But, as well as debatable the question of good and bad, DNA has just confirmed that “crusaders” were not as European as it was thought.

An article in the journal American Journal of Human Genetics explains the results of research led by Chris Tyler-Smith, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute: In a 13th-century battle near Sidon, in today’s Lebanon, the DNA of nine crusaders killed in the battle has been analysed and it has been concluded that only three of them were European – specifically of Italian, French and Basque origin – four from the Middle East and the other two had mixed genetic ancestors.