The Black Cross : A History of the Baltic Crusades

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. MEDIA REVIEWS “Fascinating . . . vivid.”—Ian Thomson, Financial Times“One of Pluskowski’s great strengths is his ability to unfold his story through telling anecdotes as well as archaeological evidence.”—Dan Jones, Sunday Times“Pluskowski reopens major questions not simply about religious history but about how history can be weaponised for good or ill.”—Diarmaid McCulloch, London Review of Books“Fascinating.”—Unseen Histories“This is a welcome addition to the historiography of the region, and required reading for anyone interested in Baltic history.”—Nora Berend, History Extra“For those interested in understanding how crusades operated as a system of conquest and colonisation, it is one of the most important works available.”—Luciano Anastasi, MedievalHistory“An arrestingly original and comprehensive account of the Christianisation of the medieval southern and eastern Baltic region from Prussia to Finland, a long process combining faith and greed, conquest and cultural assimilation. . . . Lucid, wide-ranging, based on exemplary research, this will become a standard reference for scholars and students alike.”—Christopher Tyerman, author of God’s War“Impressive in its range, both in disciplines covered and in Pluskowski’s mastery of research literature in many and diverse languages. The Black Cross is unusually comprehensive and guaranteed to become a new standard work in the field.”—Kurt Villads Jensen, coauthor of Scandinavia in the Middle Ages“Pluskowski delivers a fresh and absorbing story of one of crusading history’s most influential and powerful manifestations, the mighty Teutonic Knights. His fluent and confident writing illuminates a compelling array of characters and castles across a huge swathe of northeastern Europe and the Baltic, lands so often neglected by historians of medieval Europe and the crusades.”—Jonathan Phillips, author of The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin“This superb book sets a new standard for histories of crusading in theatres of war beyond the Holy Land. The Black Cross will be essential reading for those who wish to explore the full breadth and impact of the medieval crusading movement.”—William Purkis, author of Crusading Spirituality in the Holy Land and Iberia