This volume offers a literary and cultural history of the idea of crusading over the last millennium.

Part I. Genres: 1. Chronicles Elizabeth Lapina; 2. Chansons de geste Marianne Ailes; 3. The troubadours and their lyrics Linda Paterson; Part II. Contexts and Communities: 4. Rome, Byzantium, and the Idea of Holy War Connor Wilson; 5. Women's writing and patronage Helen Nicholson; 6. Reading and writing in Outremer Anthony Bale; 7. Hebrew crusade literature in its Latin and Arabic contexts Uri Zvi Shachar; Part III. Themes and Images: 8. The earthly and heavenly Jerusalem Suzanne Yeager; 9. Orientalism and the 'Saracen' Lynn Ramey; 10. Chivalry, masculinity, and sexuality Matthew Mesley; Part IV. Heroes: 11. Richard the Lionheart and Saladin Christine Chism; 12. 'El Cid' (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) Julian Weiss; 13. Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Louis IX of France Anne Latowsky; Part V. Afterlives: 14. Romance and crusade in Late Medieval England Robert Rouse; 15. Renaissance crusading literature Lee Manion; 16. Crusading and medievalism Louise D'Arcens.