The Forgotten Crusaders: Poland and the Crusader Movement in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries by Mikolaj Gladysz (review)

The title describes the situation exactly—whereas most medievalists are aware of the Scandinavian and German crusades in the Baltic, they know nothing about the Polish contributions. Indeed, this was a troubled era for the Polish kingdom—the division of the dynastic lands had led to endless rivalries; the Mongols sacked Cracow; Lithuanian pagans ravaged frontier regions; and the Teutonic Knights, pushing along the Baltic coast, became too strong to expel or even tame. Chronicle entries were sparse, and documents were not informative. No wonder Polish crusading efforts were forgotten.

This is not a book for beginners. There is no narrative, no drama, no translations of the many Latin citations. Medievalists, on the other hand, will find it extremely valuable. Mikolaj Gladysz is good at analyzing papal documents calling for volunteers and contributions to the crusading cause, and in describing the role of Polish churchmen in furthering them.

Gladysz argues that Polish crusading efforts reflected the growing interest in Western culture and chivalric practices. This means that although there were few crusaders in the twelfth century, there were ever more in the thirteenth century. The first significant participation in expeditions to the Holy Land, both in men and money, was the Fifth Crusade that foundered in Egypt. Closer to home, Polish crusading armies fought against pagans in Prussia—most important for the decisive campaign of 1235—but although interest in that crusade never quite died away, rulers and churchmen were distracted by Mongol invasions, domestic disorders, and the papal emphasis on recovering Jerusalem.

The contest between the popes and Frederick II was replicated in Poland when bishops declared holy wars against ambitious members of the Piast dynasty, and there were dangerous enemies to the east. Therefore, while the crusading movement was staggering from defeats in the Holy Land, Poles could do little more than contribute money. Fragmentary records make it difficult to judge the joint efforts with Bohemia, Hungary, and the Teutonic Order. The last Polish campaigns against the Mongols were almost as obscure as those a century earlier.

The author appropriately relied on Polish research. Gladysz consulted only a few English-language articles and books (citing only one of this reviewer's books on the crusades to Prussia and the Baltic and then using only the outdated first edition). This is not a major shortcoming, but given the ever more numerous publications by Western historians, it is one that young Polish scholars might keep in mind.

One can understand why the original publication did not get a good reception by the general public, and therefore we must praise all the more those scholars who encouraged its translation into English and publication. Its price is high, but every research library should take a deep breath and buy it.