The World of the Crusades

The World of the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman offers a lively reimagining of the medieval world of war, viewed through the lens of objects used and made by crusaders.

Throughout the Middle Ages, crusading was justified by religious ideology, yet the military campaigns were driven by concrete objectives: land, resources, power, and reputation. Crusaders amassed a variety of possessions, from castles to reliquaries. Campaigns required substantial material funds and equipment, while conquests resulted in bureaucracies, taxation, economic exploitation, and commercial regulation. Wealth was a crucial factor in sustaining the Crusades, and material objects—ranging from weaponry and military technology to carpentry and shipping—played a significant role in shaping them.

This lavishly illustrated volume examines the material trappings of crusading wars and the objects that memorialised them, through architecture, sculpture, jewellery, painting, and manuscripts. Christopher Tyerman’s integration of the physical and visual remnants of crusading enriches our understanding of how the crusaders articulated their mission, viewed their place in the world, and related to the cultures they were both a part of and prey upon.

A note to readers: the grey-shaded pages throughout this volume examine the Crusades in detail, exploring individual themes such as food and drink, medicine, weaponry, and women’s role in the Crusades. These short essays are interspersed within the chapters, with the main text continuing after each one. For instance, ‘Taking the Cross’ is covered from pages 4 to 7, and the introduction resumes on page 8.