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The Crusades
Three religious groups claimed Jerusalem, in the land of Palestine, as their holy city. Christians: place where Jesus ministered during his life, where Jesus lived and died Muslims: land of many prophets, where Muhammad ascended to heaven Jews: place where God told the Jews to build their sacred temple The Beginnings
In 600 CE, Muslims entered and took control of Jerusalem. They allowed Christians, Jews, and Muslims to visit, live, and work within the city. Throughout the Middle Ages, many Christians made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other sites in Palestine. In 1071, the Seljuk Turks (who were also Muslims) took control of Jerusalem. Many pilgrims who traveled to the holy city reported upon their return to Europe that the Seljuk’s were terrorizing the city. They burned churches, tortured pilgrims, and marched on Constantinople. Back in Europe, the Great Schism had caused a split in the Christian Church, resulting in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The holy sites of Palestine fell into the domain of the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church. However, the Seljuk’s reign of terror was causing problems for the Byzantine emperor and he called upon the help of the Pope to settle the problem. In November 1095, at the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II called for a crusade (Christian religious war) to take back the Holy Land from the Seljuk Turks. Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. –Pope Urban II People answered the Pope’s call with enthusiasm. Their slogan became, “Deus vult!” which means “God wills it.” So why were people so enthusiastic to join the Crusade? • The People of Europe wanted to take Jerusalem away from Muslim control. • The pope told the people of Europe that “All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the [Muslims], shall have immediate [forgiveness] of sins.” • People wanted to help defend the Byzantine Empire from the Seljuk Turks. • The crusades became an opportunity for travel and to make money. • Possibility to open up new trade routes with the Middle East. • An opportunity for younger sons of European nobles to gain land in the Middle East. • Gave peasants an opportunity to escape life on the manor. • Gave knights a chance to use their fighting skills and training. The Crusades
First Crusade After about two years of harsh traveling, hunger, disease, freezing weather, and quarrels amongst themselves, the crusaders finally arrived in Jerusalem. After a two-­‐
month siege of the city, the city fell. The crusaders had won back Jerusalem. Some men stayed. Some headed home. Those who returned brought back new foods and new forms of culture. This was considered by Europeans to be the most successful of the Crusades. Second Crusade During the second Crusade, crusaders tried to retake Edessa, which had fallen to the Turks in 1144. King Louis VII of France, and King Conrad III of Germany organized this crusade. It even included King Louis’s wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Despite powerful backing, Edessa was not retaken by the Europeans. Third Crusade The Third Crusade, known as the “Crusade of the Kings,” was a response to Jerusalem’s fall in 1187 to Salah al-­‐Din (Saladin). Saladin’s victory shocked the European world. On hearing the news, Pope Urban III had a heart attack and died. Richard the Lion-­‐hearted of England, Philip II of France, and the Holy Roman emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Europe’s greatest warrior, led three great armies from Europe to try to reclaim the holy city. However, Frederick accidentally drowned, the other two kings quarreled, and the crusaders failed to take back Jerusalem. After the failure, Saladin allowed Christian pilgrims and Jews back into the city. Fourth Crusade Instead of going to Jerusalem, the Fourth Crusade went to the Byzantine Empire’s capital, Constantinople, for various reasons. The European armies looted (robbed) the city, stole relics, attacked women, and overthrew the Byzantine emperor. This Crusade solidified the split between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Whatever chance of reconciliation existed was dashed by the behavior of the Forth Crusade’s warriors. There would be nine Crusades altogether. In 1212, a popular crusading movement swept through France and Germany. The so-­‐called Children’s Crusade attracted poor people of all ages. Most never got farther than Italy. Many were sold as slaves. Finally, in 1291, Muslims from Egypt retook the last crusader state. Crusades Map
During the Crusades, the areas of the Middle/Near East that were occupied by Christian forces from Europe were known as Crusader States. By 1291, all these areas had been taken back by Muslim armies. The Crusader’s Creed
Pope Urban linked the idea of holy war with the idea of pilgrimage. He explained the idea in feudal terms: Since Jesus was every Christian’s Lord; his vassals were obliged to defend his lands and shrines, which Turks had violated. So a crusade was a just, or righteous, war. The word crusade comes from the had a huge red cross, made out of made all crusaders, irrespective of army. It reminded the crusaders that cross was added to flags and Latin word crux, or “cross.” Each crusader fabric, stitched onto their shirts or armor. It rank or background, appear to be a unified they were fighting a holy cause. The red banners. People who “took the cross” made many sacrifices. Knights sold estates and borrowed money to pay for the long and dangerous trip (from which they might never return). Along the way, crusaders faced robbers, hunger, and disease before they ever encountered the enemy.