Johann Scheibel (1736-1809) was a historian whose work falls within the scope of early modern historiography concerning the Crusades. This field examines writings on the Crusades from the 16th through the 19th centuries, offering context to how these events were understood after the medieval period. The study of Crusades historiography involves analyzing general histories, regional studies, ecclesiastical works, and even fiction or art deemed significant by later scholars.

Scheibel's contributions are situated within a broader intellectual landscape shaped by events like the Ottoman wars and the Protestant Reformation. This era saw differing interpretations of the Crusades, viewed by some as papal overreach and by others as commendable endeavors. The research into this period draws upon various biographical collections, digital libraries, and bibliographic works. While the provided text details numerous historians and their works from the 16th century, Scheibel himself is mentioned as a figure within this tradition of historical inquiry into the Crusades.

Johann Scheibel's work as a historian of the Crusades is situated within the early modern period, spanning from the 16th to the 19th centuries. This era saw a significant body of scholarship emerge that analyzed and interpreted the medieval Crusades. These historians operated in a world shaped by ongoing conflicts with the Ottoman Empire and the religious divisions brought about by the Protestant Reformation. This context led to diverse perspectives on the Crusades, with some viewing them negatively as instruments of papal power, while others saw them as righteous military expeditions. The study of these early modern accounts provides crucial insight into the evolving understanding of the Crusades beyond their immediate historical context.

The study of early modern Crusades historiography, within which Johann Scheibel's work is placed, categorizes historians into those who wrote contemporaneously with events and those who analyzed them later. Scheibel belongs to the latter group, contributing to a tradition that produced general histories, focused regional studies (of both Europe and the Middle East), ecclesiastical commentaries, and even fictional or artistic interpretations relevant to the Crusades. The sources for understanding these historians are varied, including biographical dictionaries, academic databases, and national library archives, reflecting a concerted effort to map the intellectual history of Crusades scholarship.