The Crusades--interposed between the fall of the Roman Empire and the great Age of Discovery--represented the opening chapter of European expansionism and served as the forerunner to the colonial movement that changed the face of history. And, here shines a light on the crowning achievement of the Crusaders: the establishment of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. In-depth descriptions show what 12th- and 13th-century colonies looked like, as well as how they functioned and developed. All the underlying ideological, economic, and cultural premises are identified, along with the organization and achievements of the European establishment in the Levant. A provocative and fascinating account.