Author Description

"Through close analysis of siege tactics, defensive strategies, and the structure and distribution of crusader castles, Ellenblum relates patterns of crusader settlement to their environment and demonstrates the influence of opposing cultures on tactics and fortifications. He argues that fortifications were often built according to economic and geographic considerations rather than for strategic reasons or to protect illusory 'frontiers', and that crusader castles are the most evident expression of a cultural dialogue between east and west."--BOOK JACKET.