Battles of the Crusades, 1097-1444: From Dorylaeum to Varna Book

When Pope Urban II called upon European Christianity to seize Jerusalem and stem Islamic expansion into Europe, he set off a series of events that would last many hundreds of years and have far-reaching political and economic consequences.

Battles of the Crusades introduces 20 key battles from this period of religiously-inspired conflict in Europe and the Middle East. Beginning with the battle of Dorylaeum (1097), where Anglo-French heavy cavalry decisively defeated a much larger Turkish army, and finishing with the battle of Varna (1444), where Sultan Murad II's Ottoman army destroyed a combined Hungarian and Polish force, examples from every era and campaign are featured.

The First Crusade is represented by battles at Antioch (1098), Jerusalem (1099), and Harran (1104), while battles between the Crusader states and their Muslim neighbours include Sarmada (1119), Montgisard (1177), and Saladin's destruction of the Crusader army at Hattin (1187). Colorful accounts of lesser known Crusades, such as the Christian recapture of Lisbon (1147), the massacre of the Albigensian heretics at Beziers (1209), and the destruction of Louis IX's expensively assembled crusader army at Mansura (1250), are also included. Battles from the Reconquista of Spain (Las Navas, 1212) and the expansion of the Teutonic Knights (Lake Peipus, 1242, and Grunwald, 1410) make this a rounded account of 400 years of religious conflict.

Each battle includes a contextual introduction, a concise description of the action, and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially commissioned, color map illustrating the dispositions and movement of forces brings thesubject to life and helps the reader to grasp—at a glance—the development of the battle. With more than 200 color and black-and-white maps, artworks, and photographs illustrating the

battles, leading players, and tactics of the era, Battles of the Crusades provides a useful and accessible introduction to some important battles of the Crusading era. Designed for boththe general reader and enthusiast, the book is an essential companion for anyone interested in medieval military history.