Claiming that many in the West lack a thorough understanding of crusading, Jonathan Riley-Smith explains why and where the Crusades were fought, identifies their architects, and shows how deeply their language and imagery were embedded in popular Catholic thought and devotional life.

All was silent for several moments. Hank glanced up and saw that all the others were now gathered close by in excited fright, holding candles or standing in their encircling light. He took a deep breath and found that the smoke was already vanishing upon the chill air, making it clean and moist to breathe once again. The grass beneath him was wet and clammy, and he felt it seeping into the knees of his blue jeans as he knelt upon it. He glanced down and saw Mick lying flat on his back, gazing up into the dark sky with eyes that saw nothing but the memory of a blinding flash. Angus was beside him, resting a moment on hands and knees, to catch his trembling breath. "Well, that was something," muttered Hank softly. The story of the Stonewalls continues. Stonewall One's three cousins from Wisconsin are now to move in with the Brennans: CaseyJane, Angus, and Rusty Finn. It seems the glory of Stonewall life will only increase. Yet trouble already looms upon the horizon. The land of Isle Bri has not forgotten the Stonewalls, and they are not slow to begin a new attack. Angus, the middle of the three cousins, harbors a secret which none can explain. Rumor has it that Prince Liveyreveno has been discovered alive. Stonewall One shall find herself entering the mighty fortress of Sliaolc for the first time, in an attempt to rescue the youngest of her cousins from the scheming lieutenant Flint. Prince Liveyreveno's third officer, the sharpshooting Darowolf is soon to make his first acquaintance with the Stonewalls. But worse than even the outside troubles, there is a growing tension rearing its head among the Stonewall ranks, and none save a valiant few desire to have anything to do with the adventurous title of Stonewall, no matter where they are taken or sent. And upon the doorstep, they have found a mysterious note from an old friend.

Sir Steven Runciman explores the First Crusade and the foundation of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

Drawn from greater Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and Egypt, the sources in this anthology—many of which are translated into English for the first time here--provide eyewitness and contemporary historical accounts of what unfolded in the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. In providing representative examples of the many disparate types of Muslim sources, this volume opens a window onto life in the Islamic Near East during the Crusader period and the interactions between Franks and Muslims in the broader context of Islamic history. Ideally suited for use in undergraduate courses on the Crusades or the pre-modern Islamic Near East, this anthology will also appeal to any readers seeking a better understanding of the Islamic response to the Crusades and the general history of the Near East in this period.

The story of the wars and conquests initiated by the First Crusade and its successors is itself so compelling that most accounts move quickly from describing the Pope's calls to arms to the battlefield. In this highly original and enjoyable new book, Christopher Tyerman focuses on something obvious but overlooked: the massive, all-encompassing, and hugely costly business of actually preparing a crusade. The efforts of many thousands of men and women, who left their lands and families in Western Europe, and marched off to a highly uncertain future in the Holy Land and elsewhere have never been sufficiently understood. Their actions raise a host of compelling questions about the nature of medieval society.How to Plan a Crusade is remarkably illuminating on the diplomacy, communications, propaganda, use of mass media, medical care, equipment, voyages, money, weapons, wills, ransoms, animals, and the power of prayer during this dynamic era. It brings to life an extraordinary period of history in a new and surprising way.

Riley-Smith's acclaimed book is now regarded as a classic short study. The updated fourth edition of this essential introduction features a new Preface which surveys and reviews developments in crusading scholarship, a new map, material on a child crusader, and a short discussion of the current effects of aggressive Pan-Islamism.

Sir Steven Runciman explores the First Crusade and the foundation of the kingdom of Jerusalem.