The list of sources for the Crusades provides those contemporaneous written accounts and other artifacts of the Crusades covering the period from the Council of Clermont in 1095 until the fall of Acre in 1291. These sources include chronicles, personal accounts, official documents and archaeological findings. As such, these lists provide the medieval historiography of the Crusades. A number of 17th through 19th century historians published numerous collections of original sources of the Crusades. These include Recueil des historiens des croisades (RHC), Monumenta Germaniae Historica (MGH), Revue de l'Orient Latin/Archives de l'Orient Latin (ROL/AOL) and the Rolls Series. Other collections are of interest to the Crusader period include Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France (RHF), Rerum Italicarum scriptores (RISc), Patrologia Latina (MPL), Patrologia Graeco-Latina (MPG), Patrologia Orientalis (PO), Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (CSCO) and Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society (PPTS). Modern reference material to these sources include Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Dictionary of National Biography, Neue Deutsche Biographie, Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages, Catholic Encyclopedia, New Catholic Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle, Encyclopædia Iranica, Encyclopædia Islamica and Encyclopaedia of Islam. Contemporary histories include the three-volume A History of the Crusades (1951–1954) by Steven Runciman; the Wisconsin collaborative study A History of the Crusades (1969–1989) edited by Kenneth M. Setton, particularly the Select Bibliography by Hans E. Mayer; Fordham University's Internet Medieval Sourcebook; and The Crusades: An Encyclopedia, edited by Alan V. Murray.

Principal Western sources for the history of the Crusades

The Western sources for the history of the Crusades begin with the original Latin chronicles. Later works on the First Crusade were mostly derived from these and are exemplified by William of Tyre's Historia and its continuations. The later Crusades produced a vast library of first-hand accounts, biographies and chronicles. Other sources include official documents and communications, personal letters and accounts, and topics such as archaeology and numismatics.

Original Latin chronicles of the First Crusade

The major chronicles of the First Crusade by contemporaneous Western authors are listed below, referenced to RHC, Runciman and Murray. Most of the original sources were collected in Gesta Dei per Francos (Ges. D.), compiled by French historian Jacques Bongars (1554–1612). The Gesta also includes works by William of Tyre, Marino Sanudo and Pierre Dubois. (Runc. Vol III, pp. 441n, 493)

Contemporaneous works on the First Crusade

Works derived from the original Latin sources written primarily in the early part of the 12th century are listed below. Major Sources. Major contemporaneous sources that are frequently cited include the following. Later works. Works written sometime after the First Crusade, but still regarded as original sources include the following: Minor works. Other works that are limited in scope, highly derivative or sparsely-cited are listed below. Other works that cover the First Crusade include Translatio Sancti Nicolai in Venetiam, Narratio Floriacensis, Solimarius by Gunther of Pairis and Breviarium Passagii in Terram Sanctam by Hugh of Lerchenfeld (see below). (Runc. Vol I, p. 345)

Works of William of Tyre and continuations

William of Tyre (1130–1186) was a Jerusalem-born historian of French or Italian descent who is regarded as the greatest of the Crusade chroniclers. His Historia Rerum in Partibus Transmarinis Gestarum and continuations by later historians are key to the understanding of the period.

French historical works and chansons

The Franks wrote many accounts of the Crusades, the most important of which were the chansons de geste (songs of heroic deeds) that formed the Crusade cycle. These include the Chanson d'Antioche and Chanson de Jérusalem. The Occitan Canso d'Antioca is in a similar format. They also provided many stories of chivalry which evolved after the Second Crusade. Additional historical material can be found in Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France (RHF) compiled by Martin Bouquet and in the publications of the Société de l'histoire de France (SHF). Chansons and other writings French chronicles, histories and biographies. Miscellaneous works Other chronicles cited in the histories include Annals of Vendôme (Chronicon Vindocinense seu de Aquaria), covering 768–1347, and Chronique de Saint-Maixent, covering 741–1140. (Runc. Vol II, p. 494)

Hebrew accounts of the First Crusade

The Rhineland massacres of 1096 are the subject of three Hebrew chronicles.

