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The Assault on Jerusalem
One of the greatest historical writers of the twentieth century, Steven Runciman was famous for throwing light on some very dark ages: his definitive A History of the Crusades, first published by Penguin in 1965, transformed the common view of the Holy Wars through its impartial and penetrating approach. In this extract, he describes the brutal and decisive tenth-century victory of the crusaders over Arab forces in Jerusalem, occupied for over four hundred years.
56 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2005
About the author
Steven Runciman
49 books248 followersA King's Scholar at Eton College, he was an exact contemporary and close friend of George Orwell. While there, they both studied French under Aldous Huxley. In 1921 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge as a history scholar and studied under J.B. Bury, becoming, as Runciman later commented, "his first, and only, student." At first the reclusive Bury tried to brush him off; then, when Runciman mentioned that he could read Russian, Bury gave him a stack of Bulgarian articles to edit, and so their relationship began. His work on the Byzantine Empire earned him a fellowship at Trinity in 1927.
After receiving a large inheritance from his grandfather, Runciman resigned his fellowship in 1938 and began travelling widely. From 1942 to 1945 he was Professor of Byzantine Art and History at Istanbul University, in Turkey, where he began the research on the Crusades which would lead to his best known work, the History of the Crusades (three volumes appearing in 1951, 1952, and 1954).
Most of Runciman's historical works deal with Byzantium and her medieval neighbours between Sicily and Syria; one exception is The White Rajahs, published in 1960, which tells the story of Sarawak, an independent nation founded on the northern coast of Borneo in 1841 by the Englishman James Brooke, and ruled by the Brooke family for more than a century.
After receiving a large inheritance from his grandfather, Runciman resigned his fellowship in 1938 and began travelling widely. From 1942 to 1945 he was Professor of Byzantine Art and History at Istanbul University, in Turkey, where he began the research on the Crusades which would lead to his best known work, the History of the Crusades (three volumes appearing in 1951, 1952, and 1954).
Most of Runciman's historical works deal with Byzantium and her medieval neighbours between Sicily and Syria; one exception is The White Rajahs, published in 1960, which tells the story of Sarawak, an independent nation founded on the northern coast of Borneo in 1841 by the Englishman James Brooke, and ruled by the Brooke family for more than a century.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 24, 2019
Condensed and informative.
Will definitely read more on the subject matter.
Will definitely read more on the subject matter.
September 27, 2015
When reading about war, there is always a combination of disgust and shock to have the fact of the depravity of humanity reconfirmed. To read about the Crusades adds to this mosaic. It it shocking to see how an ideal, an idea, could cause so much enthusiasm, followed by so much destruction and senseless murder. But that's the nature of war, isn't it: the military leaders put ideologies and abstract thoughts into play, not really caring whether individuals in their care are actually being cared for or careful. Collateral damage may be a recent term, but an ancient concept. Runciman depicts the historic events well, and give information about the reasoning for certain decisions and events; it is not his task to explain the underlying psychology driving humans to do all of this to other humans.
Die geskiedenis van die Kruistogte skok weer eens: soos enige geskiedskrywing oor oorloë laat hierdie uittreksels uit Runciman se groot werk oor daardie veelbewoë tydperk van die Europese geskiedenis 'n mens gril om te verneem wat mense bereid is om te doen aan ander mense.
Die geskiedenis van die Kruistogte skok weer eens: soos enige geskiedskrywing oor oorloë laat hierdie uittreksels uit Runciman se groot werk oor daardie veelbewoë tydperk van die Europese geskiedenis 'n mens gril om te verneem wat mense bereid is om te doen aan ander mense.
July 28, 2011
Having not read the full three volume history of the Crusades that this excerpt is taken from, this Pocket Penguins 70s edition is a good quick read and a convenient shortcut to the crux of the 1st Crusade. It succesfully conveys the flavour of the main story of how Pope Urban II's call to arms in 1095 leads to the massing of western European Christian forces and their journey to the Holy Land. Via skirmishes with the locals in modern day Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria they arrive at Constantinople. War commences with the 'infidel' Moslems in Turkey and soon we are taken to the hills outside of Jerusalem.
The siege of that city is retold before the final assault on the great stone walls. The violence of the battle is as nothing compared to the bloodlust that ensues following the Moslem surrender. The Pilgrim soldiers run riot and put the city's Moslem and Jewish populations to the sword. The root of the Islamic world's mistrust of the West is clear to see...
The siege of that city is retold before the final assault on the great stone walls. The violence of the battle is as nothing compared to the bloodlust that ensues following the Moslem surrender. The Pilgrim soldiers run riot and put the city's Moslem and Jewish populations to the sword. The root of the Islamic world's mistrust of the West is clear to see...
March 23, 2016
This Penguin 70 is a series of excerpts from Steven Runciman's A History of the Crusades, Vol. I: The First Crusade and the Foundations of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and picks up on 4 events in the First Crusade.
For me, this was a little dry and for a person with little prior knowledge, there were a lot of names (which mean very little) mentioned regularly.
Apart from that, the four events covered worked pretty well. I am certainly not looking to read the three volume work this is sourced from.
2.5 stars, rounded to 3 stars from me.
For me, this was a little dry and for a person with little prior knowledge, there were a lot of names (which mean very little) mentioned regularly.
Apart from that, the four events covered worked pretty well. I am certainly not looking to read the three volume work this is sourced from.
2.5 stars, rounded to 3 stars from me.
December 20, 2025
This was a strange trip: like 15 years ago, I bought this, when these were on sale to promote Penguin, and before I got a chance to read it, I accidently threw it away - I think, because even after looking for it several times, couldn't find it. Last week I found the receipt from that purchase, saw the title, ordered it again and this time i read it. It's sort of a concise history of the first crusade, excerpted from a bigger book.
It was somewhat of a miracle that Jerusalem was taken, and it was a historical disgrace and shame that almost none of the inhabitants survived, except some people that bought their way out. Not much changed.
It was somewhat of a miracle that Jerusalem was taken, and it was a historical disgrace and shame that almost none of the inhabitants survived, except some people that bought their way out. Not much changed.
June 28, 2007
this review first appeared on [http://intraspace.blogspot.com]
this is a book that anna gave me for christmas. it is actually one of these brilliant condensed penguin volumes that were released to celebrate penguin's 70th anniversary. this book comes from a larger work called 'a history of the crusades' (published in 1965), and tells the story of the first crusade.
at 56 pages it is an easily manageable dose of history written in an easy-to-read style that is quite unbiased. maybe i'll even read the entire work one day. but i am definitely keen on these little penguin editions.
this is a book that anna gave me for christmas. it is actually one of these brilliant condensed penguin volumes that were released to celebrate penguin's 70th anniversary. this book comes from a larger work called 'a history of the crusades' (published in 1965), and tells the story of the first crusade.
at 56 pages it is an easily manageable dose of history written in an easy-to-read style that is quite unbiased. maybe i'll even read the entire work one day. but i am definitely keen on these little penguin editions.
October 30, 2008
Short book on Crusade to Jerusalem.
November 4, 2013
Very exciting
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews