Sir Steven Runcimans three volume A History of the Crusades, one of the great classics of English historical writing, is now being reissued. This volume deals complete with the First Crusade and the foundation of the kingdom of Jerusalem. As Runciman says in his praface: Whether we regard the Crusades as the most tremendous and most romantic of Christian adventure, or as the last of the barbarian invasions, they form a central fact in medieval history. Before their inception the centre of our civilization was placed in Byzantium and in the lands of the Arab caliphate. Before they faded out the hegemnoy in civilization had passed to western Europe. Out of this transference modern history was born.