The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East
By Nicholas Morton
Basic Books
ISBN: 978-1-399-81872-8
When the Crusaders arrived in the Holy Land at the end of the 11th century, they entered a region shaped by numerous peoples, kingdoms and competing political interests. This book takes a broader look at the conflicts, alliances and political struggles unfolding across the eastern Mediterranean during this period.
Excerpt:
This book proceeds on the conviction that the crusades are best understood within a broader landscape shaped by the many other evolutions taking place across the region. After all, these wars were only one development among many shaping the Middle East – and by no means the most important. This becomes quickly apparent when comparing the crusaders’ military exploits to those of the Seljuks. The Seljuks successfully established a vast empire stretching from the borders of the Central Asian Steppe to the Mediterranean coast, while the Crusaders/Franks managed to seize little more than a thin strip of Levantine coastland along with a few inland regions on the eastern side of the Jordan and in southern Anatolia. The stark contrast in scale between these conquerors’ military exploits cuts the crusades down to size; there were other things going on in the Middle East with much wider repercussions – put crudely, the crusades weren’t the biggest show in town.
Who is this book for?
While this book offers a general history of the Crusades, from the First Crusade to the Battle of Hattin in 1187, the Crusaders themselves are not the main focus for much of the narrative. Instead, the book shows how they were often overshadowed by other powers, particularly the Seljuks, in shaping events across the Near East.
Those interested in the Crusades and the Crusader States of the 12th century will find this book a useful and refreshing read. It will be especially valuable for readers seeking a broader understanding of the medieval Middle East during this period, including the important roles played by Byzantium and the Seljuk Empire.
“… here it is the book’s chief argument. The crusaders filled only a corner of a much larger Middle Eastern canvas: Iraqi and Persian writers, for instance, failed to mention them at all. It might even be asked: just how stormy was The Crusader Storm? Morton insists the crusades were not simply wars between two “embattled religious blocs”; that political pragmatism frequently prevailed over religious fundamentalism. He claims that Saladin’s victory in 1187 was “epoch- changing”, but that the more urgent Middle Eastern conflict lay between nomadic and sedentary societies.” ~ review by Christopher Tyreman in The Times Literary Supplement
The Author
Nicholas Morton is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, where his research focuses on the history of the Crusades and the Medieval Near East. Among his previous books is The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Middle East.
The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East
By Nicholas Morton
Basic Books
ISBN: 978-1-399-81872-8
When the Crusaders arrived in the Holy Land at the end of the 11th century, they entered a region shaped by numerous peoples, kingdoms and competing political interests. This book takes a broader look at the conflicts, alliances and political struggles unfolding across the eastern Mediterranean during this period.
Excerpt:
This book proceeds on the conviction that the crusades are best understood within a broader landscape shaped by the many other evolutions taking place across the region. After all, these wars were only one development among many shaping the Middle East – and by no means the most important. This becomes quickly apparent when comparing the crusaders’ military exploits to those of the Seljuks. The Seljuks successfully established a vast empire stretching from the borders of the Central Asian Steppe to the Mediterranean coast, while the Crusaders/Franks managed to seize little more than a thin strip of Levantine coastland along with a few inland regions on the eastern side of the Jordan and in southern Anatolia. The stark contrast in scale between these conquerors’ military exploits cuts the crusades down to size; there were other things going on in the Middle East with much wider repercussions – put crudely, the crusades weren’t the biggest show in town.
Who is this book for?
While this book offers a general history of the Crusades, from the First Crusade to the Battle of Hattin in 1187, the Crusaders themselves are not the main focus for much of the narrative. Instead, the book shows how they were often overshadowed by other powers, particularly the Seljuks, in shaping events across the Near East.
Those interested in the Crusades and the Crusader States of the 12th century will find this book a useful and refreshing read. It will be especially valuable for readers seeking a broader understanding of the medieval Middle East during this period, including the important roles played by Byzantium and the Seljuk Empire.
“… here it is the book’s chief argument. The crusaders filled only a corner of a much larger Middle Eastern canvas: Iraqi and Persian writers, for instance, failed to mention them at all. It might even be asked: just how stormy was The Crusader Storm? Morton insists the crusades were not simply wars between two “embattled religious blocs”; that political pragmatism frequently prevailed over religious fundamentalism. He claims that Saladin’s victory in 1187 was “epoch- changing”, but that the more urgent Middle Eastern conflict lay between nomadic and sedentary societies.” ~ review by Christopher Tyreman in The Times Literary Supplement
The Author
Nicholas Morton is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, where his research focuses on the history of the Crusades and the Medieval Near East. Among his previous books is The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Middle East.
Nicholas, a friend of Medievalists.net, has contributed several pieces, which you can read here. You can also follow him on X/Twitter, Bluesky. Instagram, TikTok and his YouTube channel.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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