Osprey Fortress 59 : Crusader Castles in Cyprus, Greece and the Aegean 1191-1571

The castles built by the Crusaders, Hospitallers, Venetians and Genoese in Cyprus, Greece, the Aegean, and on the Black Sea served to defend against a complex array of constantly changing threats, Mamluks, Catalan mercenaries, Ottoman Turks, Byzantines, independent Islamic states, Timur-i-Lenk, and widespread piracy, to name but few. The resulting fortifications, some inherited from the conquered territories of the former Byzantine empire, some built from scratch, were very different to those found in the Middle East. This superbly illustrated book explores their design, development and fate in detail, documenting the rich architectural heritage of this region and its complex history. Text by David Nicolle with illustrations by Adam Hook.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Design and Development
• The Principles of Defence
• Tour of the Castles
• The Living Sites
• The Castles at War
• Aftermath
• Visiting the Fortifications Today
• Further Reading
• Glossary
• Index