What do you think?
Rate this book
How the Crusades Changed History
11 hours 52 mins
Hundreds of years have passed since the last crusader knight laid down his sword, but the centuries of medieval warfare we collectively call the Crusades continue to hold powerful sway over our modern world and the tense conflicts between religions and entire civilizations.
Just how powerful was the impact of the Crusades on the spiritual and political landscape of the medieval world?
They provided a central rallying point for Christianity, strengthening the power of Christendom and spreading its authority throughout Europe and the Near East.
They led to the West’s vast expansion of geographical territory across new parts of Europe, an expansion not seen since the height of the Roman Empire.
They represented a paradigm shift that fused religion and warfare in a new way.
They contributed to a cultural and intellectual awakening that brought about a deeper Western interest in and knowledge of Islam.
And this impact has resonated through the centuries, contributing to everything from the rise of the Ottoman Empire to the Protestant Reformation and infiltrating other aspects of life, including
military strategies,
political ideologies,
theological issues, and
international trade and commerce.
Because the Crusades were so consequential to history—both then and now—it’s essential that we understand the context, motivations, and preconditions of these military campaigns. And in doing so, you’ll get a fresher understanding of an era in history with which we’re still trying to come to terms.
How the Crusades Changed History plunges you into the series of Crusades to the Holy Land (and elsewhere), from the calling of the First Crusade in November 1095 until the collapse of the last crusader state, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, in 1291. Delivered by master medieval historian and award-winning professor Philip Daileader of The College of William & Mary, these 24 lectures are more than just an enriching recount of captivating historical events. They’re an intellectually rewarding exploration of the ways in which the Crusades shaped the history of the medieval world—and laid the seeds for our own.
Dispel Misconceptions about the Crusades
The Crusades remain lively topics of debate among historians and scholars, and they’re rife with contradictions and misconceptions that require us to peel back layers of history and confront some startling truths that go against what we traditionally think about medieval crusading.
Take, for example, these points:
Most Christians weren’t motivated to join the Crusades out of economic considerations but in hopes of gaining indulgences from the Catholic Church to decrease or eliminate time in purgatory.
Crusading campaigns reached far beyond Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land, extending all along the Mediterranean and throughout much of northern Europe.
The Crusades were not universally supported; rather, the period saw critics who questioned particular campaigns—many of which were disastrous failures.
As you’ll learn with this course, these and other truths about the Crusades demonstrate that, rather than being grand wars, many of these military campaigns were tangled misadventures. And yet you’ll see that, for all their messiness, the Crusades made an indelible impact on the identity of Western civilization.
A Fascinating, In-Depth History
Professor Daileader spends the first 17 lectures of the course delivering a riveting in-depth narrative history of the Crusades that takes you in and around the medieval world and sweeps you up in the crusading fervor that led to some of the era’s most intriguing—and disastrous—campaigns. You’ll immerse yourself in the causes, battles, and consequences of the period’s major crusades—as well as some campaigns often overlooked.
The First Crusade: Rather than a single expedition, the First Crusade was a series of loosely coordinated waves that left Europe over the space of several years after Pope Urban II’s initial call in 1095. More than 90% of those who were part of the First Crusade were not professional knights; rather, they were the populous, peasants and craftsmen led by a smattering of minor nobles and a popular preacher named Peter the Hermit.
The Northern Crusades: Crusading was not just relegated to the Holy Land. Crusading campaigns also took place in parts of Europe. The Northern Crusades facilitated German and Christian expansion into eastern Europe and opened up a theater of war that was easier for crusaders to access than Syria and Palestine, but they siphoned off crusaders who might otherwise have worked to reclaim Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks.
The Children’s Crusade: One of the period’s oddest crusades, the Children’s Crusade of 1212 consisted primarily of processions of French youths—many between the ages of 6 and 14—carrying religious symbols toward Jerusalem to reclaim it for Christendom. More peaceful than other crusades, the Children’s Crusade lac...
Hundreds of years have passed since the last crusader knight laid down his sword, but the centuries of medieval warfare we collectively call the Crusades continue to hold powerful sway over our modern world and the tense conflicts between religions and entire civilizations.
