Crusader Art: The Art of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, 1099-1291

The Crusades, which began as expeditions called by the Pope to regain the Holy Land and liberate the oppressed Christians living there, were one of the most important and recognizable features of the European Middle Ages. One of the least-known aspects of the Crusades is the art that was commissioned by the Crusaders in the Holy Land from the time they took Jerusalem in July 1099 to the time they were pushed into the sea by the Mamluks in 1291. This book tells the fascinating story of Crusader art, focusing for the first time on Crusader painting (manuscript illumination, frescoes, mosaics and icon painting) as providing the most significant continuous surviving evidence for the genre's development. Essential reading for scholars, students and enthusiasts alike.