| Sumario: | Western historiography has long considered the kingdom of Jerusalem to be the nerve centre of the Latin presence in the Levant, relegating the possessions of Antioch, Edessa and Tripoli to the status of mere annexes. Still, the Principality of Antioch, founded in the early XIIth century by the Normans in southern Italy, has experienced historical developments as are indeed clean. Unlike the kingdom of Jerusalem, populated mainly by Muslims, it settled on a land, northern Syria, with a largely Christian population and formerly dominated by the Byzantine Empire, a regional power continuing to play an important role at that time. .Published in 1940, this book relates the major events that have affected the principality of its creation in the middle of XIIIth century, during which we see the reaction of the Mamluk forces against the Mongol invasions. Drawing on both Latin, Arab, Persian, Hebrew, Greek, Syriac and Armenian sources, the historian Claude Cahen particularly seeks to highlight the rivalry between the Franks, Byzantines and Egyptians, who all want three strengthen their positions in this strategic territory located at the crossroads between Anatolia, Syria and Mesopotamia. Despite the paucity of information he possessed on the subject, the author also opened up new horizons for medieval researchers by taking an interest in the economic, social, intellectual and religious life of the inhabitants of this region at the time of the crusades.
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