The Crusaders: The Struggle for the Holy Land

by Régine Pernoud

There is no shortage of stories about the crusades, or of biographies of those who played the leading roles in this, the greatest epic of the Middle Ages. But there has been no book in which we could find, recreated, the way of life, the world view, the everyday social organization of those who tempted adventure. They were kings and paupers, barons, clerks, women, and merchants. Some were driven by their faith, others by the spirit of conquest, and some by a hunger for greatness and wealth. Régine Pernoud presents for us a living picture in which we can view, first hand, the awe of the Christians as they beheld the Muslim world, the myriad ordeals they sustained while traveling for years in unknown lands, and the remarkable way in which they managed to adapt, to colonize, to erect churches and fortresses, and to abide for centuries in the face of an adversary far greater in number. Here, an unrecognized page in our history finally reveals itself. A great historian and writer brings this colorful period alive. Régine Pernoud, a renowned French archivist and historian, is among the greatest medievalists of our times, and the success of her books has helped to bring the Middle Ages closer to us. Among her numerous works are Those Terrible Middle Ages! and Women in the Days of the Cathedrals.

Genres: History, Catholic, Nonfiction, Medieval, Military History, Religion

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Régine Pernoud (17 June 1909 in Château-Chinon, Nièvre - 22 April 1998 in Paris) was a historian and medievalist. She received an award from the Académie française. She is known for writing extensively about Joan of Arc.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading Regine Pernoud because she doesn't reduce history to pat little blurbs to illustrate modernist virtues. She tells it like it is, and it's WAY more interesting that way.

[Mazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pauvres ou barons, clercs ou gens d'armes, femmes, marchands, aventuriers, qui étaient-ils, ces Hommes de la Croisade qui, par milliers, marchèrent sur la Palestine en invoquant le nom du Christ ?

Quelle était leur manière de vivre ?

Leur vision du monde ?

Comment étaient-ils organisés ?

Le tableau qu'en donne Régine Pernoud dépeint l'étonnement des Occidentaux devant les moeurs des Musulmans, les mille épreuves qu'ils doivent subir en traversant des régions inconnues, puis la colonisation du pays et l'édification des forteresses qui leur permirent de survivre pendant deux siècles, face à un ennemi très supérieur en nombre

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pernoud collects first-hand accounts from Franks and Muslims alike. The result is a colorful and engaging view of what the Crusades were like: who, where, how, and why. Pernoud is sympathetic with the Franks, especially St. Louis, but he also gives Muslims and Mongols a pretty fair shake. Also I'm aware that folks have questioned his historical reconstruction of the so-called Children's Crusade, but hey. This book was first published in 1960.

[Monica Aho · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating topic which I was truly interested to learn more about, and yet... I struggled to make my way through this book. Maybe it was more academic than I wanted it to be. I wanted the people and places and feelings to be more fleshed out, and I think I chose the wrong book for that.

[Jason Parker]

A balanced and informative book about the Crusades, more about the people of the time, their lives, and the impact of the Crusades on them. Worth reading, if you like the subject!

[keereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

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