Just how powerful was the impact of the Crusades on the spiritual and political landscape of the medieval world?
They provided a central rallying point for Christianity, strengthening the power of Christendom and spreading its authority throughout Europe and the Near East.
They led to the West’s vast expansion of geographical territory across new parts of Europe, an expansion not seen since the height of the Roman Empire.
They represented a paradigm shift that fused religion and warfare in a new way.
They contributed to a cultural and intellectual awakening that brought about a deeper Western interest in and knowledge of Islam.
And this impact has resonated through the centuries, contributing to everything from the rise of the Ottoman Empire to the Protestant Reformation and infiltrating other aspects of life, including
military strategies,
political ideologies,
theological issues, and
international trade and commerce.
Because the Crusades were so consequential to history—both then and now—it’s essential that we understand the context, motivations, and preconditions of these military campaigns. And in doing so, you’ll get a fresher understanding of an era in history with which we’re still trying to come to terms.
How the Crusades Changed History plunges you into the series of Crusades to the Holy Land (and elsewhere), from the calling of the First Crusade in November 1095 until the collapse of the last crusader state, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, in 1291. Delivered by master medieval historian and award-winning professor Philip Daileader of The College of William & Mary, these 24 lectures are more than just an enriching recount of captivating historical events. They’re an intellectually rewarding exploration of the ways in which the Crusades shaped the history of the medieval world—and laid the seeds for our own.
Dispel Misconceptions about the Crusades
The Crusades remain lively topics of debate among historians and scholars, and they’re rife with contradictions and misconceptions that require us to peel back layers of history and confront some startling truths that go against what we traditionally think about medieval crusading.
Take, for example, these points:
Most Christians weren’t motivated to join the Crusades out of economic considerations but in hopes of gaining indulgences from the Catholic Church to decrease or eliminate time in purgatory.
Crusading campaigns reached far beyond Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land, extending all along the Mediterranean and throughout much of northern Europe.
The Crusades were not universally supported; rather, the period saw critics who questioned particular campaigns—many of which were disastrous failures.
As you’ll learn with this course, these and other truths about the Crusades demonstrate that, rather than being grand wars, many of these military campaigns were tangled misadventures. And yet you’ll see that, for all their messiness, the Crusades made an indelible impact on the identity of Western civilization.
A Fascinating, In-Depth History
Professor Daileader spends the first 17 lectures of the course delivering a riveting in-depth narrative history of the Crusades that takes you in and around the medieval world and sweeps you up in the crusading fervor that led to some of the era’s most intriguing—and disastrous—campaigns. You’ll immerse yourself in the causes, battles, and consequences of the period’s major crusades—as well as some campaigns often overlooked.
The First Crusade: Rather than a single expedition, the First Crusade was a series of loosely coordinated waves that left Europe over the space of several years after Pope Urban II’s initial call in 1095. More than 90% of those who were part of the First Crusade were not professional knights; rather, they were the populous, peasants and craftsmen led by a smattering of minor nobles and a popular preacher named Peter the Hermit.
The Northern Crusades: Crusading was not just relegated to the Holy Land. Crusading campaigns also took place in parts of Europe. The Northern Crusades facilitated German and Christian expansion into eastern Europe and opened up a theater of war that was easier for crusaders to access than Syria and Palestine, but they siphoned off crusaders who might otherwise have worked to reclaim Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks.
The Children’s Crusade: One of the period’s oddest crusades, the Children’s Crusade of 1212 consisted primarily of processions of French youths—many between the ages of 6 and 14—carrying religious symbols toward Jerusalem to reclaim it for Christendom. More peaceful than other crusades, the Children’s Crusade lac...
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 13, 2013
7 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Philip Daileader
22 books49 followersPh.D., Harvard University,
The College of William and Mary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_D...
The College of William and Mary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_D...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 26, 2022
This did exactly what it said it would do: examined each of the Crusades and why they were ... crusaded; what they accomplished, if anything, and how they've been viewed over time; and what impact they had on the course of history. I liked how the lectures were laid out and progressed. The lecturer was pretty clear, though occasionally dry.
The Crusades were messy, ridiculous and filled with hypocrisy, which is to be expected, but much more disorganized than I anticipated. And a Children's Crusade? Really? And those were some violent shepherds.
