The Egyptian Crusade with Dr. Thomas Smith
The History of Egypt Podcast

The Egyptian Crusade with Dr. Thomas Smith

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 4, 202651 min
  • Interview
  • History

From 1217 to 1221 CE, Egypt faced an invasion in the Delta. A bizarre tale of D-Day-esque beach landings, improvised nun-chucks, and the vengeance of Hapi ensued. Today's guest Dr. Thomas Smith explains the story and introduces his new book The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt. The Fifth Crusade (2026) available from Yale University Press and all good retailers. Dr. Thomas Smith's website: https://thomaswsmith.co.uk/ Music by Luke Chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The ancient Egyptians triumphed, throwing their enemy back violently and taking the

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In 1221 BCE, King Muneptah of Egypt faced a destructive conflict in the Nile Delta. The ancient Egyptians triumphed, throwing their enemy back violently and taking the survivors as slaves. Oddly enough, Egypt faced a similar crisis in 1221 CE.

0:19

An army of crusaders, drawn from Europe and the Levant, had descended on the Nile Delta. They besieged towns, ransacked the countryside, and waged bloody battle with the Egyptian army. The Fifth Crusade is lesser known today, at least compared to the First, Second and Fourth, but that may change thanks to today's guest.

0:41

In 2026, Dr. Thomas Smith publishes The Fifth Crusade, a history of the epic campaign to conquer Egypt. Dr. Smith has previously published books on other crusades and dozens of articles on aspects of medieval history. Today, he joins us to explain a rather dramatic tale

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