The Crusader States, collectively known as Outremer (from Old French outre-mer, “overseas”), were a group of Latin Christian polities established in the eastern Mediterranean following the First Crusade (1096–1099). Emerging from the conquest of former Byzantine and Muslim-ruled territories, these states expanded and consolidated during subsequent campaigns, including the Second Crusade (1147–1148) and the Third Crusade (1187–1192). At their height in the 12th century, Outremer comprised several distinct yet interconnected entities, most notably the Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1187), the Principality of Antioch (1098–1144), and the County of Edessa (1098–1144), stretching along the Levantine coast and into parts of Anatolia, with later strategic reliance on Cyprus (from 1191).
These states developed within a fragmented and highly contested political landscape shaped by interactions between Western crusaders, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1453), and powerful Muslim dynasties, including the Seljuks (1037–1194), Zengids (1127–1185), and Ayyubids (from 1171). Rather than functioning as a unified empire, Outremer consisted of fortified urban centers, castles, and military corridors sustained by both overland routes and Italian maritime supply networks. Key strongholds, such as Krak des Chevaliers, Chastel Rouge, and Chastel Pèlerin, were essential to defense, communication, and control of territory.
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Related Images
Map of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, c. 1200
Map of the First Three Crusades & the 12th-Century Outremer
Kingdom of Jerusalem at the Time of the Crusades
Map of the First Crusade, 1096 - 1099
Map of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt c. 1330
Map of the Crusader States, 1229-1240 CE
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APA Style
Netchev, S. (2026, January 28). Map of the Crusader States (Outremer), 1096-1291. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20583/map-of-the-crusader-states-outremer-1096-1291/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Crusader States (Outremer), 1096-1291." World History Encyclopedia, January 28, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20583/map-of-the-crusader-states-outremer-1096-1291/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Crusader States (Outremer), 1096-1291." World History Encyclopedia, 28 Jan 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20583/map-of-the-crusader-states-outremer-1096-1291/.
