There were eight “official” Crusades in the Middle Ages. Mr. Michael Davies goes into detail on the remaining seven: the inconclusive second; hopeful but ultimately problematic third; disastrous fourth, which involved the excommunication of the crusading army and sack of Constantinople; and the fundamentally unsuccessful fifth through eighth enterprises. Mr. Davies also goes into detail on St. Louis IX of France who is the one figure who stands out in the later Crusades.