Term Paper Topics
- Origin of the Crusades
There are many angles you can take here. Begin with the bibliography associated with the relevant articles in the Madden book.
- The Baltic Crusades
The Wendish Crusade, crusades into Livonia or into Lithuania, or the campaigns against the Prussians.
- Teutonic Knights
Careful here, as the bulk of their narrative comes after the end of our course. Also, there's not all that much in English on them.
- Knights Templar
Stay away from the Trial of the Templars; it's after our period and it leads in too many wrong directions. There's still plenty on their actual participation in the Holy Land.
- Hospitallers
The one that always gets ignored, but they were huge at the time. I'm willing to allow a paper to go beyond 1300 on this one, but not to do the fall of Rhodes. Take my Late Middle Ages class if you want to do that.
- Latin Empire of Constantinople
There's a complex history here but it's pretty interesting, and definitely gives you a different perspective on 13thc crusading.
- Principality of Antioch
The main opportunity here is for straight narrative. Analytical angles include foreign policy and relations with various churches.
- County of Edessa
The shortest of the narratives. Main opportunity is for character analysis of some key players.
- Kingdom of Jerusalem
Almost too broad, you'll likely wind up focusing on a particlar era.
- Kingdom of Sicily
All the European topics have the same parameters. It's perfectly okay to focus on non-crusading topics here, but you should at least have a section that tries to relate yoru central topic to crusading.
- Venice
As above. Note further that I will strictly limit your time frame to the crusading era: 1095 to 1291.
- Genoa
As above.
- Pisa
As above.
- England
As above.
- France
As above.
- Empire
As above.
- Flanders
As above.
- Scandinavia
As above.
- Spain
As above. You can, of course, look specifically at the Reconquista in crusading terms.
- Poland
As above.
- Hungary
As above. This one played a larger role in the crusades than you might think.
- Cyprus
As above, except that the ties to the crusades are here much closer.
- Fatimids
Islamic topics can go in any number of directions. Try to get beyond mere narrative.
- Mamluks
Same as with the Fatimids.
- Crusading after 1291
Here is the one place you can go beyond 1291, but you must stay strictly on the topic of crusading.
- Italian (political) Crusades
Start with Norman Houseley and go from there.
- Albigensian Crusade
Lots of books on this, some good, some not.
- Kingdom of Armenia
Start with the Oxford History, but see if you can find something more recent.
- Byzantine Empire (to 1205)
You can also return to the Empire after its restoration in 1254.
- Warfare in the Latin East
There are two good books directly on the topic, which you should supplement with other standard works on medieval warfare.
- Drang nach Osten
The German "Drive to the East", which entailed a considerable amount of crusading. It would be awfully ambitious, but a comparison with the Reconquista in Spain might be interesting.
- Papacy
What were the popes doing during these years? I mean, besides preaching crusades? What was their relationship with the Crusader States, aside from launching wars?
- Monasticism
There's a link with crusading here, but you can also simply look at the monastic movement or at a single order during these centuries.
- Economic history
Crusades and economics, sure, though you'll want to get beyond merely a list of spices. This is a boom time for the European economy. Lots to look at.
- Crusading theory
This can include criticism of crusading as well as advocacy for and justification of crusading.
- Jews
A real golden age for Jews in Europe, but you can also look at crusades-related persecutions.
- Assassins
Quite a colorful bunch!
- Islam or other religions
Greek Orthodox, Syrian Church, Roman Catholic, look at any of the religions and major developments therein during the crusading centuries.
- Crusades and Art
Yes, this can include castle architecture! Just as long as it's crusader castles. You'll find there's quite a famous person who wrote on the topic.
- Crusades and Millenarianism
The end of the world is at hand! There's a real tie between crusading and especially crusade preaching, and millenarianism.
- Unnumbered Crusades
There were quite a few crusades that we haven't take the time to consider. You can look into them. Edward I of England did one. Peter of Aragon did one. There's not enough on the Children's Crusade to justify a term paper, but you could look at popular crusades more generally (there were a few).