In the decades immediately following the First Crusade, an isolated and outnumbered Frankish elite managed to establish four new states in the Levant. How were they able to do this? In this new mini-series, Associate Professor Nicholas Morton explores the four main contributory factors. In this first episode, he considers the role played by the crusaders’ military skill.   This episode is the first in a mini-series of four. The complete mini-series includes:   Ep.1: What role did military skill play? Ep.2: What role did Muslim disunity play? Ep.3: What role did political skill play? Ep.4: What role did external support play?   This mini-series is based on: The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187   Other recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: The Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Music by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.