The Crusades

Urban II (Pope 1088 - 1099) is given the credit for getting the events started which were to change the Middle Ages.  Earliest writers seemed to call it a pilgrimage, but it was the special privilege to carry weapons that change this into what has become called "The Crusades". [ ca. 1095 - ca. 1291]  The following are readings that give several views into this period of our history.  I call them, a picture book, a story book, and a study book.

A picture book:

     For those who like lots of pictures (like me) this book is for you.

Written by Martin Erbstorsser, and published by Leipzig, 1979, it contains pictures.  The three civilizations involved ; 1) The Arabian Caliphate, 2) The Byzantine Empire, and 3) Western Europe and presented.  The book was translated from German by C.S.V. Salt.

A story book:

A book by Alfred Duggan, it was first published by Pantheon Books, 1963.  It tells this story in an easy manner, covering this topic.  A number of drawings and maps are included.

A study book:

For those who like to dig a little deeper, the book above is recommended.  This is the cover to second edition published by Oxford University Press, 1990.  It was first published in German 1965, by Hans Eberhard Mayer, and translated by John Gillingham in 1972.  It has been reprinted five times.  A good book to study on those long winter nights.