The Complete Illustrated History of Knights & Crusades

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A fascinating and detailed overview of the life of a medieval knight, including his noble origins, rigorous training, life as a mounted warrior and feudal lord, courtly romances and leisure pursuits•An authoritative history of the crusades in Palestine and Europe: the lands that were lost and won; the rise and fall of the religious orders of the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller; and the inspiration that motivated the crusader knights•Special sections cover the most fabled and renowned knights of the day, including Richard the Lionheart, Edward the Black Prince, Sir William Marshal, Bohemond of Taranto, Godfrey of Bouillon and Tancred, Prince of Galilee, as well as legendary heroes such as Lancelot, Perceval, Gawain, Siegfried, and Roland, who inspired a literary tradition that continues today•Contains an analysis of the idealization of knighthood, from its roots in classical mythology to its flowering into the extravagant art and literature of the Middle Ages, together with a visual celebration of the knight's world, illustrated with over 850 evocative paintings