Tales of the Crusades

For over 400 years, three civilizations channelled an unceasing supply of energy and people into a massive movement known as the Crusades. Gorgeous cities were razed, armies battled, and people died. That achieved nothing.

The objective had been a pope's ideal: take Jerusalem and build a new Christianity. But, the reasons became confused and muddled, and the original objective was lost, leaving the people disillusioned. Despite this, tens of thousands of people continued to join the Crusades for reasons ranging from pious religious devotion to foolish quests for grandeur. From Little Peter and the First Crusade in 1075 to those who followed Pope Pius II in 1464, there have been emperors, knights, thieves, and peasants, all with a dream and a singular aim.

Paperback. 214 pages.