This lavishly illustrated book contains a collection of eye-witness accounts by key figures of the period, with authoritative essays by leading historians to provide a fascinating glimpse into this dramatic era. Edited by Elizabeth Hallam, the book tells of the five hundred years of conflict, from the first crusade in 1096 to the last confrontation in the sixteenth century, in the words of observers, communicators and the men and women who took part in this struggle between opposing faiths.