History of the Latin East, 1100–1192

Original sources after the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 include accounts of the Crusade of 1101 and subsequent developments, the Second Crusade (1147–1150), the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187 and the Third Crusade (1189–1192). These include the William of Tyre works as well as the following. The Kingdom through the Second Crusade The loss of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade Related histories.

Gestes des Chiprois

Les Gestes des Chiprois (Deeds of the Cypriots) is an Old French chronicle of the history of the Crusader states and Kingdom of Cyprus between 1132 and 1309. The work was based on previous and original sources, and was completed in 1315–1320. The anonymous author was likely from Tyre, becoming a member of the chancery of the Knights Templar. Gestes des Chiprois and the work and continuations of William of Tyre form the basis of the study of Outremer after the Third Crusade. The chronicle is in three parts: Chronique de Terre Sainte, Philip of Navarro's History, and Chronique du Templier de Tyr. Templar of Tyre may be Gérard de Monréal, secretary to Guillaume de Beaujeu, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, who died at the siege. (RHC Ar., Volume 2.VI, AOL Vol XIIIe, XIVe, Runc. Vol III, pp. 482, 496)

Sources for the history of the later Crusades, 1192–1291

The history of the later Crusades from the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) through the siege of Acre in 1291 is found in the sources below.

Related histories and other works

Other histories and literary works with limited discussion of the Crusade but still of interest have been cited by modern historians. These works include annals and poems, primarily Italian, German and English, providing accounts of European actives prior to 1095. Some of these are presented below. Italian works German works Norman and English works Other works referenced in histories. Other works of interest include Annales Romani, Historia ducum Venetorum, and those by Geoffrey the Lombard. (MGH Scriptores V, Runc. Vol II, p. 494, Runc. Vol III, p. 495).

Byzantine, Frankish Greek and Cypriot sources on the Crusades

The Byzantine Empire, subsequent Latin Empire of Constantinople, Frankish Greek states of the Frankokratia and the Kingdom of Cyprus offer a large number of sources on Crusades history, beginning with Alexios I Komnenos and his reign and continuing into the 14th century. Historiens grecs in RHC, edited by Carl B. Hase, includes translations of many of these documents as does Patrologia Graeco-Latina (MPG) and Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae (CSHB).

The Alexiad of Anna Komnene

Anna Komnene (1083–1153) was a Byzantine princess and historian who wrote the seminal work The Alexiad in around 1148. The daughter of emperor Alexios I Komnenos, Anna's work covers the history of her father's reign and beyond, the years from 1081 to 1108. The work comprises 15 books and is categorized as: After her father's death, she may have attempted to usurp her brother John II Komnenos and was exiled, though this is contested by historian Leonora Neville. She wrote The Alexiad during her confinement. (RHC Gr. Volume 1.II, MPG 131, CSHB 2-3, Runc. Vol I, pp. 327–328, 347, Runc. Vol II, p. 475)

Other Byzantine, Latin Empire and Frankish Greek sources

Other references relevant to the Crusades are historical documents relating to Byzantium, before and after the time of Alexios I, the Latin Empire and Frankish Greece. Before the Komnenos era The period 1048-1204. After the Sack of Constantinople.

Sources from the Kingdom of Cyprus

The Kingdom of Cyprus was founded in 1192 at the end of the Third Crusade and continued through the 15th century. Historical sources for the Crusades beyond those discussed above for the Later Crusades include the following.

Arabic, Persian and other sources

The major historical works written in Arabic or Persian, by Moslem or Coptic Christian authors, include the foundational chronicles of ibn Qalanisi and ibn al-Athir for the First Crusade and after, as well as other chronicles, biographies, reference material, legal documents, travel accounts and literature. Modern historians including Aziz Suryal Atiya, Carole Hillenbrand, Francesco Gabrieli, Clifford E. Bosworth, Niall Christie and Farhad Daftary have produced numerous work that also provide extensive bibliographies of Arabic and Persian sources. This section also includes Mongolian-language sources.

