The study of the crusades is one of the most thriving areas of medieval history. This collection of seventeen essays by leading researchers in the field reflects the best of contemporary scholarship. The subjects handled are remarkably wide-ranging, focusing on the theory and practice of crusading and the contributions which were made by the military orders. Chronologically, the essays range from the church's approach towards warfare in the pre-crusade era, to the way in which the First Crusade has been depicted in post-war fiction. Together with its companion volume, The Experience of Crusading: Volume 2. Defining the Crusader Kingdom, edited by Peter Edbury and Jonathan Phillips, this collection has been published to celebrate the 65th birthday of Jonathan Riley-Smith, the leading British historian of the crusades. The volume includes an appreciation of his work on the crusades and on the military orders.
