Drawing on recent debates about the functions and development of military fortifications and the formation of a 'crusading ethos' in medieval western Europe after 1099, this course will explore the culture and conduct of war in the religiously charged context of the crusades in the Eastern Mediterranean. Examining the history of crusader warfare through the interpretive lenses of acculturation and cultural brokerage, it will identify key aspects of cross-fertilization and cultural conservatism in military tactics, developments and conduct, thereby contributing to a better understanding of medieval military culture before the age of chivalry.

The class will meet for two hours of seminars each week for ten weeks.

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class essay (3,000 words) (70%)

seminar presentation (15 minutes) and paper (1,000 words) (30%)

The course aims to:

■ explore the culture and conduct of war in the religiously charged context of the crusades in the Eastern Mediterranean, drawing on recent debates;

■ identify key aspects of cross-fertilization and cultural conservatism in military tactics, developments and conduct, thereby contributing to a better understanding of medieval military culture before the age of chivalry;

■ examine the history of crusader warfare through the interpretive lenses of acculturation and cultural brokerage;

■ provide students with the historiographical and methodological preparation necessary to undergo further research into the history of the crusades.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ illustrate an understanding of the military history of the crusades in the Eastern Mediterranean

■ identify and evaluate important developments in crusading warfare with regards to their cultural significance and implications

■ discuss and assess different forms of trans-cultural fertilization in medieval warfare

■ provide familiarity with the historiography of crusading warfare and proficiency in the use of textual sources in oral and written form

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.