Bernard of Clairvaux, who wrote the beautiful essay On Loving God, also urged Christians to fight for Christ. Here are some excerpts from a letter written in 1147.

Whether by land or sea, a crusade to the East was difficult and dangerous.

The great preachers, planners, and fighters of the Holy Land crusades.

Why followers of the Prince of Peace waged war.

As the crusaders assaulted Jerusalem, the holy and savage joined hands.

The last few decades have seen a resurgence of crusades studies. Here are several of the many fine works available.

The devout, combative, and scandalous women who shared in the Crusades.

Little Known Facts about the Crusades.

A historian looks at the causes and lingering effects of Christian warfare.

Usama ibn Munqidh was emir of Shizar in the twelfth century, when Christians occupied much of the Holy Land. Here are three accounts of his experience with the clash of cultures.

Little-known or remarkable facts about Martin Luther's later years