Medieval death on the Nile
Thomas Smith relates the saga of the remarkable crusade on the Nile that came close to reshaping the Near East.
Crusades
The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt
The medieval Crusades in the Middle East were a series of expeditions from AD 1097 to 1291. The First Crusade had, against the odds, succeeded in capturing Jerusalem and the Holy Land for the Latin Christians in 1099. Holding the…
In Brief
MHM’s round-up of the latest military history releases.
MHM 152 Competition
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In Brief
MHM’s round-up of the latest military history releases.
Assault on Shaizar: How the Assassins met their match
They were the world’s most feared killers. But, in 1114, the Assassins were thwarted – not by elite bodyguards, but by a group of middle-aged women who weren’t prepared to be pushed around. Steve Tibble reveals all.
The Great Siege of Malta
REVIEW BY STEVE TIBBLE Writing a major new popular history about the Great Siege of Malta of 1565, in which the Knights Hospitaller – a Catholic military order – saw off a four-month assault by the Ottoman Empire, is no…
Crusader criminals: The other side of soldiering
The Crusades are known for spectacular military engagements. But they also saw all manner of crimes committed beyond the battlefield. In a new book, Steve Tibble uncovers some dark secrets.
The Lionheart in winter: Richard I’s last campaign, 1194-1199
He was the ‘Crusader King’, whose exploits made him a national hero. But does Richard I deserve his reputation as a martial genius? Stephen Roberts studies his final campaign in search of clues.
The Mongol storm: making and breaking empires in the medieval near east
REVIEW BY KAVEH FARROKH With this book, Nicholas Morton has filled a gap in the field in the study of the Mongol military genius and the immense impact of their conquests in the 13th century. This impact was truly international…
The British Templars: A new warrior elite
The Knights Templar were renowned for their extraordinary feats of bravery in defence of the Holy Land. But the British contribution to their story is often overlooked, argues Steve Tibble.
Lost orders: Time Team and the Knights Hospitaller of Halston Hall
The Knights Hospitaller were forged in the fury of the Crusades, providing protection, hospitality, and medical care for travellers in the Holy Land, and building fundraising communities back in Britain. Few of these sites have been excavated in detail, but Time Team have been investigating a Shropshire example. Carly Hilts spoke to Stewart Ainsworth.
The real Vlad Dracula: in search of a 15th-century warlord
The fanciful character of Dracula the vampire evolved from a real-life figure who was just as terrifying as any fiction. Tim Newark explores the myth and reality of a deadly medieval warrior.
Ireland and the Crusades
Review by Michael Potterton Thirty years ago, when I was a history and archaeology undergraduate at University College Dublin, the phrase ‘Ireland and the Crusades’ seemed almost as absurd as ‘Ireland and the Palaeolithic’ or ‘Ireland and the Renaissance’. Times…
World news in brief: maya dentistry, medieval hand grenades and early Islamic burials
A round up of some of the latest archaeological news from around the globe.
Ancient ceramic vessels were used as hand grenades, analysis suggests
Four pot sherds found between 1961 and 1967 in the Armenian Garden, located within the walled Old City of Jerusalem, were studied as part of the research.
Edward III, the Black Prince, and the Battle of Crécy
Graham Goodlad analyses the joint careers of the father and son who led England’s armies in the early campaigns of the Hundred Years War.
The Middle Ages: a graphic history
Spanning roughly 1,100 years, this lively book is billed as ‘a romp across continents and kingdoms’, and it does not disappoint. Historian Eleanor Janega unpicks complex topics with verve, irreverent humour, and a scattering of pop-culture references, all accompanied by…
Mass graves of Crusader soldiers identified in Lebanon
Each of the bodies showed signs of serious injury and were buried with swords, maces, and arrows.
Mass graves of Crusader soldiers identified in Lebanon
Each of the bodies showed signs of serious injury and were buried with swords, maces, and arrows.
Crusader strategy: a contradiction in terms?
Medieval warfare was not just a matter of crude feudal violence, argues Steve Tibble.