Sir Steven Runciman's three-volume A History of the Crusades, a renowned classic of English historical writing, is now being reissued. This final volume traces the revival of the Frankish kingdom during the Third Crusade and follows its decline to eventual collapse a century later.

Key themes explored in the book include:

• The state of Christendom
• The replacement of the cultured Ayubites with the less sympathetic Mameluks, who rose as leaders of the Moslem world
• The arrival and influence of the Mongols

Runciman also dedicates a chapter to the architecture and arts of the period and concludes with an epilogue reflecting on the final manifestations of the Crusading spirit.