The Age of the Crusades: The Near East from the Eleventh Century to 1517

First of all, emphasis should be made that, despite its title, this book is not so much on the Crusades, nor about all of south-west Asia, but rather the book is focused on the Arab Levant, that is, "Bilad Ash-sham" (modern Syria, Jordan, Israel/Palestine, and Lebanon), as well as Egypt, with a good amount on Anatolia (modern Turkey). In fact, a more accurate title of the book would be "A History of the Crusader, Ayyubid, and Mamluke Kingdoms", as they are the real focus ot the book. If you interest is any these subjects, then this is an excellent over-view of their history and developement. Here Prof.Holt covers in significant detail all the various complex and labrynthine developements and politics of these three states (with side glances of those states that came into conflict/cooperation with them, such as the Byzantines, Seljuks, and Mongols). Especially fascinating is his covering of the powerful Mamlukes, from their complex and bloody rise to power, to their fall at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. As noted in the title, the book ends with the fall of the Mamlukes, and with them the fall of "Bilad Ash-Sham" and Egypt to the Ottoman Empire, and indeed the end of the "Middle Ages" for the Near East. If you are interested only in the Crusades, then there are other books for you. But if you are interested in the later Middle Ages in the Arab Levant, including the Crusader presence in it, and especially if you are interested in the history of the Ayyubid and the Mamlukes (both on which there is sadly very little works), then this is the book for you. Note: If you are especially interested in the Mamlukes, then Prof. Robert Irwin's "The Middle East in the Middle Ages: The Early Mamluk Sultanate, 1250-1382" is also a great book, though as its title indicates, it only covers the first half of the Sultanate. And Carl F. Petry's "Protectors or Praetorians?: The Last Mamluk Sultans and Egypt's Waning As a Great Power (Suny Series in Medieval Middle East History)" about the last years of the Sultanate. And ofcourse the Osprey books by Prof.David Nicolle on this period and region.

Is able to provide readers with a new theory (at least in the eyes of westerners probably not so for people in the middle east) The crusaders did not get as far as this did due to the fact that they fought so hard. Rather they got as far as they did because of the internal politics of the Islamic World. At the time of the first crusades the Islamic world was reeling from the assaults of the Tatars and Mongols they really didn't care about the encroachment of crusaders partly because the distance was so vast. An interesting thing to point out and a view that is probably very accurate. The book then provides the reader with an explanation of how this situation was made to come about. Blame mostly gets laid at the feet of the Ottoman Empire. Overall-Goodish book, not the best on the subject but not the worst either.