The Black Cross by Aleksander Pluskowski

The Black Cross by Aleksander Pluskowski

A wide-ranging new history of the Baltic Crusades and their legacy

Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, crusading armies unleashed a relentless holy war against the last pagan societies in northern Europe, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. Led by Catholic rulers, churchmen, and, most importantly of all, the warrior monks of the Teutonic Order, they sought to expand Christendom through conquest and conversion. In the process they forged a new world with a profound legacy that resonates into the present.

Aleksander Pluskowski traces the broader story of the Baltic Crusades. Pluskowski explores how the construction of castles and towns, and the introduction of new languages, technology, monetary economies, and religion transformed the conquered societies. Moving through the years, we see how the history of the crusades was reinvented in the twentieth century to serve nationalist aims, including those of the Third Reich. This is a fascinating study that provides a fresh look at the impact of centuries of religious warfare across northern Europe.

Aleksander Pluskowski is professor of medieval archaeology at the University of Reading. An expert in the archaeology and history of the Baltic, he is the author of The Archaeology of the Prussian Crusade: Holy War and Colonisation and The Teutonic Knights.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780300279061
ISBN 10	030027906X
Title	The Black Cross
Author	Aleksander Pluskowski
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Yale University Press
Year published	2026-01-27
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.