In this exciting new double episode of the podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Dr Thomas Smith to explore the astonishing story of the Fifth Crusade, the subject of his new book, The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt. Few medieval conflicts are as dramatic, ambitious or consequential, and yet it remains one of the most overlooked crusades in both popular history and academic study. That neglect feels profoundly unjust. The Fifth Crusade was a truly epic undertaking: innovative in its strategy, international in its scope, packed with unexpected twists and culminating in a dramatic conclusion.
Dr Smith is on a mission to bring this remarkable campaign the attention it deserves, and across these two episodes we dive deeply into its story and significance. In the first episode, we follow the crusade step by step, tracing the campaign from beginning to end. In the second, we move from narrative to analysis, examining the key themes and ultimate reasons behind one of history’s most fascinating failures.
Episode 1: What were the main events of the Fifth Crusade?
Episode 2: Why did the Fifth Crusade fail?
This mini-series is based upon Dr Thomas Smith's new book:
The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt
Other recommended works by Dr Thomas Smith:
Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle Ages
Further reading:
Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)
Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204
Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.)
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