Ride with the Knights of the Crusaders during the Middle Ages as you read about all the battles of the 11th through the 15th centuries. You'll learn how Western Europe expanded trade and commerce as Genghis Khan opened the Silk Road from Central Asia. Along with the trade of spices and silks, pilgrims also brought the Black Death, a plague that claimed the lives of 20 million. "The Crusades" depicts an exciting time in history and explains the ongoing division between Islam and Christendom.Examining the Crusaders' history will answer many of questions about grievances between the Muslims, Christians, and Jews that have lasted for thousands of years. "The Crusades" brings the history alive as it chronicles the participants and their motives behind carrying the cross. Not only will you learn about the influential Christian leaders such as Richard the Lionheart, but you'll also discover the strategies of the Muslim Sultans, to include the most respected in all of Islam: Saladin.You'll read about the cultures and practices of the people. "The Crusades" offers you a bird's eye view of what it must have been like to ship hundreds of thousands of men, thousands of horses, heavy battle equipment, and years of supplies through stormy seas or along the banks of the Nile. However, a better understanding of the Crusaders might cause you to question if another Crusade is brewing.