About this episode

In this episode, Paul Bavill interviews Thomas Smith about the often-overlooked Fifth Crusade, highlighting its unique strategies and technologies.

Forget what you think you know about medieval holy wars. Move over, Richard the Lionheart—the most action-packed, technologically wild campaign happened in the land of the pyramids, and it’s time to stop ignoring it! In this live episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill sits down with public historian, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author Thomas Smith to rescue the Fifth Crusade from historical obscurity. If you think the Crusades were just knights waiting around in a dusty Syrian desert, prepare to have your mind blown by a campaign dominated by amphibious warfare, terrifying medieval technology, and a truly jaw-dropping twist ending. What You’ll Discover in This Episode: The Strategic Shift: Why Western Europe realized that the true key to holding Jerusalem was actually conquering Egypt—the wealthy breadbasket of the Near East. D-Day in 1218: Discover the incredible engineering behind flat-bottomed landing craft, complete with bow ramps for cavalry charges, used 800 years before Normandy. Medieval Napalm & Hand Grenades: Get a breakdown of Greek fire, the terrifying incendiary weapons used on the Nile, and the highly unpleasant acidic liquids required to put…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Bavill

Guest: Thomas Smith

Topics covered

• Fifth Crusade
• medieval warfare
• historical technology
• amphibious warfare
• Egypt
• Crusades

Keywords

• Fifth Crusade
• medieval technology
• amphibious warfare
• Greek fire
• historical campaigns
• Oliver of Cologne
• Crusades
• Egypt

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Greek fire

Places: Egypt, Nile, Jerusalem

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