Publisher's Synopsis
The First Crusade (1095-99) was one of the most remarkable episodes in medieval history. A mass movement of armed pilgrims set out to march 4000 kilometres to the Holy Land and conquer Jerusalem.;Essays from nine leading academics offer new perspectives on two main themes: a fundamental reconsideration of much of the evidence available to historians, and a wider appreciation of the impact of the First Crusade on the people of the eastern Mediterranean.;In recent years the most important development in the study of the crusades has been the use of contemporary charters. A clear explanation of problems and advantages of this information is offered in one contribution to this volume.;Much existing research has been based on narrative accounts of the crusade. Some of the material has been under-used, some of it overvalued; essays here set the record straight concerning, for example, the German involvement in the First Crusade.;While most studies of the First Crusade approach the subject from latin christian perspective this collection offers a fresh assessment into the thinking of the Byzantine emperor and the reaction of the muslim world to the arrival of the christendom's holy warriors.
