Why it started, when, and what was the reality of 'The Crusades' are some of the questions this book aims to answer. Many people saw the Crusades as pilgrimages, many believed they were doing the will of God, and many more were there for the booty. This was an institution that for more than five centuries punctuated European history, troubled Christian consciences and embittered Muslim attitudes towards the West. Geoffrey Hindley takes us from the Middle East and Muslim Spain to the pagan Baltic when 'Crusaders' reclaimed or extended Europe'
Author Biography
Geoffrey Hindley lectures internationally on medieval history. His many books include The Shaping of Europe, Saladin: A Biography, The Book of Magna Carta and A Brief History of the Crusades. He also co-founder of the Society for the History of Medieval Technology and Science. He lives in France.
