"2nd and 3rd Crusade blogs and painted 28mm miniatures?" Topic

Well after much to-do, I have decided that winter 2013-14 will take me on a little adventure into 28mm Crusader wargaming. I have already chosen the miniature ranges, resource books and terrain that will be used.

I have now started some searches to find period specific blogs and examples of appropriately painted 28mm miniatures. At present, I have located a few Crusade blogs but they all focus on the 1st Crusade.

Can anyone please direct me to blogs/websites dedicated to the 2nd and 3rd Crusade wargaming?

Raglan

Hi Raglan,

I can't help you directly, but I'm not sure that the 2nd Crusade will figure that much anywhere. It was a very poor showing. I though about extending my collection into it when I started, but after reading about it I thought it not worth the effort. For troop types, except for the western knights turning up with mail leg armour (and they fought on foot a lot at Damascus) they looked very similar to what was there from the 1st Crusade / early KoJ: I decided that what I had for the 1st would do for the 2nd (at a pinch).

I'm sure there are plenty of people doing the 3rd (which was an serious option for me before I started my project; I was very tempted by the fully established orders), but I didn't want to look, be tempted, a end up doing both 1st and 3rd! Life is too short.

You know my blog already, but here's a link for other browsers:

link

Best Regards,

James

Not a blog but of the period:

Franks & Saracens in the painted windows in the monastery church of St Denis, 12th century (before 1140)
The windows in the monastery church of St Denis were destroyed during the French Revolution, but, copies were published in Les Monuments de la Monarchie Françoise in 1729.
There are 10 windows on 5 plates:
Plate 50 Nicaea
Plate 51 Antioch
Plate 52 Jerusalem
Plate 53 Ascalon
Plate 54 Ascalon continued
with text in the original French and an English translation.

MIRROR SITE
Franks & Saracens in the painted windows in the monastery church of St Denis, 12th century (before 1140)

Druzhina
Illustrations of Soldiers

Thank you gentlemen.

Despite the availability of appropriate miniatures, I don't think there are many wargamers interested in this period. I guess this is an issue with medieval wargaming in general?

Raglan

I think you've already seen mine, but just in case:

jannersjaunt.blogspot.dk

Project Lewes may also be of some help. Great site. Barons War but similar time period and dress for Europeans.

There are plenty of other illustrations:
Spanish Knights & Infantry in the Codex Calixtinus, 1135-1139AD
Fatimid Soldiers and Hunters
The Modena Archivolt
The sleeping soldiers at the Resurrection, Pulpit of William, Cagliari Cathedral
Seal of Philippe d'Alsace
Effigy of Geoffrey de Mandeville, Earl of Essex
Painting of Simon de Montfort in a window at Chartres Cathedral
Illustrations of Seljuks

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers