Deliberately avoiding the tendency to consider the First Crusade from a primarily religio-ideological perspective, France adopts a military one instead. Religious fervour was of course of importance, but France is interested in its military effect, not its social origin.

After an introductory chapter about the state of the military arts in late 11C Western Europe, the bulk of the book is a narrative account of the various crusader contingents making their way to Constantinople, the siege of Nicaea, the trek accross Asia Minor with the major battle at Dorylaeum, the epic sieges of Antioch - the city first being held by a Turkish garrison against the crusaders, then by the crusaders against a would-be relief force from Iraq -, the capture of Jerusalem, and finally the battle of Ascalon. Recurrent themes include the initial amorphousness of the crusader force and its partial welding together by ideological purpose and common suffering, and the importance of the major leaders in providing leadership and direction. The People's Crusade failed, acc'd to France, precisely with because unlike the "official" First Crusade it included no princes with the stature to provide cohesive leadership.

I liked it a lot.