The Crusades were messy, ridiculous and filled with hypocrisy, which is to be expected, but much more disorganized than I anticipated. And a Children's Crusade? Really? And those were some violent shepherds.
February 8, 2018
Fantastic summary of the crusades and their impact.
Daileader is one of the best 3-4 professors of The Great Courses. This series is consistently interesting, covers all the major crusades, as well as peripheral crusades such as the Reconquista, Albigensian Crusade, and the northern crusades, as well as topics such as life in the crusader states or in the military orders.
I particularly enjoyed the several lectures where Daileader steps back and looks at the broader arc of history: for example, the expansion of the Ottomans and the history of papal indulgences.
I've listened to Daileader's other three series (Early, High, Late Middle Ages), and I can also confirm that very little material is retread in this series.
Highly recommended.
Daileader is one of the best 3-4 professors of The Great Courses. This series is consistently interesting, covers all the major crusades, as well as peripheral crusades such as the Reconquista, Albigensian Crusade, and the northern crusades, as well as topics such as life in the crusader states or in the military orders.
I particularly enjoyed the several lectures where Daileader steps back and looks at the broader arc of history: for example, the expansion of the Ottomans and the history of papal indulgences.
I've listened to Daileader's other three series (Early, High, Late Middle Ages), and I can also confirm that very little material is retread in this series.
Highly recommended.
October 29, 2019
These lectures explore why the Crusades where such a big deal.
Why I started this book: Perfect compliment to my other books about the Middle East, comparative religions and history.
Why I finished it: Fascinating to see the flow on effects, from the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the rise of the Turks and the granting of indulgences to all those that fought, then all those that promised to fight and then to all those that promised to fight and then paid an "I'm sorry I got sick and can't fight" to the straight just give me the money and I'll grant you an indulgence. Martin Luther wasn't the first but he did point out the corruption of the indulgences. Also I had no idea that there were crusades to Southern France, Germany, Latvia and not to mention Egypt in addition to the Holy Land.
Why I started this book: Perfect compliment to my other books about the Middle East, comparative religions and history.
Why I finished it: Fascinating to see the flow on effects, from the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the rise of the Turks and the granting of indulgences to all those that fought, then all those that promised to fight and then to all those that promised to fight and then paid an "I'm sorry I got sick and can't fight" to the straight just give me the money and I'll grant you an indulgence. Martin Luther wasn't the first but he did point out the corruption of the indulgences. Also I had no idea that there were crusades to Southern France, Germany, Latvia and not to mention Egypt in addition to the Holy Land.
July 29, 2022
There's a lot to learn from this lecture series, especially since the Crusades are not well covered in American public schools, nor in basic college modern World history courses. My only complaint is Prof. Daleander's diction is a bit hard to understand and his French is atrocious. I kept having.to look things up on Wikipedia to figure out who he was talking about, until I remembered the supplemental course material provided.
December 2, 2024
Was too short! So absorbing. Was free on Audible.
January 28, 2021
An excellent summary of the crusading movement of the Middle Ages. Daileader is a historian that is very engaging and often funny. I had previously enjoyed his three Great Courses lecture series on the Middle Ages, but this one was even better than those. Daileader keeps to the historical events and does not add extensive commentary (where so many others want to show their "chronological snobbery" on subjects like this.) He does not go into much depth with theological issues (another plus). He is even handed towards all groups represented, with a very slight tone of criticism towards the Roman Catholic Church. He even shows in the last lecture how the indulgences invented to support the Crusades eventually lead to Luther's response during at the Reformation. This last lecture was a much needed connection to Modern times, as the Reformation would have far ranging effects upon the world.
November 5, 2022
Best depiction of the crusades I have seen so far. Very insightful, systematic, and balanced. After the crusades kept going on, the common people started asking if maybe God's favor was not with the crusaders because of how badly they went over time. Francis of Assisi is mentioned as seeing crusades (pilgrimage) as a way of spreading the gospel if I recall correctly. Eventually the contractual nature of the crusades become more apparent as they morphed into indulgences with no real oath of pilgrimage. This practice became cruder and cruder until Martin Luther broke the church because it had become too corrupt. Francis Schaeffer would say that this is the inevitable result of creating a dichotomy between grace and nature.
