Crusades

Terry Jones explores the history of the Crusades.

Crusades (1995) is a British four-part history documentary miniseries created for BBC Two. Presented by Terry Jones, the series traces the Crusades across four episodes of roughly fifty minutes each, using his on-camera commentary to frame the events. Dramatized scenes feature a cast of actors portraying the figures at the heart of the story: Anthony Smee as Pope Urban II, whose call to arms launched the movement, Kate Binchy as the Byzantine princess Anna Comnena, and Sean Arnold as St. Bernard. Kammy Darweish appears as the chronicler William of Tyre, giving voice to the record of the campaigns. The engine of the series is the clash of faith, ambition, and power that drove armies from Europe across the Mediterranean and into the Levant, and each episode follows the momentum of a campaign, its sieges and its bargains. Set in medieval Europe and the Holy Land, the programme is measured and thoughtful, weighing religious conviction against political calculation. Viewers drawn to the sweep of a documentary history, in the vein of Empires of the Sea and The Ascent of Man, will find the same blend of scholarship and vivid storytelling.

• Empires of the Seashared history documentary format, presenter-led historical narrative
• Terry Jones's Medieval Livespresenter-led history docuseries, british historical storytelling
• The Ascent of Manshared historical documentary tone, dramatized reenactments of medieval events

Release Date

1995-01-10

Episode runtime

50 min

Rating

8.1 / 10 (14)

What is Crusades about?

Terry Jones presents a four-part British history of the Crusades, blending on-camera narration with dramatized scenes of medieval holy war.

What is Crusades like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crusades as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Crusades violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Crusades as mild.

Which shows are like Crusades?

Shows with a similar feel include Empires of the Sea, Terry Jones's Medieval Lives, and The Ascent of Man.

How long is Crusades?

Crusades: 1 season, 4 episodes.

Is Crusades still running?

No, Crusades has ended.