Medieval Nunchucks, Flamethrowers and Amphibious Warfare in the Fifth Crusade - Yale University Pres

What did a crusade actually look like on the ground? In this vivid extract from The Fifth Crusade, Thomas Smith transports readers to the siege of Damietta in 1218, where a daring amphibious assault, experimental military technology and fierce hand-to-hand combat unfolded on the River Nile.

In 1219, a curious episode took place in Egypt on the Fifth Crusade when Francis of Assisi met Sultan al-Kamil and attempted to convert him to Christianity. When the sultan’s advisers pressed for Francis’ execution, al-Kamil made a surprising decision which sheds new light on the relationship between medieval Christianity and Islam. [PRINT/PAYWALL]

The tomb effigy of a French crusader from the thirteenth century preserves a surprising secret: a carved copy of a Chinese sword which belonged to the knight.

After being captured in Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, Peter of Dreux’s sword disappeared. It was lost for nearly seven hundred years until its pommel was rediscovered in the Damascus bazaar by Louis J. Cartier – of House of Cartier fame.

With twenty-two First Crusade letters to choose from, it is hard to whittle the list down to just five without feeling some sense of guilt (sorry, Urban II). After a ruthless process of elimination, here are my personal top five letters.