La torre Maldita

After the loss of Jerusalem in 1244, the Crusaders devoted all their energies and resources to defending the last great Christian stronghold in the Holy Land: Acre. The city was a rich, safe and vibrant metropolis. The magnificent location of its port made it one of the main centers of Mediterranean trade, from Egypt to the Black Sea. Its streets were a colorful hubbub of cultures and peoples, defended by a garrison of ten thousand men from the main orders: the Templars, the Hospitallers, and the Teutonic knights. But in 1291, the largest army the Crusaders ever faced appeared at the city gates. For six weeks, the ferocious Mamluks mined the city walls and waged a relentless bombardment with the aim of reaching the Achilles heel of Acre, the Cursed Tower, and returning the infidels to the sea. Aware that all was lost, the Crusaders launched into a glorious defense of this symbol of a world that was coming to an end. With his usual narrative mastery and drawing on hitherto unknown primary sources, Roger Crowley brings us the fascinating account of the last battle for the Holy Land, where the British historian relives the epic end of the crusades.