Michael S. Fulton – författare

The first volume of this two-volume collection presents a military history of the Levant from the arrival of the First Crusade in Syria at the end of the eleventh century to the Third Crusade and the death of Saladin in the final years of the twelfth century.Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different group. This approach gives voice to the major contingents of visiting crusaders, local Latin princes, neighboring Muslim powers and even certain parties who lived beyond the limits of the Levant. Combining narrative with analysis, the volume allows readers to compare how different groups experienced, understood and responded to events. Bringing together world-leading scholars, the volume’s contributors offer distinct expertise and approaches, adding another dynamic to the central theme of perspective.The volume is ideal for students, scholars, and instructors of medieval history, military history, Middle Eastern history and crusades studies. It is also suitable for general readers interested in the diverse perspectives and military systems of the Levant during the period of the crusades.

The first volume of this two-volume collection presents a military history of the Levant from the arrival of the First Crusade in Syria at the end of the eleventh century to the Third Crusade and the death of Saladin in the final years of the twelfth century.Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different group. This approach gives voice to the major contingents of visiting crusaders, local Latin princes, neighboring Muslim powers and even certain parties who lived beyond the limits of the Levant. Combining narrative with analysis, the volume allows readers to compare how different groups experienced, understood and responded to events. Bringing together world-leading scholars, the volume’s contributors offer distinct expertise and approaches, adding another dynamic to the central theme of perspective.The volume is ideal for students, scholars, and instructors of medieval history, military history, Middle Eastern history and crusades studies. It is also suitable for general readers interested in the diverse perspectives and military systems of the Levant during the period of the crusades.

Stemming from a series of events held in 2021 and 2022 that focused on ‘conflict and crusade’, the present volume collects studies on the military history of the Eastern Mediterranean from the tenth through fifteenth centuries with a particular focus on the age of the crusades.Primarily incorporating Frankish and Muslim sources, these studies investigate aspects of the military history of the region, especially the tactics and technologies utilised by both aggressors and defenders. The volume reflects new directions in the study of warfare and defence, intended to forward discussion about military history and archaeology during the Middle Ages amongst specialists and students.It is anticipated that most readers will be an academic audience interested in the military history of the medieval Mediterranean, including those who specialize in Middle Eastern or crusader history and archaeology.

The second volume of this two-volume collection provides a military history of the Levant from the final years of the twelfth century to the expulsion of the Franks from the Levant in the late thirteenth century.Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different group. This approach gives voice to various groups, including crusaders, local Latin princes and neighbouring Muslim powers, providing the readers with a deeper understanding of the crusades. Featuring contributions from leading scholars, this book combines narrative and analysis to deliver fresh insights into the era’s military dynamics.The volume is ideal for students, scholars, and instructors of medieval history, military history, and crusades studies. It is also suitable for general readers interested in the diverse perspectives and military systems of the Levant during the crusades.

The second volume of this two-volume collection provides a military history of the Levant from the final years of the twelfth century to the expulsion of the Franks from the Levant in the late thirteenth century.Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different group. This approach gives voice to various groups, including crusaders, local Latin princes and neighbouring Muslim powers, providing the readers with a deeper understanding of the crusades. Featuring contributions from leading scholars, this book combines narrative and analysis to deliver fresh insights into the era’s military dynamics.The volume is ideal for students, scholars, and instructors of medieval history, military history, and crusades studies. It is also suitable for general readers interested in the diverse perspectives and military systems of the Levant during the crusades.

The formidable strongholds built by the crusaders are among the most iconic castles of the Middle Ages. These mighty structures offer fascinating insights into the lives of those who built and occupied them, and the role they played in the region’s deep history of conflict. The castle of Kerak, in modern Jordan, is one of the largest, most imposing and best preserved of them all, and Michael Fulton’s detailed, authoritative and highly illustrated account is the ideal guide to it. His close analysis of the fabric of this monumental building, and his description of the centuries of conflict associated with it, make absorbing reading. He takes the reader through the early military history of the castle – from the time it was constructed in the 1140s by Pagan the Butler, through the provocative actions of Reynald of Châtillon and Saladin’s capture of the castle in 1188. He also recounts its later history under Muslim rule, when the castle served as a treasury for the Ayyubid and Mamluk sultans of Egypt. Falling into decline under the Ottomans, Kerak has since regained its importance as a tourist attraction.A part-by-part examination of the castle and surviving elements of the adjoining medieval town allows readers to appreciate the different stages in the development of this incredible structure and to visualize how it evolved and functioned at different points in time. The detailed architectural guide will be an essential reference for readers who have the opportunity to visit the castle and for those who are keen to gain the best possible understanding of it without going to the site.