April 15, 2022
There is so much information told in this course! I knew some of it, learned lots, but most of all I gained a plethora of perspective concerning the Crusades. What caused them, how it all shaped the thinking of both sides, what were some of the contemporary thoughts concerning the Crusades, what other factors could have shaped the time periods, and so much more. Truly understanding events in time is a gateway to the human psychie, not to mention a key to actual knowledge. The Crusades we're not so much about taking things away from others but just enough about understanding ones place in . . . everything. This is truly a fascinating bit of history!!
December 20, 2025
There’s a sleight of hand when we discuss the Crusades. This course refuses the safe endpoints. Forget the Renaissance. Instead, trace stranger threads: How do the Crusades midwife the Ottomans? The Protestant Reformation?
What the Crusades actually were: an experiment in mobilizing resources at unprecedented scale. Financial instruments for distant wars. Administrative infrastructure dressed as religious fervor. Crusades transformed the Church into a bureaucratic machine so grotesque it generated its own antibodies.
Solid history. Better questions. Another week spent with a great course.
What the Crusades actually were: an experiment in mobilizing resources at unprecedented scale. Financial instruments for distant wars. Administrative infrastructure dressed as religious fervor. Crusades transformed the Church into a bureaucratic machine so grotesque it generated its own antibodies.
Solid history. Better questions. Another week spent with a great course.
June 12, 2018
Great quick overview of the entire disastrous few 100 years. We all know it was common to kill Jews as the bands of crusaders headed east. I did not however know how extensive crusading was within Europe against other groups, to include other Catholics. Now I have a better understanding as to why my friend who recommended this series now recommends books on each individual crusade. And if I was a faster reader I'd try to keep up with him on this challenge.
May 21, 2025
This book is laid out as a series of lectures so best consumed via audio; which is what I did. Daileader’s book is part of The Great Courses series – a set of lectures by professors ranging across a broad set of topics.
I found Daileader easy listening. If my professors had had any of Daileader’s traits I might have finished my studies sooner while enjoying the journey more. I immediately looked for other lectures in this series and others by Daileader.
I found Daileader easy listening. If my professors had had any of Daileader’s traits I might have finished my studies sooner while enjoying the journey more. I immediately looked for other lectures in this series and others by Daileader.
July 22, 2022
Ooh I love stuff like this. It is a recording of a series of lectures. 12 hours of them. With an accompanying pdf of all the slides. Free on Audible Plus right now. [July 2022]
Richard the Lionheart and Sulaiman swapping gifts, like polar bears and giraffes, and sending fruit baskets to each other when they were ill. ‘Who doesn’t love a good fruit basket’ he quips. bwahaha.
4 stars
Richard the Lionheart and Sulaiman swapping gifts, like polar bears and giraffes, and sending fruit baskets to each other when they were ill. ‘Who doesn’t love a good fruit basket’ he quips. bwahaha.
4 stars
July 27, 2022
Great set of lectures and I enjoyed it. Learned a lot that I didn’t know before. Only complaint was that that it was much more a retelling and recitation of the crusades (dates, people, actors, cities, etc), than others was an analysis of the impacts of these events. So the title was slightly misleading, and It did not, in fact focus on how the crusades changed the world.
April 23, 2023
The fake applause after each lecture was a bit much. I enjoyed these lectures, albeit they got a little repetitive. Folks want a shortcut to heaven, so they join a crusade, various miscommunications befall them, and the crusade fails. I have to wonder what Jesus thought/thinks about this whole thing.
December 26, 2018
A very long recitation of the history of the crusades. The lectures were well-done, but included far more of a play-by-play version of what happened, with less commentary or "and this is what happened as a result..." type analysis thrown in. I found it hard to finish.
March 21, 2018
Great Overview of the Crusades
October 8, 2020
Fascinating to learn about the crusades. I didn’t realize there were multiple crusades and not just to the Holy Land, but also Germany, Southern France and Egypt, to name just a few.
October 1, 2021
It was ok. Kinda dull in places. The best was the last 7 chapters or so.
