AllMovie

Hosted by former Monty Python member Terry Jones, this four-part series, The Crusades, delivers a comprehensive overview of this bloody period of history. Each program travels to the areas where actual battles and events took place, while experts from historical and theological backgrounds discuss the details and their significance. Also included are passages from the surviving diaries of participants of the Crusades, casting light on the motivations of the people eagerly taking part in these devastating campaigns. The Crusades -- Jihad: The Rise of Saladin chronicles the response that the Arab world gave to the gains of the Crusades. Jones takes the viewer from Syria to Jordan to shed light on the Arabs counter-crusade led by Muslim leader Saladin. Additionally, experts detail the political intrigue behind Saladin's rise to power as he tried to lead Muslims in winning back Jerusalem from the Christians.