Best History Books about Crusades (2026): 5 Picks

Finding the best history books about crusades starts with scope: some readers want the whole arc of the wars in one volume, others want a close account of the First Crusade or a classic survey to anchor a shelf. We compared every listing by how directly it serves that reader, what the listing says is inside, and how much of the history each volume covers.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	The Crusades by Asbridge	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Crusaders by Dan Jones	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	God's War by Tyerman	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	The First Crusade by Asbridge	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
5	A History of the Crusades I by Runciman	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

The Crusades by Asbridge

Thomas Asbridge·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A single-volume history of the whole crusading era that tells the story from both Christian and Muslim perspectives, suited to a reader who wants the complete arc before going deeper.

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Pros

• Covers the full crusading era in one volume, from the First Crusade through the two hundred years that followed, according to the description.
• Presents both Christian and Muslim perspectives, per the description.
• A 2020 reissue from Simon and Schuster UK, so the listed edition is recent.

Cons

• No print length is stated, so the size of the book cannot be judged from the listing.
• No reading age or grade level is stated.
• The description names brutal wars and the horror of the era, so a sensitive reader should check before buying.

2

Crusaders by Dan Jones

Dan Jones·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 464-page history of the wars for the Holy Lands told through portraits of people on all sides.

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Pros

• 464 pages; portraits of people on all sides
• Penguin Books; 2020 publication
• Wide scope across the wars

Cons

• Nonfiction history, not historical fiction
• Broad tableau; less of a single narrative
• 2020; not the newest

3

God's War by Tyerman

Christopher Tyerman·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 1040-page sweeping history of the Crusades from 1096 to 1500, from Harvard's Belknap Press.

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Pros

• 1040 pages; the longest book here
• Belknap Press, Harvard University Press
• Covers 1096 to 1500; the widest scope

Cons

• Nonfiction history, not historical fiction
• 1040 pages; a serious commitment
• 2009 publication

4

The First Crusade by Asbridge

Thomas Asbridge·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 448-page account of the First Crusade alone, suited to a reader who wants depth on the 1095 to 1099 campaign rather than the full era.

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Pros

• Focuses on one campaign, 1095 to 1099, with detail on Nicaea, Antioch and Jerusalem from the description.
• Published by Oxford University Press in a first edition dated September 29, 2005.
• 448 pages on a single campaign, a deep read for a reader committed to this period.

Cons

• Covers only the First Crusade, so it is not the pick for a reader who wants the later centuries.
• The 2005 edition is older than the other listed editions.
• The description describes brutal violence, including a brutal assault on Jerusalem, so it is not for sensitive or younger readers.

5

A History of the Crusades I by Runciman

Steven Runciman·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

The first volume of Runciman's classic trilogy, suited to a reader who wants the traditional grand narrative of the First Crusade.

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Pros

• Part of a three-book trilogy: the listing names it as volume one, so a committed reader has a clear next step.
• Published by Penguin Classics in a 2016 first edition at 336 pages.
• The description credits the trilogy with overturning the romantic view of the Crusades and shifting the focus to the East.

Cons

• Volume one covers the First Crusade only, and the rest of the trilogy must be bought separately to continue the story.
• No reading age or grade level is stated.
• The description mentions the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem, so it is not for a sensitive reader.

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More picks to compare

• History of Crusades II by RuncimanVolume 2 of Runciman's trilogy, 448 pages, published November 9, 2016.Check on Amazon
• The Crusades: A History by Riley-SmithOne-volume survey covering seven centuries, 400 pages, second edition.Check on Amazon
• Illustrated Crusades by PhillipsIllustrated account with more than 425 images, 256 pages, published 2023.Check on Amazon
• The Crusades by AsbridgeDigital edition of Asbridge's one-volume history, 784 pages, Ecco 2010.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. None of the picks states a reading age or grade level, so no points were awarded there. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best history books about crusades

Match the scope to your goal

For the full story, Asbridge’s The Crusades spans the First Crusade and the centuries that followed in one volume, while The First Crusade gives that single campaign 448 pages of detail on Nicaea, Antioch and Jerusalem. Runciman’s volume one is the start of a trilogy, so choose it when you want a longer commitment. For the wider medieval world around these wars, see the best history books about medieval Europe.

Read the edition line before you buy

The listed editions run from the 2005 first edition of The First Crusade to the 2020 reissue of The Crusades, and the listing for Riley-Smith’s survey names a second edition with a new preface and afterword. A newer edition can add revisions, so check the publication date on the listing. Browse the full history and biography shelf for more nonfiction lists.

Check what the listing leaves out

Several listings state no page count and no reading age or grade level, so confirm the format and length before buying. When a description names brutal warfare, plan to preview the book for a younger or sensitive reader.

Before you buy

• Check the edition and publication date on the listing: the dates here run from 2005 to 2020, and Riley-Smith’s survey names a second edition.
• For series books, start with volume one: Runciman’s volume one and volume two are separate listings, and each carries its own page count.
• Confirm the format and length before buying: several listings state no page count, and some picks carry over from another ShelfAnswers list with only the title and brand stated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I start reading about the Crusades?

Start with a one-volume history: Asbridge’s The Crusades covers the whole era in a 2020 reissue, and Riley-Smith’s The Crusades: A History surveys seven centuries in 400 pages.

Which book covers only the First Crusade?

The First Crusade by Asbridge gives the 1095 to 1099 campaign 448 pages, and Runciman’s volume one covers the First Crusade and the founding of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 336 pages.

Is there a volume that tells both sides of the story?

The description of Asbridge’s The Crusades says it reconstructs the experiences of both Christians and Muslims. The same author’s The First Crusade follows the crusaders’ march with vivid detail on the sieges.

Still deciding? Our top pickThe Crusades by Asbridge

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Related lists

See every history and biography list and all nonfiction lists.

More lists: medieval Europe, middle ages, Ottoman Empire and medieval times.