July 19, 2023
Philip Daileader is a wonderful and effective lecturer. I have audited all hist lectures on the Middle Ages (multiple times) and have enjoyed them thoroughly.
December 1, 2023
Lecture 19 is particularly good.
January 4, 2024
Detailed, but entertaining. The Crusades were crazier than I thought. And the waste was even greater than I thought.
April 24, 2024
Probably the best course I've listened to thus far by this lecturer. Engaging, informative and well structured.
March 6, 2025
I listened to this group of lessons from the Great Courses. The lecturer tells the history of the Crusades. Recommended.
March 2, 2021
I ended up listening to this lecture series shortly after listening to The Era of the Crusades because of a discussion with a friend about the potential value of having a deeper focus on a topic; normally I would have wanted to space things out a bit more. But I was also drawn in by the fact that the title suggested a different perspective: How the Crusades Changed History seems like it would be retrospective, looking at events in later history and tracing them back to events in the crusades. As it happened, that was not the case: this series has broadly the same structure of Era (though more condensed at two thirds the length), covering the different crusades and their outcomes in broadly chronological order, then providing some overview commentary at the end. Also problematic is the fact that I think history should be broadly inclusive, but this series is almost entirely focused on the Western European perspective; I was critical of Era for not being more inclusive in its sources, but it tried more than this one. However, once you accept that the title is not to be read as an overview of the content, and that the intended focus of the lectures is a primarily European account of the Crusades and their impact, I think it does a decent job. Compared to Era, there is a lot more focus on the economics and conditions "at home" so to speak, the way and reasons that the idea of Crusading evolved in Western Europe. And in particular, more attention is given to Crusades in Europe: in Spain, in north-eastern Europe, and in southern France. Though I still wish for a history that better integrates cultural sources (or maybe straight up tells of the Crusades from the Muslim perspective), this was a useful series both for reinforcing information I had gained from Era and adding to my knowledge of related topics.
December 21, 2013
This consisted of 24, 30-minute lectures in audio format, downloaded from TheGreatCourses.com.
I find Dr Daileader a very skilled and entertaining lecturer, so I may be a bit biased in my review...but, what the heck, it's just a review. For those thinking of purchasing this series, the lecturer is very well prepared and delivers with an energy and dry wit that is both entertaining and informative. Since I prefer audio lectures (always following along in front of a laptop that I can bring-up real-time specific maps and items that shed more light on particular subjects) I could spend more time using the references and suggested reading (authors) which were quite helpful (and we all watch too many videos anyway).
The lectures lay the foundations for how these sometimes awful crusades might have changed the course of history. Not so much for what they accomplished, but for what they did not... Ottoman domination...the reformation...the foundation of prejudices that endure even to today?
Makes you think. In the end, isn't that what we all want from these courses?
Highly recommend (as always, on sale and with a coupon). Now I want to try the Dr Harl (from The Great Courses) lectures on the same subject.
I find Dr Daileader a very skilled and entertaining lecturer, so I may be a bit biased in my review...but, what the heck, it's just a review. For those thinking of purchasing this series, the lecturer is very well prepared and delivers with an energy and dry wit that is both entertaining and informative. Since I prefer audio lectures (always following along in front of a laptop that I can bring-up real-time specific maps and items that shed more light on particular subjects) I could spend more time using the references and suggested reading (authors) which were quite helpful (and we all watch too many videos anyway).
The lectures lay the foundations for how these sometimes awful crusades might have changed the course of history. Not so much for what they accomplished, but for what they did not... Ottoman domination...the reformation...the foundation of prejudices that endure even to today?
Makes you think. In the end, isn't that what we all want from these courses?
Highly recommend (as always, on sale and with a coupon). Now I want to try the Dr Harl (from The Great Courses) lectures on the same subject.
May 9, 2015
14 hours of lecture by the Great Courses Company, this is a good overview of the entire scope and sequence of the Crusades. Dr. Daileader follows both a chronological and thematic line of thinking and does a lot of good name dropping, but anyone really interested needs to use this as the first step in a more extensive and deeper journey.
September 11, 2023
A really interesting book! But horrible how the crusaders killed people who were not Christian! They also killed a lot of Jews who lived close by instead of traveling to the middle east!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews