The Murder of the Bishop of Acre in 1172
The murder of the bishop of Acre, however, which took place on the night of 29 June 1172, was something altogether more disturbing.
The Crusaders and Gaza
Almost eight hundred years ago, Gaza would be on the frontlines of another war, this one pitting the Crusaders against Fatimid Egypt.
The Battle of Ramla (1102): High-Watermark of the Egyptian Army
The Fatimid Egyptian empire fielded one of the most overlooked forces in the crusading period.
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.
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
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..
The Death of a Templar Master
The Templars were forbidden to engage in fighting against other Christians. Shockingly, however, the Templar Master Brian le Jay died fighting for Edward I against the Scots in 1298. How was this possible and what did it mean?
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.
Templars and the Royal Navy
The Templars played an important, but almost unknown, role in the formation of the English navy under King John and Henry III.
Have Sword Will Travel: The Templars as Military Consultants
We tend to think of the Templars as warriors, but with the caveat that they could not fight against fellow Christians. There were exceptions, however. Even the Templars could act as hands-off mercenaries in the murky world of medieval politics.
King John and the Templars: Strange Times, Strange Partners
The extraordinary story of how the Templars stepped up to act as diplomats for England’s least diplomatic king.
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.
Templars in Ireland: Colonialism and Conquest?
The Templar presence in Ireland was far less nationalistic than has often been supposed – the international order had its own unique agenda.
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.
The Templars and the Murder of Becket
The Templars wanted peace in the West – but if that was not possible, they could turn moral outrage into money for the defence of the East.
The Templars and the Two Mathildas
Even the Templars, one of the medieval world’s most masculine institutions, were eager to get in touch with their feminine side when money and power was at stake.
The Templars in Scotland
Scotland played an unrecognised but central part in creating the power template for the Templar order in Britain.