A general illustrated account of the history and architecture of Crusader castles.

Castles & Crusades is a fantasy role playing game with countless possibilities. The Players Handbook allows you to take up the sword & shield, to arm yourself as you desire and wander upon planes of your own imaging and plunder the wealth of adventure.

The castles built by the Crusaders, Hospitallers, Venetians and Genoese in Cyprus, Greece, the Aegean, and on the Black Sea served to defend against a complex array of constantly changing threats: Mamluks, Catalan mercenaries, Ottoman Turks, Byzantines, independent Islamic states, Timur-i-Lenk, and widespread piracy, to name but few. The resulting fortifications some inherited from conquered the territories of the former Byzantine empire, some built from scratch were very different to those found in the Middle East. This superbly illustrated book explores their design, development and fate in detail, documenting the rich architectural heritage of this region and its complex history.

For the last 150 years the historiography of the Crusades has been dominated by nationalist and colonialist discourses in Europe and the Levant. These modern histories have interpreted the Crusades in terms of dichotomous camps, Frankish and Muslim. In this revisionist study, Ronnie Ellenblum presents an interpretation of Crusader historiography that instead defines military and architectural relations between the Franks, local Christians, Muslims and Turks in terms of continuous dialogue and mutual influence. Through close analysis of siege tactics, defensive strategies and the structure and distribution of Crusader castles, Ellenblum relates patterns of crusader settlement to their environment and demonstrates the influence of opposing cultures on tactics and fortifications. He argues that fortifications were often built according to economic and geographic considerations rather than for strategic reasons or to protect illusory 'frontiers', and that Crusader castles are the most evident expression of a cultural dialogue between east and west.

Once considered fairly tame, the fires of war are being fanned along this frontier region. Raids and plundering confound the settlements near the Blacktooth Ridge. Rumors of the Goblin King and his fearless warriors are beginning to circulate as are whispers of ogres and trolls on the prowl. The call has gone out and the Ridge beckons to all willing to risk life and limb for gold and glory. This Castles & Crusades module is designed for 3-5 characters with a challenge level of 1-2.

North of the Bergruken, upon the broken slopes of the Massif the suns fading brilliance outlines the ancient ruins of the once thriving metropolis of Gaxmoor. The former beacon of Imperial power mysteriously vanished ages ago. Now it has returned, beckoning brave adventurers to explore its ruins and crypts, and to vanquish the chaos and evil that lies within. The Lost City of Gaxmoor is a complete adventure setting that takes characters from levels 1-10. Playable in any home brew setting or in the World of Aihrde! Made in the USA.

The Crusaders that landed in the Middle East in the late-11th century brought with them their own traditions of military architecture, but it was not long before their defensive construction began to reflect a broad array of local influences. Most early Crusader structures were relatively small, and tended to increase the existing natural and defensive features of a site. The basic forms comprised freestanding towers, castra, and hilltop and spur-castles, but urban centres, religious sites and rural dwellings were also fortified. From the 1160s, bigger, stronger and more expensive castles began to appear, in response to developments in Islamic siege weaponry. This title examines the early fortifications erected by the Crusaders in modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and south-eastern Turkey.

Focusing on the Crusades, this is one of a history series, modular in structure, which offers teachers the flexibility to design their own scheme of work at Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum. Each book covers all the core study units and also a wide range of optional units, and aims to be visually stimulating as well as offering activities which develop both skills and understanding. An extensive selection of primary and secondary sources is provided.

The bloody crusades that swept across the Middle East in medieval times left their mark on the landscape, where fortifications which once acted as bastions of power for the beleaguered Crusader States now cast their ruined shadows over the earth. These fortifications varied considerably in size, architecture and function from the mighty Crac de Chevaliers, the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller in Syria to smaller fortified dwellings and religious centers. With almost constant warfare between Crusaders and Saracens they were vitally important both as centers of defense and bases for the launch of offensive operations. Citadels of Christendom is a beautifully illustrated guide to the development, construction, purpose and history of these castles. Examining the castles built in the Holy Land between 1097 and 1302 as well as the castles built in Cyprus, Greece and the Aegean between 1191 and 1571, this book provides a rare overview of the history and notably the evolution of fortresses and defenses during the Crusades. Contemporary photographs and the latest research resurrect these imposing reminders of over two centuries of conflict.