What were the strategic, logistical, and military factors that defined the Fifth Crusade's campaign against Damietta? Laurence W. Marvin, a specialist in medieval military history, examines the operational realities of the 1217-1221 expedition. By analyzing primary source accounts and contemporary military doctrine, the author constructs a detailed framework for understanding the successes and failures of the crusader forces in the Nile Delta.

Scholars and historians recognize this work as a rigorous examination of the Fifth Crusade's military operations. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a comprehensive resource for those studying medieval warfare and the Crusades.