The Damascus Chronicle of ibn Qalanisi

Ibn al-Qalanisi (1071–1160), a descendant of Banū Tamim, was a politician and historian in Damascus who wrote Dhail or Mudhayyal Ta'rikh Dimashq (Continuation of the Chronicle of Damascus) covering the period 1056–1160. During that time, Damascus was ruled by Seljuks, Burids and finally Zengids. It is regarded as a continuation of Hilal al-Sabi's History which ends in 1056. The major version available in translation was compiled and edited by H. A. R. Gibb and provides a yearly chronicle from 1096 to 1160. The rulers of Damascus during the chronicle include Duqaq, Toghtekin, his son Taj al-Mulk Buri and Nur ad-Din, son of Zengi. Accounts of the siege of Tyre in 1111–1112, the Assassins, and Crusader interactions with the Fatimids are noteworthy. Ibn al-Qalanisi was the first Arabic chronicler of the Crusades to have widespread usage of suffixed curses (e.g., may God curse them) to his mentions of the Franks (Runc. Vol I, pp. 333–334, 349, Runc. Vol II, pp. 9n, 11n)

Complete History by ibn al-Athir

Ali ibn al-Athir (1160–1233) was an Arab or Kurdish historian whose family settled in Mosul in 1181 during the rule of the Zengid emir Izz al-Din Mas'ud. He wrote his masterpiece Complete Work of History, also known as The Complete History, The Perfect or al-Kāmil fi'l-Ta'rīkh, beginning in 1231. His work is chronological, and includes the Creation, the pre-Islamic world of Arabs, Persians, Romans and Jews, the caliphate and successor dynasties, and the Crusades from 1096 to 1231. The work draws heavily on that of ibn al-Qalanisi. D. S. Richards, Emeritus Fellow of Arabic at Oxford, translated portions of ibn al-Athir as part of Ashgate Publishing's Crusade Texts in Translation. They are titled under the general descriptor The chronicle of Ibn al-Athīr for the crusading period from al-Kāmil fīʾl-taʾrīkh, and include the following three parts: The volumes include extensive bibliographical information on manuscript source, primary sources, and translations. (RHC Or., Volumes 1, 2, Runc. Vol I, pp. 334, 348, Runc. Vol II, p. 481, Runc. Vol III, p. 485)

Sources on the Caliphate before 1096

Most modern histories of the Crusades include relevant background material on the Fatimid caliphate, the Abbasid caliphate and sultanates including the Seljuk and Ghaznavid dynasties. Major references are identified in Principal Sources for the History of the Near East, 600–1050. Christian texts can also be found in CSCO Scriptores Arabici.

Other Arabic historical sources on the Crusades

Selected Arabic sources for the pre-Crusades and Crusades eras include the following.

Coptic Christian sources

Sources of the Crusades by Coptic Christians written in Arabic include the following. Other works can be found in CSCO Scriptores Coptici and Bibliotheca Hagiographica Orientalis.

Persian sources

The Persian sources shown below are generally concerned with the Nizari Isma'ili State, established in Persian at Alamut Castle in 1092, the relations with neighboring Arab and Turkic empires such as the Seljuk sultanate of Rûm and Khwarazmians, and the Mongol conquest of Persia beginning in 1219.

Related Arabic-language works

Other historical, legal or literary works that have relevance to the Crusades include the following:

Mongolian sources

The references cite only two original Mongolian-language sources for the Crusades, which are the French and German language translation of the same source. Available descriptions of both translations are presented below. Original Mongol sources and later references on the Mongols are found in the Select Bibliography of A History of the Crusades, pp. 553 and 653, respectively. Relevant Persian and Western sources on the Mongolian empire include Juvayni's Tarīkh-i Jahān-gushā, Pian del Carpine's Ystoria Mongalorum, Benedict of Poland's Hystoria Tartarorum and The Travels of Marco Polo, described elsewhere.

