Bernard S. Bachrach (1939–2023)

An interesting account of the first Crusade and the first years of the Kingdom of Outremer. The biases are obvious, events are seen from the position of Tancred eventual, prince of Gallilee, his uncle Bohemnd of Taranto, Princwe of antioch, and of the head of their house, Robert, the Duke of normandy. However there is an interesting discussion of the conflict over the plunder of the Dome of the rock, between Tancred, whose men had taken that site, and the Papal Legate Adhemar of le Puy, who wished for as much of the contents as possible, as part of the holy site. The book therefore has value for those wishing a different picture than that of williaam of tyre, or the other Crusading accounts.… (more)

This, as most books dealing with the Gallic area in the fifth century AD are, is rather thin. Mr. Bachrach has assembled the few references and deployed them with such skill as he possesses. It is a laudable effort, but in the final analysis, he hasn't got much to work with, and the tale is soon told. The Romans imported them to serve as mercenaries, they were given lands near the Loire, and by the sixth century, their culture had dispersed, except for some place names. They may have had something to do with the eventual formation of the character known as "Sir Lancelot" by Chretien de Troyes, but the connection is tenuous at best.
I first read this book in July of 1976.… (more)

As part of Ashgate's "Crusade Texts in Translation" series, this is a readable and informative edition of a medieval history that deserves to be better known. Kudos to Bachrach and Bachrach for the high quality of the translation, the helpful introduction and the useful footnotes that highlight literary and historical references. You could pick this up and get a lot out of it after reading only generally on Crusader history - if you've studied a fair bit more, it would be even more rewarding to read.… (more)