Description
By Alfred J. Church. Journey into the dramatic age of castles, knights, and holy war in this vivid retelling of one of the most remarkable chapters of medieval history.
In The Crusaders: A Story of the War for the Holy Sepulchre, distinguished classical scholar and storyteller Alfred J. Church brings to life the epic struggles, adventures, and personalities of the Crusading era. Set against the backdrop of the medieval conflict for control of the Holy Land, this classic historical narrative transports readers into a world of armored knights, besieged cities, desert marches, and fierce battles fought beneath the banners of Christendom and Islam.
The story follows the great campaigns launched by European crusaders seeking to capture Jerusalem and the sacred sites associated with Christianity. Readers encounter kings, warriors, monks, and adventurers as they journey across Europe and the eastern Mediterranean into the heart of the medieval Near East. Dramatic episodes of siege warfare, heroic endurance, political intrigue, and religious zeal unfold amid the harsh realities of war and pilgrimage.
Church’s engaging narrative style combines historical fact with the excitement of adventure literature, making the complex history of the Crusades accessible and compelling for younger readers and general audiences alike. Through vivid storytelling, the book explores themes of faith, courage, ambition, sacrifice, and cultural conflict during one of the defining periods of medieval history.
More than a tale of warfare, The Crusaders offers readers a window into the ideals of medieval chivalry, the religious passions of the age, and the encounters between different civilizations during the Crusading period. Its pages evoke both the grandeur and tragedy of a conflict that shaped the history of Europe and the Middle East for centuries.
This carefully restored reprint revives a classic work of historical storytelling for modern readers. Ideal for students, lovers of medieval history, and readers fascinated by knights, castles, and the Crusades, it remains a timeless journey into the heroic and turbulent world of the Middle Ages.
About the author: Alfred John Church (1829–1912) was a school teacher and professor of classical Latin at University College in London. He specialized in retelling classical stories in the vernacular, and won fame for his translations of Tacitus, Pliny, Virgil, and Homer. In addition, he wrote many historical works of his own, each time presenting them in easily-readable story format.
Contents
Chapter I: Concerning This History
Chapter II: Peter the Hermit
Chapter III: More Concerning Peter the Hermit
Chapter IV: The First Crusade
Chapter V: Of the Besieging of Antioch
Chapter VI: Of the Taking of Antioch
Chapter VII: How the Christians Were Besieged in Antioch
Chapter VIII: Of the March to Jerusalem
Chapter IX: Of the Besieging and Taking of Jerusalem
Chapter X: How Duke Godfrey Was Chosen King, and of His End
Chapter XI: Of the Kingdom in Jerusalem
Chapter XII: How Saladin Took Jerusalem
Chapter XIII: Of What Befell After the Taking of Jerusalem
Chapter XIV: Of the Siege of Acre
Chapter XV: More Concerning the Siege of Acre
Chapter XVI: How King Richard Took a Great Ship
Chapter XVII: Of King Richard in Camp
Chapter XVIII: How the Town Was Given Up
Chapter XIX; How the Hostages Were Slain
Chapter XX: The Battle of Arsuf
Chapter XXI: How King Richard Parleyed with Saladin
Chapter XXII: How the King’s Purpose Was Baulked
Chapter XXIII: How King Richard Departed
Chapter XXIV: Of What Befell at Constantinople
Chapter XXV: The Children Crusaders
Chapter XXVI: How King Louis Came to Egypt
Chapter XXVII: How the Crusaders Fared in Damietta
Chapter XXVIII: Of What Befell at Mansoura
Chapter XXIX: How the King Surrendered Himself
Chapter XXX: Of the Slaying of the Sultan, and What Followed
Chapter XXXI: Of King Louis at Acre
Chapter XXXII; Concerning the Tartars
Chapter XXXIII: Of the Ending of the Expedition
Chapter XXXIV: The Last Crusade
Historical Note
