Third edition of this definitive, comprehensive, yet accessible textbook covering this key topic in medieval and religious history. Jonathan Riley-Smith, a world authority on the subject, explores the organisation of a crusade, the experience of crusading, and the crusaders themselves. This new edition expands its scope to cover the decline of crusading in the nineteenth century, substantial new material on theory, historiography and translated texts, as well as a revised bibliography, maps, illustrations and a new chronology. Essential reading for students and scholars seeking to understand the Crusades and their historical significance.