Armenian, Syriac and Georgian sources

Historical sources from the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, including the Bagratuni dynasty, Christian historians writing in the Syriac language in the Levant, and the Kingdom of Georgia, under the Bagrationi dynasty, are described below.

The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa

Matthew of Edessa (second half of 11th century–1144) was an Armenian historian from Edessa. His history Chronicle covers the first half of the 9th century through second half of the 12th. The work is in three parts. The first part covers the period 951–1051. The second covers 1051–1101, and the third covers up to 1129, with some material up to 1136 that may have been done by a collaborator. While the first two parts are a broader history of Byzantine and Caucusus affairs, the third part focuses exclusively on Edessa and its environs. Two parts of the Chronicle have received particular attention. The first is a letter from emperor John I Tzmiiskes to king Ashot III of Armenia in 975 and the second is a discourse from exiled king Gagik II of Armenia to Constantine X Doukas after 1045 on the divergence of the Greek and Armenian churches. The work was continued after his death, believed to be during the siege of Edessa, by Gregory the Priest. (RHC Ar., Volume 1, Runc. Vol I, pp. 335–336, 349, Runc. Vol II, p. 483)

Other Armenian sources

Other sources of Armenian history in addition to Matthew of Edessa include the following.

Syriac sources

Several historic sources of the Crusades were written in the Syriac language by scholars belonging to the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Church of the East (cf. The Syriac Biographical Dictionary). The works of Sebastian Brock, the leading scholar on Syriac language sources, provide additional information.

Georgian sources

The Kingdom of Georgia and the ruling Bagrationi dynasty played an important role in the history of the Crusades, primarily engaging with the Byzantine empire and dominant Muslim sultanates ruling in the area. Georgia had eight monasteries in Jerusalem in the 12th century and so an interest in the Holy Land, and fought regularly with the Artuqids and Seljuks. The major Georgian historical sources include the following.

The Holy Land: pilgrimage, relics and geography

Much of the context of histories of the Crusades comes from accounts of pilgrims to the Holy Land, relics found by travelers and Crusaders, and descriptions of the geography of the area. The Travelogues of Palestine identify many of these accounts and Documenta Lipsanographica from Volume 5 of Historiens occidentaux provides a collection of accounts of Holy relics.

Accounts of travel to the Holy Land and the Far East

Pilgrims, missionaries and other travelers to the Holy Land have documented their experiences through accounts of travel and even guides of sites to visit. Many of these have been recognized by historians, for example the travels of ibn Jubayr and Marco Polo. Some of the more important travel accounts are listed here. Many of these are also of relevance to the study of historical geography (see below) and some can be found in the publications of the Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society (PPTS) and Corpus Scriptorum Eccesiasticorum Latinorum (CSEL), particularly CSEL 39, Itinerarium Hierosolymitana. Much of this information is from the seminal work of 19th century scholars including Edward Robinson, Titus Tobler and Reinhold Röhricht. (Runc. Vol I, pp. 38–50) The Pilgrims of Christ before the Crusades. During the Crusader era. After the Fall of Acre. Related works include the Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad's biography of Saladin (PPTS, Vol XIII), Historia Orientalis of Jacques de Vitry (PPTS, Vol XI.2), De Calamitatibus Cypri of Neophytos, Annales Altahenses, covering the German pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and Chronica Slavorum by Arnold of Lübeck. The sources of Historical Geography below are also relevant, as are the following. (Runc. Vol II, pp. 390n, 449n, 493)

Sources on relics

The study of the relics of Christianity is closely tied to pilgrimages as well as to the Crusades where relics were obtained either from the Holy Land or by theft from Constantinople. By the 3rd century, pilgrimages to the Holy Land had begun and the search for relics started in the 4th century by Saint Helena. Additional information on the translation of relics of the saints can be found in Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina. Islam also recognizes relics dating from the time Abraham through that of Muhammad, known as the Sacred Trust, some of which are also relevant to Christianity.

