The Crusades reshaped Europe far beyond Jerusalem — and we’ve forgotten it

For most people, the Crusades begin and end with Jerusalem, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. But that narrow view hides a far bigger story. In this episode of History Rage, medieval archaeologist Professor Aleks Pluskowski takes aim at the myth that crusading was confined to the eastern Mediterranean — and reveals how crusades transformed northern and eastern Europe in ways that still shape the modern world

Drawing on decades of archaeological research and historical evidence, Aleks explains how the Baltic Crusades were longer, more successful, and ultimately more influential than those in the Levant. From the rise of the Teutonic Order to the foundation of cities like Riga and Tallinn, this conversation exposes a forgotten chapter of European history that fundamentally reshaped societies, borders and identities

You’ll hear why crusading was a papally authorised penitential war, how it expanded beyond Jerusalem to target pagans, heretics and political enemies, and why northern Europe became the Crusades’ most enduring battlefield. Aleks also unpacks the diversity of pre-Christian belief systems in the Baltic, the realities of conquest and settlement, and how crusading ideology became a template for later colonialism and modern nationalist myths

The episode also tackles how the Teutonic Order evolved from a humble hospital in Acre into a powerful military state, why it succeeded where the Levantine Crusader states failed, and how its image was later distorted by 19th-century nationalism and Nazi propaganda. This is not just military history — it’s a story about how Europe learned to dominate, govern and remember its past

If you think you know the Crusades, this episode will make you rethink everything.

Guest: Professor Aleks Pluskowski

Professor of Medieval Archaeology, University of Reading

Aleks Pluskowski is a leading authority on crusading in northern Europe, with extensive fieldwork experience across Poland and the Baltic region. His research focuses on material culture, landscapes of conquest, and the long-term impact of crusading societies.

Book

The Black Cross: The Medieval Baltic Crusades

Buy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300279061

About History Rage

History Rage is the podcast that hunts down historical myths and kicks them into the long grass. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode invites leading historians to vent their fury at what everyone gets wrong about the past — loudly, passionately, and with evidence.

Follow History Rage

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/historyrage

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage

Support the podcast

Join the rage on Patreon for bonus content, livestreams and early access:

https://www.patreon.com/historyrage

Or support via Apple Podcasts Subscriptions for ad-free listening and early releases.

If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend and bring someone new aboard the rage train.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.