To Follow in Their Footsteps: The Crusades and Family Memory in the High Middle Ages
"A prominent example (of many) from Medieval Europe of how past generations were invoked to mould the actions of their successors is supplied by the crusades. As Nicholas Paul puts it in this lively new account, "crusading was always a family matter." And by family he means the dead as wll as the quick. . . . In the first part of the book, Paul provides a splendidly informative, illuminating and often entertaining description and analysis of what, how and where ancestral voices could have been heard by putative crusaders in the twelfth century."—C. J. Tyerman,Times Literary Supplement(June 14, 2013)"The real achievement of this book is not so much that it is the 'last word' on aristocrats and the Crusades. Rather, in the sheer variety of the themes that it tackles, it broadens scope for discussion of this crucial issue. Paul's book may well follow in Marcus Bull's footsteps, and set the agenda for the 'next generation' of investigation into the topic. That is no mean achievement for the author's first book."—Reviews in History (Feb. 2013)"Paul showcases examples of two effective monarchs constantly exhorted to crusade, Henry II of England and Alfonso II of Aragon. For all the literary energy expended trying to persuade them, neither actually went, although their sons did. In the end, Paul suggests noble memory kept the idea of the crusade alive long after it had been laid to rest by governments and Christian society. Summing Up: Recommended."—Choice(May 2013)"To Follow in Their Footstepsis a work of very high quality. Nicholas L. Paul is fully conversant with the field of crusade history and the history of twelfth-century England and the Plantagenet realm. He excels in relating texts and material objects to political history and the construction of memory. This is the first book to have gathered so many examples of individuals preparing for what were long, expensive, and ultimately disruptive journeys."—Theodore Evergates, McDaniel College, author ofThe Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100–1300"To Follow in Their Footstepsis a tremendous book and I am convinced that it represents a significant contribution to our understanding of the creation of the historical record (in its broadest sense) during the medieval period as well as the history of the crusades. It is a powerfully argued examination of the creation, evolution, and preservation of the memory of crusading and its importance to families and communities."—Jonathan P. Phillips, Royal Holloway, University of London, author ofHoly Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades