Teach Medieval

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 EgyptOther recommended works by Dr Thomas Smith:Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle AgesFurther reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.) Social media:InstagramX (Twitter)ThreadsFacebookLinkedInMain theme by Aroshanti

This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East.Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation.This episode is part of a mini-series:Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades?Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades?Ep.3: What was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades?Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton:The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle EastThe Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle EastThe Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187Encountering Islam on the First CrusadeThe Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East Further reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on:Instagram: @teachmedievalTwitter: @TeachMedievalThreads: Teach MedievalFacebook: Teach MedievalLinkedIn: Teach Medieval Main theme by Aroshanti

This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East.Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation.This episode is part of a mini-series:Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades?Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades?Ep.3: what was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades?Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton:The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle EastThe Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle EastThe Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187Encountering Islam on the First CrusadeThe Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East Further reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on:Instagram: @teachmedievalTwitter: @TeachMedievalThreads: Teach MedievalFacebook: Teach MedievalLinkedIn: Teach Medieval Main theme by Aroshanti

This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East.Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation.This episode is part of a mini-series:Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades?Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades?Ep.3: what was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades?Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton:The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle EastThe Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle EastThe Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187Encountering Islam on the First CrusadeThe Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East Further reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on:Instagram: @teachmedievalTwitter: @TeachMedievalThreads: Teach MedievalFacebook: Teach MedievalLinkedIn: Teach Medieval Main theme by Aroshanti

Step into one of the most dramatic and disastrous chapters of medieval history with our brand-new two-part podcast series on the Second Crusade. In Episode 1, we plunge into the story itself—from the shocking fall of Edessa in 1144 and the rallying cry across Europe to the march eastward of kings and humiliating defeat at the gates of Damascus. Then, in Episode 2, we go deeper, asking the big question: why did the Second Crusade fail so completely? Was it poor leadership, Byzantine hostility, or the growing unity of Muslim forces? Guiding us through this fascinating mix of ambition, betrayal, and miscalculation is Associate Professor Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University, a leading expert in crusader history. If you want gripping storytelling, sharp analysis and expert insight, this is a series you won’t want to miss. The Second Crusade like you’ve never heard it before!This episode is part of a mini-series:Ep.1: Narrative - What's the story of the Second Crusade?Ep.2: Analysis - Why did the Second Crusade fail?Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton:The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle EastThe Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187Encountering Islam on the First CrusadeThe Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East Further reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on:Instagram: @teachmedievalTwitter: @TeachMedievalThreads: Teach MedievalFacebook: Teach MedievalLinkedIn: Teach Medieval Main theme by Aroshanti

Step into one of the most dramatic and disastrous chapters of medieval history with our brand-new two-part podcast series on the Second Crusade. In Episode 1, we plunge into the story itself—from the shocking fall of Edessa in 1144 and the rallying cry across Europe to the march eastward of kings and humiliating defeat at the gates of Damascus. Then, in Episode 2, we go deeper, asking the big question: why did the Second Crusade fail so completely? Was it poor leadership, Byzantine hostility, or the growing unity of Muslim forces? Guiding us through this fascinating mix of ambition, betrayal, and miscalculation is Associate Professor Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University, a leading expert in crusader history. If you want gripping storytelling, sharp analysis and expert insight, this is a series you won’t want to miss. The Second Crusade like you’ve never heard it before!This episode is part of a mini-series:Ep.1: Narrative - What's the story of the Second crusade?ep.2: Analysis - Why did the Second Crusade fail?Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton:The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle EastThe Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187Encountering Islam on the First CrusadeThe Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East Further reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on:Instagram: @teachmedievalTwitter: @TeachMedievalThreads: Teach MedievalFacebook: Teach MedievalLinkedIn: Teach Medieval Music by Aroshanti 

The early Islamic response to the First Crusade was deeply disunited, with rivalry, distrust and self-interest undermining all hope of any real cooperation. This lack of unity was a major factor in the Crusaders’ remarkable success, allowing them to seize territory and establish the states of Outremer. In this new mini-series, Dr Thomas Brosset explores the nature and extent of this early disunity before turning to the emergence of key leaders who, in time, managed to coordinate a stronger, more muscular response to the Frankish presence in the Near East.This episode is one of a two-part mini-series:Ep.1: How disunited was the response in the early decades?Ep.2: How and when did unity begin to emerge?This mini-series was part-inspired by:The First Crusade and the Failure of Kerbogha’s Campaign from Mosul to Antioch (March–June 1098): A Re-evaluationDr Thomas Brosset refers to this work in 'Ep.1: Disunity':Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Making of the Medieval Middle EastFurther reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.) Social media:InstagramX (Twitter)ThreadsFacebookLinkedInMain theme by Aroshanti

The early Islamic response to the First Crusade was deeply disunited, with rivalry, distrust and self-interest undermining al hope of any real cooperation. This lack of unity was a major factor in the Crusaders’ remarkable success, allowing them to seize territory and establish the states of Outremer. In this new mini-series, Dr Thomas Brosset explores the nature and extent of this early disunity before turning to the emergence of key leaders who, in time, managed to coordinate a stronger, more muscular response to the Frankish presence in the Near East.This episode is one of a two-part mini-series:Ep.1: How disunited was the response in the early decades?Ep.2: How and when did unity begin to emerge?This mini-series was part-inspired by:The First Crusade and the Failure of Kerbogha’s Campaign from Mosul to Antioch (March–June 1098): A Re-evaluationDr Thomas Brosset refers to this work in 'Ep.1: Disunity':Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Making of the Medieval Middle EastFurther reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.) Social media:InstagramX (Twitter)ThreadsFacebookLinkedInMain theme by Aroshanti

The Assassins and Templars are two of the most iconic and enigmatic groups associated with the medieval Near East to the point where, even today, myths continue to swirl around their very names and huge entertainment franchises such as Ubisoft's 'Assassin's Creed' are founded on their legacy. But behind the (admittedly thrilling) fantasy, what's the reality? What part did these two groups play in what Dr Steve Tibble has called "the crazy, bloody world of the medieval Near East"?This episode is one of a three-part mini-series:Ep.1: Who were the real Assassins?Ep.2: Who were the real Templars?Ep.3: What parallels can we see between them?This mini-series is based on:Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and BloodOther recommended works by Dr Steve Tibble:Templars: The Knights who made BritainCrusader Criminals: The Knights who went Rogue in the Holy LandThe Crusader StrategyThe Crusader ArmiesFurther reading:Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.)Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.) Social media:InstagramX (Twitter)ThreadsFacebookLinkedInMain theme by Aroshanti