The Crusades was all about Christian armies fighting Muslim forces in the Middle East for control of the holy places – especially Jerusalem. After initial successes, the crusaders experienced one defeat after another though it took centuries for them to be driven out of the region. However, the question remains: could the crusades have been won?
In the latest episode of the podcast series Talking Templars, Dr Steve Tibble and Tony McMahon debate whether there was anything that could have been done to stave off the seemingly inevitable. Were the Crusades always a doomed project? Or could smarter tactics and a different strategy have seized victory from the jaws of defeat?
Even as the city of Acre was lost at the end of the 13th century, and the Templars were forced to relocate to Cyprus, the last Templar grand master, Jacques de Molay, believed a fightback was possible. All he needed was more money and manpower. But the Pope and nobility of Europe had lost interest. Very soon, the Templar order itself was destroyed.
DISCOVER: The Knights Templar and the real Assassin’s Creed
Remember to get your copy of my two books published by Pen & Sword and available online. With these amazing reads, you’ll have the full picture of the Knights Templar from their origins to the bitter end.
