Medieval Syria and the Onset of the Crusades

In this scholarly work, historian James Wilson offers an analysis of the political situation in Syria (Bilad al-Sham) in the decades leading up to the First Crusade (1096-1099 CE). Historians have long contended the declining Seljuk Empire—the ostensible rulers of the Middle East when the Crusaders arrived—gave reason for regional leaders not to unite against the Europeans. However, Wilson finds this explanation fails to consider medieval Syria’s complex political underpinnings. States comprising 11th-century-CE Syria at the start of the First Crusade functioned via a system of autonomous lordships predating both the Seljuk and Western European invasions by centuries. Although local political realities left medieval Syrians vulnerable to the Frankish invaders, he notes, the system had its advantages. Once they had a toehold, the Crusaders made territorial gains, but remained clumsy political operators. The complicated Syrian political world eluded their grasp, as Wilson finds in this comprehensive and detailed examination.