|
|
This edition of Medieval Warfare magazine gives us a more complex view of the Crusader States and of Saladin than is often the case. The Crusaders are seen as being part of Middle Eastern Society, apparently powerful and to be feared, but also terribly fragile and unable to withstand one major defeat. However they were also seen as valid diplomatic partners by their Muslim neighbours, who were at war with each other more often than with the crusaders.
Saladin emerges as a success but with limits. Hattin and the immediate aftermath come across as his only major successes against the Crusader states, which actually existed for longer after Hattin than before it! However his successful unification of most of the neighbouring states also played a key part in the decline of the Crusader States, removing potential allies. Three articles focus on Saladin's fascinating career - one looking at his rise to power, one looking at how he maintained power when he was seen as a usurper by so many of his subjects, and one on his less impressive post-Hattin career where money problems limited his options, as did the arrival of fresh crusader armies.
There are only two articles away from the theme. One looks at the naval battle of Sandwich, one of the first truly naval battles in English history, fought at sea and without support from the land. The last one looks at how the Teutonic Knights dealt with PTSD, or its medieval equivalent.
Did the Crusaders get tattoos?
Saladin's apprenticeship
Was it just crusade and jihad?
The Siege of Kerak
Family, Finance and faith - Ayyubid military organisation under Saladin
The Battle of Hattin
Saladin's post-Hattin malaise
Of swords, steel, and Saladin
The crusader castle of Montreal
Bearers of the Cross - the Museum of the Order of St. John
The Battle of Sandwich - A pirate-monk in the English Channel
Teutonic Knights and PTSD