Gone Medieval Rise of the Crusader States
Jun 14, 2024
Dr. Nicholas Morton, author of The Crusader States and Their Neighbours, discusses the rise and fall of the Crusader states in the Near East. Topics include diverse military tactics in medieval times, the medieval arms race, siege tactics, Saladin's victory at the Battle of Hattin, and interactions among factions in the Middle East during the Crusader States period.
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Culmination Point And Later Pressure
- Crusader territorial expansion halted by the 1120s but their economies and populations still grew.
- Rising Muslim powers under Nur al-Din and Saladin later reversed Frankish gains by the 1160s–1187.
Preexisting Fractures Enabled Frankish Success
- The Near East was already fragmented by Seljuk and Fatimid conflicts before the Crusaders arrived.
- The Franks exploited local rivalries and shifting alliances rather than facing a single united opponent.
Politics Trumped Simple Religious Lines
- Alliances crossed religious lines frequently; politics drove cooperation as much as faith did.
- Frankish and Turkish factions often allied with rival local groups for strategic reasons.