Historical geography

Historical cartography, geography and topography are important sources in the study of the history of the Crusades. Some of the more important contemporaneous works are presented below. In addition, many of the accounts above, in particular those of Ahmad ibn Rustah, al-Balādhuri, ibn Jubayr, William of Rubrick, Abu'l-Fida and Rashid-al-Din Hamadani also provide geographical and architectural information.

Related disciplines and documents

Crusader historians have made use of numerous religious, legal and personnel documents as well as scientific disciples such as archaeology in their attempt to accurately depict their chronicles. These include legal treatises of the Crusader States, Papal documents, and auxiliary sciences of history including genealogy, archaeological studies, numismatics and archeoseismology.

Organization and administration of the Kingdom

The organization and administration of the Kingdom of Jerusalem provides much information to the histories of the Crusades. In particular, the legal documents concerning the Crusades and later governing of the Kingdom of Jerusalem are of significance to the study of the Crusades and form the first series of the RHC, entitled Assises de Jérusalem ou Recueil des ouvrages de jurisprudence composés pendant le XIIIe siècle dans les royaumes de Jérusalem et de Chypre, edited by Auguste-Arthur, Count of Beugnot. Relevant texts are listed below. The Assizes of Jerusalem are a set of six legal texts (see I-VI below) from the kingdoms of Jerusalem and Cyprus dating from the late 12th and early 13th centuries. According to legend, the court system was established by Godfrey of Bouillon in 1099, with the king serving as judge of the high court. The laws were lost when Jerusalem was taken in 1187, and were kept at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Known as Letres dou Sepulcre, Philip of Novara allegedly received the original laws from a jurist named Raoul of Saint Omer (died 1220). Regardless, the legend allowed the envisioning of a legal structure existing since the founding of the kingdom. (RHC Lois, Volumes 1, 2, MPL 155, Runc. Vol II, p. 479, Runc. Vol III, p. 484)

Papal and other religious documents

Major papal and other religious documents relevant to Crusader history, some of which have been published in Patrologia Latina (MPL), include the following. Papal letters are generally referred to in medieval times as Litterae apostolicae (Apostolic letters) and include the Papal bulls typically used to call for the early Crusades. Some of the more relevant ones are presented below. (Runc. Vol II, p. 479) Registres des Popes. Papal regesta (letters, documents) of 13th century popes from Innocent III (1198–1216) forward are included in Registres des Popes, Series 2 of Bibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome (Library of the French schools of Greece and Rome). (Runc. Vol III, p. 494) Liber Pontificalis (The Book of Popes) is a collection of biographies of the popes from Saint Peter through Pius II (1458–1464). The work includes Vita Urbani II, the life of Urban II, and Annales Romani. (Runc. Vol III, pp. 495, 497) Annales Romani. Annales Romani is a history of the city of Rome from 1044 to 1187 (with gaps), reprinted in Liber Pontificalis. The Annales include an account of the death of Urban III and the letters of Clement III. (MGH Scriptores, V, Runc. Vol III, pp. 4n, 5n, 495) Acta Sanctorum. Acta Sanctorum (Aa. Ss.) is an encyclopedic work in 68 volumes providing hagiographic accounts of the lives of Christian saints. The designator Bollandiana (for the Bollandist Society) is often used to distinguish it from the Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. The Bollandists also publish the quarterly Analecta Bollandiana. (Runc. Vol I, pp. 342, 344-346, 348) Acta Sanctorum Ordinis Sancti Benedict. Acta Sanctorum Ordinis Sancti Benedict (Aa. Ss. OSB) is a history in nine volumes of the Benedictine saints published between 1668 and 1701 by Jean Mabillon and Luc d'Achery. (Runc. Vol I, p. 342) Sacrorum Conciliorum. Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio (Sa. Co.), written by the Italian historian Giovanni Domenico Mansi (1692-1769), is a vast edition of Church councils from the First Council of Nicaea in 325 through the Council of Florence in 1438. (Runc. Vol I, p. 343) The Papacy during the Crusades. Earlier references.

