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Weapons of War in the Crusades
Turkish archers versus Frankish heavy cavalry. The Crusades marked a period of technological breakthroughs in the art of war that would decide the conflict.
A French royal crusading army was on the point of collapse and a very long way from help. By January 1148 it was midway in its journey across Anatolia – a graveyard of armies – and had just suffered a serious defeat while crossing a mountain pass. The vanguard had advanced too far ahead from the main army and the Turks had swept into the gap, charging down the lines of marching crusaders and causing substantial casualties. Louis VII of France was almost killed, surviving only by climbing a rock and fending off a multitude of attackers.
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