The bloody crusades that swept across the Middle East in medieval times left their mark on the landscape, where fortifications that once acted as bastions of power for the beleaguered Crusader States now cast their ruined shadows over the earth. Crusader Castles in the Holy Land is a beautifully illustrated guide to the development, construction, purpose and history of these castles. Examining the castles built in the Holy Land between 1097 and 1302 as well as the castles built in Cyprus, Greece and the Aegean between 1191 and 1571, this book provides a rare overview of the history and notably the evolution of fortresses and defences during the Crusades.