The religious fervor of European Christians peaked during the Middle Ages during the Crusades, a series of military campaigns carried out to wrest control of the Holy Land from the Muslims. This colorfully illustrated book traces the formation of the Christian military orders and the Saracen armies that opposed them. Such notable leaders as Richard the Lion-Heart, the king of England, and the Saracen commander Saladin are highlighted, as are the advances made in the technologies of fortifications, siege warfare, armor, and weapons.