320. The Crusades are not the only thing going on in the Middle East with Nic Morton | Gloucester History Festival Special

Think the Crusades were the defining conflict of the medieval Middle East? Think again.

In this opening special for the Gloucester History Festival, host Paul Bavill welcomes back Associate Professor of History at Nottingham Trent University, Dr Nicholas Morton, to tear down one of history’s most persistent misconceptions. While popular memory draws a neat line down the Middle East dividing Crusaders and Islamic forces in endless war, the reality was far richer, more complex, and endlessly fascinating.

While Western crusaders captured only a handful of cities, massive nomadic powers like the Seljuk Turks forged vast empires stretching from Central Asia across Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Far from a permanent warzone, the medieval Middle East served as the global crossroads for trade, culture, and technology. From knightly rivalries turning into unexpected friendships to shared siege catapult designs, international currency trading, and mobile artisans crossing borders, Dr Morton reveals why the Crusades were merely one small piece of a much grander Eurasian mosaic.

Guest Information & Book

• Guest: Dr Nicholas Morton (Associate Professor of History, Nottingham Trent University)
• University Profile: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/arts-humanities/nicholas-morton
• New Book: The Crusader Storm
• Buy the Book: Support the podcast and pick up your copy from the History Rage Bookshop at https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399818728
• Live Event: Dr Nicholas Morton is speaking at the Gloucester History Festival (running 12th–20th September) on Thursday, 17th September at 12:00 PM. Book tickets now at https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Recommended Episodes Mentioned

• Episode 214: Dr Nicholas Morton rages that the Mongols are a civilization, not a rabble.
• Episode 267: Rory McClellan rages that the Hospitallers are way more important than the Templars.

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