Charles Mills (historian)

Charles Mills ( born July 29, 1788 in Greenwich, † October 9, 1826 in Southampton ) was an English historian.

Mills, an amateur historian, wrote several works on the Crusades, thanks to the romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages, which had triggered in particular the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott, at that time enjoyed some popularity. His two-volume The History of the Crusades reached in eight years and served four editions Scott himself as the source of some of the details in later works such as The Talisman. A few months before his death, he was selected in recognition of his services as an honorary Knight of the Order of Malta.

Writings

• An History of Muhammedanism: Comprising the Life and Character of the Arabian prophet, and Succinct Accounts of the Empires Founded by the Muhammedan Arms: An Inquiry into the Theology, Morality, Laws, Literature, and usages of the Muselmans, and a View of the Present State and extent of the Muhammedan religion. Black, Kingsbury, Parbury, and Allen, London 1817. ( Digitized version of the second, expanded edition in 1818 in the pages of the Internet Archive )
• The History of the Crusades, for the Recovery and Repossession of the Holy Land. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, London, 1820. 2 vols. ( Digital copies of the second edition in 1821: Volume I, Volume II )
• The History of Chivalry, or, Knighthood and its Times. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, London 1825. 2 vols. ( Digitized: Volume I, Volume II )