered over the mountains and valleys, lying immobile on their sides … Hattin shrugged off their carcasses,…
British Templars at War – The Doomed Band of 1185-1187
The British Templars were not just bankers, diplomats and estate managers – many were swept up in the disastrous events unfolding in the Holy Land in 1187
William Marshal – Templar and Crusader?
Doubts have been raised about William Marshal’s career as a crusader – but what was the truth behind the claims?
The Templars and Saladin
The fight between Saladin and the Templars was personal – a relationship based on a toxic blend of fear, grudging respect and animosity.
Robert of Sablé: From British Templar to Video Game Villain
Templar master, trusted admiral and skilled diplomat, Robert of Sablé had a chequered past – but he does not deserve the parody reputation that has emerged as a product of modern video gaming.
On the Paths of Hugues de Berzé: A Repentant Crusader Knight
Hugues de Berzé and how is experience in the Fourth Crusade changes him.
New Medieval Books: Crusades and Violence
A look at how violence was viewed and remembered by those involved in the crusades.
The Templars in Britain with Steve Tibble
Myths and conspiracies aside, the real medieval Templars were indeed a formidable fighting force, as well as being financially savvy diplomats at many of the major courts of the time. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Steve Tibble about the Templars’ role in Britain and Ireland, their activities on and off the battlefield, and some of the major political events they were involved with.
The Templars in Britain: A Difficult and Ominous Beginning
The Templars went on to achieve great things and a high-profile reputation. But they came from very humble beginnings. In Britain, they got off to a very difficult start.
Could the Crusader States ever have survived?
So how then can we go about tackling a counter-factual question such as “Could the Crusader States ever have survived”?
True Crusader Crime: Criminality on Campaign
During the Middle Ages, maintaining discipline on campaign was always difficult – and commanders knew that criminality was a ‘gateway behaviour’ which opened up the path to an even greater breakdown of authority.
When Hundreds of Arabs came to Medieval France
The story of Louis IX and the Christian converts he brought to his kingdom.
New Medieval Books: Three Pilgrimages to The Holy Land
Translations of three texts from the twelfth century which relate pilgrimages to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Saewulf was English, while John of Wurzburg and Theoderic were both Germans. They offer interesting insights into how Jerusalem and the Near East region changed in the aftermath of the First Crusade.
True Crusader Crime: Petty Crime and Petty Quarrels
High-profile crime might be plastered across the chronicles, but it was just the visible end of a much bigger problem. Criminality was everywhere.
Women in the Crusades with Helen Nicholson
From supplying food and medical treatment, to lending emotional and financial support, to occasionally engaging in combat, women were to be found in and around every major conflict of the Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Helen J. Nicholson about the role of women in the most famous clashes of the medieval period: the crusades.
The Siege of Acre (1291)
It’s the event marking the end of the Crusader States in the Near East. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about how the Mamluks conquered the city of Acre in 1291.