When we talk about the crusades today the mental images that spring to mind are as clear as they are striking – valiant crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and penniless pilgrims in search of salvation, perhaps even a brutal clash of civilisations. But, behind the popular myths, there lies a far more fascinating story. In our new HistoryExtra podcast se ... Show More
Oct 2019
Dan Jones, "Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands" (Viking, 2019)
Much has been written about the Crusades, the religiously-inspired wars that pockmarked the later centuries of the Middle Ages. Yet for all of the many books on the subject there has been surprisingly little focus on the men and the women who were entangled in these conflicts. In ... Show More
40m 53s
Jul 2021
Trailer: Short History Of...
Each week, Short History Of... gives you a front-row seat as history’s most extraordinary moments play out right before you.
You’ll be up close with the gladiators and the Mongols, unearthing the Terracotta Army, setting sail in Blackbeard’s pirate ship, watching on as the Cold W ... Show More
1m 59s
Mar 2023
Assassins vs Templars: The Crusades
<p>Islamic, Christian and Jewish blood spilled across three centuries in the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant, all under the sanction of the Latin Church. The impact of the eight Crusades reverberated across the Medieval world. So, what was the fighting about? Were the relationsh ... Show More
36m 51s