The second edition of this standard introduction to the Crusades has been extensively rewritten to take account of the latest research and interpretations. Mayer covers all the expeditions which took place between the First Crusade in 1096 and the final retreat from Palestine in 1291, touching on a wide range of issues, from the impact of the Crusades on the history of participating states to the political entanglements it instigated between the Pope and emperors.