Sieges played a key role in the crusades, but they tend to be overshadowed by the famous battles fought between the Franks and the Muslims, and no detailed study of the subject has been published in recent times. So Michael Fulton's graphic, wide-ranging and thought-provoking book is a landmark in the field.He considers the history of siege warfare in the Holy Land from every angle - the tactics and technology, the fortifications, the composition of the opposing armies, and the ways in which sieges shaped Frankish and Muslim strategy at each stage of the conflict. The differences and similarities between the Eastern and Western traditions are explored, as is the impact of the shifting balance of power in the region.The conclusions may surprise some readers. Neither the Muslims nor the Franks possessed a marked advantage in siege technology or tactics, their fortifications reflected different purposes and an evolving political environment and, although there were improvements in technologies and fortifications, the essence of siege warfare remained relatively consistent.Michael Fulton's book is a fascinating all-round reassessment of an aspect of the crusades that had a decisive impact on the outcome of the struggle. It will be essential reading for medieval and military historians.

An extensive study of the strategy and technology employed by the Franks and Muslims as they fought each other in the Holy Land.Sieges played a key role in the crusades, but they tend to be overshadowed by the famous battles fought between the Franks and the Muslims, and no detailed study of the subject has been published in recent times. So, Michael Fulton’s graphic, wide-ranging, and thought-provoking book is a landmark in the field.Fulton examines the history of siege warfare in the Holy Land from every angle—the tactics and technology, the fortifications, the composition of the opposing armies, and the ways in which sieges shaped Frankish and Muslim strategy at each stage of the conflict. The differences and similarities between the Eastern and Western traditions are explored, as is the impact of the shifting balance of power in the region.The conclusions may surprise some readers. Neither the Muslims nor the Franks possessed a marked advantage in siege technology or tactics, their fortifications reflected different purposes and an evolving political environment, and, although there were improvements in technologies and fortifications, the essence of siege warfare remained relatively consistent.Essential reading for medieval and military historians.“A lavishly illustrated text full of original photographs of sites, many of which are inaccessible and hard to find images of, guides the reader through the strategies, tactics and weaponry of offense and defense in the Latin East.” —The Society for Medieval Archaeology“This is a book you will read once and continually return to not only as an invaluable reference but as a cracking good read.” —Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide

An extensive study of the strategy and technology employed by the Franks and Muslims as they fought each other in the Holy Land. Sieges played a key role in the crusades, but they tend to be overshadowed by the famous battles fought between the Franks and the Muslims, and no detailed study of the subject has been published in recent times. So, Michael Fulton's graphic, wide-ranging, and thought-provoking book is a landmark in the field. Fulton examines the history of siege warfare in the Holy Land from every angle the tactics and technology, the fortifications, the composition of the opposing armies, and the ways in which sieges shaped Frankish and Muslim strategy at each stage of the conflict. The differences and similarities between the Eastern and Western traditions are explored, as is the impact of the shifting balance of power in the region. The conclusions may surprise some readers. Neither the Muslims nor the Franks possessed a marked advantage in siege technology or tactics, their fortifications reflected different purposes and an evolving political environment, and, although there were improvements in technologies and fortifications, the essence of siege warfare remained relatively consistent. Essential reading for medieval and military historians. "e;A lavishly illustrated text full of original photographs of sites, many of which are inaccessible and hard to find images of, guides the reader through the strategies, tactics and weaponry of offense and defense in the Latin East."e; The Society for Medieval Archaeology"e;This is a book you will read once and continually return to not only as an invaluable reference but as a cracking good read."e; Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide

Artillery in the Era of the Crusades provides a detailed examination of the use of mechanical artillery in the Levant through the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Rather than focus on a selection of sensational anecdotes, Michael S. Fulton explores the full scope of the available literary and archaeological evidence, reinterpreting the development of trebuchet technology and the ways in which it was used during this period. Among the arguments put forward, Fulton challenges the popular perception that the invention of the counterweight trebuchet was responsible for the dramatic transformation in the design of fortifications around the start of the thirteenth century.See inside the book.