The dwindling army of the Second Crusade arrives in Antioch, where a quarrel over military strategy is influenced by rumours of a sex scandal involving the Queen of France. The Crusaders make some very bad decisions, leading to a failed attack and a humiliating retreat. Find out why the Second Crusade was such a dismal failure.

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The Second Crusade leaves Europe under the command of two kings, fielding the largest number of men in a generation. Eleanor of Aquitaine rides with her husband, King Louis VII of France, while Conrad Hohenstaufen leads forces from the Holy Roman Empire. What follows is not glorious victory, but embarrassment and disaster on an epic scale. The fingers of blame point in all directions, as the Crusaders learn that the road to Jerusalem is littered with bad decisions -- and bones.

The Second Crusade would be a disaster, but why did it happen and how did it get started? The call to arms was preached by a closet dwelling ascetic who happened to be the leading churchman of his generation-- none other than Bernard of Clairveaux. In this episode we meet Eleanor of Aquitaine, the queen who ruled both France and then England, and went on crusade. A horrifying mass death, a guilty royal conscience, and one of the most notorious womanisers of the Middle Ages are all part of the story in this episode.

The Templars began as warrior monks, but have been linked to everything from demon worship to forbidden sexual practices. What happened? This episode follows the history of the spectacular fall of a knightly order. A power struggle between a king and a pope, infiltration, torture, and the Inquisition -- it is a turbulent tale.

Because of the many rumours about the Templars, I will point out that this episode relies entirely on historical sources, primarily the work of Professor Malcolm Barber.

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The Knights Templar are surrounded by legends and conspiracy theories. Who were they actually? This episode tracks the Templars from their inception as an order of warrior monks in the Crusader state of Jerusalem, to their astonishing expansion into an international organisation of enormous wealth and power. Along the way we encounter Crusader kings, Bernard of Clairveaux, the white slave trade, the Knights Hospitaller, and the Assassins.

Footnote: In this episode I mention Krak de Chevalier among the Templar castles because it is perhaps the most stunning example of Crusader fortresses. However, unlike the other castles I have mentioned by name, Krak de Chevalier was used by the Hospitaller Knights, a brother order to the Templars.

The Crusaders have taken Jerusalem but they face one final battle. When the men start to head home, the legend of the First Crusade is born, and a massive new wave of Crusaders heads east. Not everyone wants to go home however; Godfrey of Bouillon becomes ruler of Jerusalem. His brother Baldwin manages to take control of Edessa, and one Crusader aspires to be not just a prince, but to take the imperial throne for himself. Along the way there are devious marriages, murder plots, and total disasters as the Crusaders defend their kingdoms in the east.

The Crusaders narrowly escape annihilation when they attempt to fight their way out of Antioch. Some men credit the miracle of the Holy Lance for their amazing escape. Divisions emerge amongst the nobles, while the army starves. Some Crusaders turn to cannibalism, and a fiery trial by ordeal ends the career of a peasant preacher. The Crusadering army finally arrives at the walls of Jerusalem in 1099, and the stories of what they do when they get inside are hair raising. Faith, violence, hate, and ambition are all rolled together in this dramatic episode.

As Western knights and nobles ride toward Jerusalem, there are many other cities they must take along the way. Their first battlefield encounter with the Turks leaves a lasting impression on both sides, but they are soon occupied with besieging fortified cities. Heads are brandished on spears and bodies hang on display from the ramparts. The siege of Antioch comes close to ending the entire crusade on more that one occasion, with starvation, desertion, and enemy armies of much larger size. Heroic feats, cannibalism, and nearly miraculous escapes are all part of this gripping story.