The papal call of 1095 for Christians to take up arms in holy war began a phenomenon that would endure for centuries, transforming the medieval world as thousands of men and women journeyed across the world to kill and die in the service of God. In this module you will explore the religious, cultural and military history of crusaders and mujahideen in the Holy Land and Egypt, including the apparently miraculous Christian triumph of the First Crusade, the rise of Salah al-Din and his encounter with Richard the Lionheart, and the emergence of the Mamluk Empire that brought the downfall of the crusader states. You will investigate fundamental questions: why did people take up arms as holy warriors?; what was life like for Christians and Muslims living side by side?; did women fight on crusade?; what role did the Templars play in the crusader states? You will be encouraged to engage with the diverse range of sources available for the period, from chronicle accounts to letters, sermons, law codes, and physical evidence (in the form of the great crusader castles), as well as poetry written by the crusaders themselves.