MAP88: The Crusader States with Nic Morton

MAP88: The Crusader States with Nic Morton

Author: The Archivist January 29, 2024 Duration: 49:22

Professor and author Nicolas Morton joins the podcast to discuss his book, The Crusader States and their Neighbours.

The Crusader States were founded during the First Crusade. The Crusaders conquered the land and claimed it as their own. There were four Crusader States established during the First Crusade; The County of Edessa, The County of Tripoli, the Principal of Antioch and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. For almost 200 years the Crusaders States grew and thrived…or did they?

That’s why we have Nic Morton on the show today. His new book The Crusader States and their Neighbours, well it’s not really new. It was first published in 2020 but it’s now getting a new printing and in paperback. His book looks at the history of the Crusader States, their creation, how they were ruled over and how outside forces led to their eventually demise.

You can find Nic Morton online at: Twitter/X | YouTube | Academia.edu
You can buy The Crusader States and their Neighbours on Amazon or from Oxford University Press and grab a copy of The Mongol Storm on Amazon as well.

  • (00:11) - Welcome to the Medieval Archives Podcast!
  • (02:08) - Welcome Nic Morton
  • (02:43) - Beginning of the First Crusade
  • (05:26) - Formation of the Crusadser States
  • (10:41) - No Resistance to the Crusader States?
  • (11:49) - Eastern Christian population
  • (15:17) - Early Crusader States
  • (17:44) - Byzantine Empire cliams the land
  • (22:35) - Downfall of the Crusader States
  • (25:05) - Enter Nur al-Din
  • (27:20) - The Rise of Saladin
  • (29:47) - Battle of Hattin and the demise of the Crusader States
  • (34:03) - Mamluk Empire
  • (35:38) - Mamluk training grounds, the Crusader States
  • (36:17) - Mamluk vs Mongol
  • (38:04) - Society in the Crusader States
  • (43:33) - Reestablish the Crusader States?
  • (46:23) - Get Nic's books!
  • (47:49) - Thank you Nic for being on the show
  • (48:09) - We're on Mastodon and Blue Sky
  • (48:34) - Support the Show
  • (48:48) - Thank you for listening!
Creators & Guests <----------->
Follow Medieval Archives on Twitter/X | Mastodon | Blue Sky

📜Sign Up for our newsletter

Boost the show with a Podcasting 2.0 certified app: Castamatic | Podverse | Curiocaster | Fountain | Breez | Sphinx

★ Support this podcast ★


RSS Podcast Feed

Intro music provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com


Step into the world of Medieval Archives, where host The Archivist guides you through the sprawling, complex landscape of a thousand-year era. This isn't just a parade of dates and famous names. Instead, each episode is a deep exploration, peeling back the layers of popular legend to examine the tangible realities of medieval life. You'll hear about the strategic calculations behind what we call epic battles, the fragile alliances within courtly intrigue, and the quiet rhythms of survival in villages far from castle walls. The podcast is built on a foundation of historical evidence, carefully separating enduring fact from compelling fiction. By focusing on the people-from monarchs and saints to merchants and peasants-and the beliefs that guided them, the narrative connects these distant events to our understanding of today. Whether discussing the rise of a kingdom, the fall of a dynasty, or the evolution of a simple tool, the aim is to provide context and clarity. Tune in for a thoughtful, accessible journey that treats history not as a static record but as a continuous, human story. The medieval world was one of profound transformation, and this series seeks to illuminate how it was truly lived, felt, and shaped by those who were there.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Medieval Archives
Podcast Episodes
MAP#71: The Children’s Crusade 1212 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:59
The Children's Crusade 1212In the summer of 1212 a French boy and a German boy had separate visions of freeing the Holy Land from the Muslims. Their quests included over 20,000 medieval children and is known as the Child…
MAP#70 – Medieval Christmas II [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:52
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from the Medieval Archives! No intro, no talking just Christmas music inspired by the Middle Ages! Have a safe holiday season and thank you for supporting the Medieval Archives Podcast.…
MAP#69: The Pit and the Pendulum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:30
Happy Halloween! The Spanish Inquisition, started in 1478 by Ferdinand and Isabella, was used to rid Spain and the Spanish Territories of heretics. The Spanish Inquisition targeted Catholics who strayed from the Catholic…
MAP#68: Combat of the Thirty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:26
During the first phase of the Hundred Years War a smaller war broke out in France, the Breton War of Succession. Wars of Succession always start the same way, a Nobleman dies without an heir. In this case it was the Duke…
MAP#67: Warrior Princess: Female warriors of the Middle Ages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:07
Women in the Middle Ages were docile, meek and subservient. Or at least that's what we were led to believe. But that isn't always the case. In previous lessons we looked at Black Agnes, the defender of Dunbar Castle and…
MAP#66: The Battle of Sluys (1340) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:39
The Battle of Sluys was the first major battle of the Hundred Years' War. There were a few battles before it but nothing that compared to the size and ramifications of Sluys. The Hundred Years' War was a series of wars b…
MAP#65: The Pardoner’s Tale (Canterbury Tales) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:19
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales toward the end of the 14th century. The tales are a story telling contest by a group of pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Today w…
MAP#64: Terry Brooks and The Shannara Chronicles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:22
While browsing a B. Dalton bookstore in 1987 I happened upon a book with a glowing sword on the cover. The description talked of Skull Bearers, trolls, dwarfs, elves and a powerful Sword of Shannara. I was sold! That sum…
MAP#63: Marc Morris, King John and the Road to Magna Carta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:52
This year marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. The medieval King responsible for the document is King John of England. He didn't create it, but it was his turbulent reign that caused the Barons to create the d…
MAP#62: Kristie Dean and The World of Richard III [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:05
We are two weeks away from the beginning of the Richard III re-interment ceremonies. Leicester will be packed with dignitaries, tourist and medievalists to witness the final procession of Richard from Leiscester to Boswo…