A Review of The Crusades Texts in Translation Series

 

If someone is looking for a single series that best addresses the crusades, Crusade Texts in Translation is the best to read. This series gives both the original accounts of eyewitnesses and contemporaries to many of the historical events described, as well as good introductions by established historians. I've used this series for the past ten years in my own research; especially as pertains to my novels. 

Having been translated from Medieval Latin, Old French, and other languages, these works deal with the perspectives of Christians and Muslims alike. Writers from Richard de Templo to Baha-ad-Din have been translated into the English language for others to read. Some of the translations in the Crusade-Texts-in-Translation have just now been translated into English for the first time. This series has also used the works of William of Tyre, Robert the Monk, and other medieval accounts to help the reader understand what life was like at the time of the Crusades. 

The best way to understand any historical movement is by reading the accounts of its time. This is true for World War II, the American Civil War, the Jewish first-century revolts, and yes, the medieval crusades. While the advice of historians and scholars should often be taken into consideration, there is nothing like reading original works. This series, however, offers the reader the opportunity to do that. 

If you are looking for just one series of non-fiction books about the crusades to read, in my view, this series is the most important. In many ways, knowledge of it should be essential to any medievalist. Those wishing to understand medieval/crusader studies must make sure to use these sources.