[wideawake]

The best books for an historical overview of the Crusades are the volumes by Sir Steven Runciman, recently reissued by Cambridge University Press.

They are extremely scholarly and evenhanded (if a bias is detectable, it is against the French) and written in the wonderful style of an Oxbridge don: "The brief reign of Duke Godfrey saw the beginnings of a Christian kingdom. But Godfrey, for all his estimable qualities, was a weak, foolish man. Out of jealousy he quarrelled with his colleagues; out of genuine piety he yielded far too much power into the hands of the Church."

I cannot recommend his work more highly.

[Borges]

Anyone that uses the word 'estimable' is fine by me. Thanks for the info.

[American Quilter]

The best books for an historical overview of the Crusades are the volumes by Sir Steven Runciman, recently reissued by Cambridge University Press.

Thanks for the recommendation. After all this discussion, I want to educate myself on this subject.