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.
View ArticleMedieval inscription discovered in desert ruins
Archaeologists working on a desert ruin in the West Bank have discovered an early medieval inscription and gold ring. The rare inscription is in Byzantine Greek and contains a version of a verse from...
View ArticleThe Templar Catastrophe at Cresson
Steve Tibble tells us about the Battle of Cresson, which set the stage for a pivotal moment for the Crusaders..
View ArticleThe 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.
View ArticleCrusader 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...
View ArticleCrusaders 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...
View ArticleThe 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.
View ArticleThe 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.
View ArticleNew Medieval Books: The Mongol Storm
This book examines how the medieval Middle East was reshaped by the invasion of the Mongol Empire in the thirteenth century. In this story of war and politics, new groups would emerge while others,...
View ArticleMedieval journal has left us 7,000 weather reports
Historians are very interested in understanding environmental and climate conditions from the past. However, sources that can shed light on this information are hard to find, so being able to access...
View Article
