Step into the violent world of the 13th century， where the European states of the Levant battled with Muslim powers for control of Jerusalem。 At the cutting edge of the conflict were the elite fighting men of the Crusader and Egyptian armies - the Knights Templar and Mamluk warriors， respectively。 The Knights Templar were the most famous and formidable of all the Western Christian military orders， whilst the Mamluks were a slave caste whose fighting prowess had elevated them to the point of holding real political clout， threatening their Ayyubid masters who relied on them so desperately for military success。 This book， drawing on the latest research， a gripping narrative and full-colour illustrations， tells the story of three key clashes from the Fifth Crusade to the Seventh Crusade。 It reveals the extraordinary ferocity with which these holy wars were fought， and how the combats between Knights Templar and Mamluk warriors came to shape the political future of the region。