A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East, 1100-1187 by Steven Runciman (PDF)

Description

Sir Steven Runciman’s three volume A History of the Crusades, one of the great classics of English historical writing, is now being reissued. This volume describes the Frankish states of Outremer from the accession of King Baldwin I to the re-conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin. As Runciman says in his preface, ‘The politics of the Moslem world in the early twelfth-century defy straightforward analysis, but they must be understood if we are to understand the establishment of the Crusader states and the later causes of the recovery of Islam … The main theme in this volume is warfare … I have followed the example of the old chroniclers, who knew their business; for war was the background to life in Outremer and the hazards of the battlefield often decided its destiny.’

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review ‘I do not know when, in recent years, I have read a book which so enlarged my knowledge of and interest in a period of history … It sets before us one of the formidable moral and romantic epics of our time, with scholarship and imagination worthy of it.’ The Times Literary Supplement’The three volumes ring with battle trumpets and drums, glitter with the splendor of noble parades, and are replete with true stories of bravery and cowardliness, rash daring and wily intrigue … To the specialist (Runicman) offers a wealth of new interpretations … To the layman, he tenders romance and suspense at nearly every page.’ The Yale Review’ … the best scholarly survey of the subject by a single author. It will always remain the first considerable work of its kind in the English language.’ The English Historical Review’One of the grand historical monuments of the twentieth century … Written with imagination and based on immense scholarship, (the volumes) are filled with true stories of rash daring and wily intrigue as the flower of Western knighthood assaults the infidel East for God, gold and glory.’ Washington Post Book World Book Description Sir Steven Runciman examines the Frankish states to the re-conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin. Book Description Sir Steven Runciman’s, A History of the Crusades (volume 2), describes the Frankish states of Outremer from the accession of King Baldwin I to the re-conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin. This is one of the great classics of English historical writing and a great survey of the time. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I have read the other reviews of this book and I applaud and admire their excellent discussions.My review, though, is intended to be helpful to those who, like me, are looking for a lighter, more exciting read, not seeking to master all the intricacies, vicissitudes and politics of that immense and immensely significant movement.Steven Runciman’s volume is a solid, thorough treatment of an important era. Unfortunately, though I love the Crusades, I was only able to finish 170 pages of this 473 page book. Perhaps I will dip into it again someday because it provides great detail and clarification about those stirring events. It’s just that they don’t seem as stirring in his telling as they naturally do in books by writers of popular history.Still, if you want to really learn about the events of that time from a historian of enormous knowledge, insight, and thoroughness, this book will no doubt please you. It will certainly educate you. His style is clear, unhurried and quietly authoritative. But at my advanced age I am more desirous of an exciting experience than this book represents. Something on the order of Christopher Hibbert would tempt me.If this book had been offered in the Kindle version, I would have read the sample and not purchased it. Thus this review would not have been written and my money would not have been spent.In passing, I note with approval that Runciman’s treatment of Saladin is as fair and favorable as are so many other accounts of that great and often generous warrior.It is hard to imagine any period offering more possibilities of intense and heart-breaking themes…an era alive with the most astonishing characters and their sometimes equally astonishing transformations, their heroism in the most harrowing circumstances, and the futility of all their efforts in a strange and misbegotten campaign, a delusion and a dream. But equally an invasion and annexation of other people’s lands. Did their kingdom and principalities deserve to endure? Nonetheless, lovers of history will never wish that this era had not existed.

⭐This series of three books provides a comprehensive and detailed history of the crusades in Outremer. It is very readable, and although there have been recent re-visualisations of this era, these books still remain the seminal secondary source for this history.The format is perhaps a little old, but these books are invaluable for anyone who is interested in the history of the crusades.

⭐good

⭐AAA+++++

⭐Amazing book.. Details galore .. 3 volumes of incredible detailed glances into history

⭐I was very pleased with this item. It came quickly and in excellent condition! Would definitely order from this seller again.

⭐Well written. Informative seris of books

⭐Thank you

⭐Very god purchase for the price.

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