The Military Orders and the Holy Land after 1291

The military/hospitaller religious orders of the Holy Land include the Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller and Teutonic Knights. Other works relating to the orders and activities in the Holy land after the fall of Acre include Gestes des Chiprois and Thaddeus of Naples' Hystoria de desolacione civitatis Acconensis. Bibliographies of the Hospitallers and their founder Blessed Gerard have been published by Jonathan Riley-Smith and Giuseppe Perta.

Correspondence, charters and privileges

Crusaders and other travelers to the Holy Land have documented their experiences through personal correspondence, and many of these have been recognized by historians, for example the letters of Stephen, Count of Blois and Anselm of Ribemont. In addition, charters and privileges have been documented. Some of the more important documents are listed below. Correspondence from before 1100 can be found in Heinrich Hagenmeyer's Die Kreuzzugsbriefe aus den Jahren, 1088-1100 (DK) and in Trans/Rep, Volume 1.2.IV.

Genealogical studies

The genealogy of the ruling classes of Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land during the Crusades period is summarized below (refer to Vassals of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Islamic Dynasties). Runciman's Volume II, Appendix III and Volume III, Appendix III provide the genealogical trees of the major families. Specific reference documents include the following. Additional genealogical sources. Additional sources for historical materials include Historiens orientaux from RHC whose Introduction provides detailed genealogies for the caliphates and sultanates active during the Crusades. Additional material on the Artuqids is found in the works of ibn al-Azraq al-Fariqi and the Seljuks from 1070 to 1154 in Taef Kamal El-Azhari's work The Seljuks of Syria during the Crusades. The discussion in Documents arméniens of RHC also includes information on the genealogy of the Armenian leaders. Thiou of Morigny's Chronicon Mauriniacense includes the genealogy of the houses of Montlhéry and Le Puiset, families with strong ties to the Crusader armies and the kingdom.

Archaeological studies

Archaeological exploration has contributed to the understanding of the history of the Crusades by verifying or refuting accounts presented in original sources. Particular emphasis has been on Crusader castles, history of the art of the period, and document analysis techniques such as palaeography, diplomatics and epigraphy. Some of the more important researchers and the work are Archaeological studies of the Middle East during the Crusader period include: Medieval Fortifications in Cilicia (2019) by Dweezil Vandekerckhove, covering Armenian structures from 1198–1375; Unknown Crusader Castles (2001) by Kristian Molin provides a military history of the Holy Land, Armenia, Cyprus and Greece from the First Crusade until 1380.

Numismatics and sigillography

The disciples of numismatics, the study of coins and other money, and sigillography, the study of seals of Byzantium and the Latin East, play an important role in interpreting histories. The coinage of Outremer that has been studied are the coins of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Frankish Syria, and those of the Islamic world, including Frankish imitations. Coins with Latin or Greek inscriptions and include the money the Crusaders took with them (Western European), money they encountered en route (primarily Byzantine) and coins minted in the kingdom. In the Holy Land, the Crusaders encountered monetary systems different than that in Western Europe and Byzantium. The Muslims used gold, silver and copper coinage, and the European also adopted Arabic gold and silver issues. Some researchers in this area include:

Additional topics

Physical phenomena, such as earthquakes and comets, have relevance in the study of history because of their depiction in written sources and correlation with archaeological finds. In the Crusader period, both Western and Arabic sources have described the chronology and impact of these natural phenomena, and the comparative analyses done by modern historians and scientists have played a role in deciphering descriptions of events. In particular, the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 1009 was equated with many calamities including earthquakes (in 1015, 1016) and comets (in 1029).