The World of the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman (review)

Tyerman starts his new publication with the words: 'The medieval crusades are both well-known and much misunderstood' (p. xviii). An astute statement from the author of God's War: A New History of the Crusades (Harvard University Press, 2008), a massive 1000-plus-page work on the topic in question. Anyone familiar with that impressive tome will be wondering how Tyerman has managed to publish another book on the topic of the crusades, and possibly why. The answer is rather simple: God's War covered nearly every aspect of the crusades, but lacked the illustrations, graphs, and other titbits that make The World of the Crusades such a treat.

As for his opening statement, Tyerman surely tries his best to shed light once again upon the misunderstood world of the medieval crusades. The myth of the crusades as religious wars waged by the West against the Muslims occupying the Holy Land is scrupulously analysed and disputed. Similarly, the notions that there were distinct racial or ideological forces, or that the battles were purely fought for religious reasons, are shown to be little than a modern fantasy.

In less than five hundred pages Tyerman discusses the four-hundred-year-long crusading period and covers all five crusades. Even with this 'limited' amount of space, he manages to do something extraordinary: Tyerman captures and explains the motivations of those involved, from the ones forced to participate, those who joined willingly, to those who arranged and financed the crusades. This is not limited to the Western perspective, as the circumstances, ideals, and tribulations of the east are also discussed. This feat of opening the medieval mind to the reader gives the work a surprising touch of humanity, something that is often lost in the fantasy and myths surrounding the wars.

This account of ideology, politics, religion, and finances surrounding the crusades is beautifully illustrated with eighteen maps and figures, one hundred and sixty illustrations, and many other extras. Tyerman has also added thirty-nine 'Crusades in Detail' insets throughout the work, wherein he further explores and elaborates on several aspects of the crusades. Examples of these insets are sections on weaponry, medicine, women in the crusades, food, and several noteworthy people who were involved. Without these, I would probably never have known about the interesting meal, held on 6 January 1378, where King Charles IV of France entertained Emperor Charles IV of Germany—a meal described as including 'three courses—each of ten dishes, followed by spice wine and a gathering of five tables of nobles plus another 800 "below the salt"' (p. 394).

While informative and wonderful to read, these insets can disrupt the flow of reading, as they are sometimes awkwardly placed in the middle of a sentence in the main text. Because of this, the book is not always easy to read, and the density of the information does little to alleviate this issue. However, this is the only true criticism of the work I can think of.

The book is excellently written and incredibly comprehensive. It is clear from the structure and careful pace of the book that Tyerman is an expert on the crusades—he guides the reader skilfully through the many complicating aspects of the topic without ever letting them become confusing. His mastery of the topic is such that while he aptly tells the story of the how and why, he also accomplishes the much greater goal of demonstrating that the crusades were not always as people have come to think of them. The illustrations, charts, maps, and artwork enhance and complete his account of the crusades, filling the gap that some may have experienced while reading his God's War. This book has set a new bar for works on the crusades and, without doubt, it is a high one.