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THE CRUSADES
 Around 1000, the kingdoms of
Western Europe had one thing in
common – Christianity.
 The Crusades exemplify the church’s
great influence over medieval
European society.
 The Crusades were holy wars against
the Muslims and Arabs who
controlled the Holy Land (Jerusalem
and other sites Jesus preached).
 Muslims and Arabs had controlled
the Holy Land since the 7th century.
They did, however, tolerate Christian
pilgrims.
 In 1071, a hard-line Muslim group
took over the Holy Land and banned
Christian pilgrims.
 Pope Urban II called on European kings to launch a crusade or holy war to
retake the Holy Land in the name of Christianity.
The 1st Crusade (1096-1099)
 Involved up 34 000 knights and peasant soldiers
 A success
 The Europeans took Muslim territory along the eastern Mediterranean and
renamed the area the Christian States.
 In 1099, the Crusaders captured the Holy Land and the Holy City (Jerusalem).
The 2nd Crusade (1147)
 A failure: The Crusaders unsuccessfully attempted to win back lands the
Muslims had recaptured.
The 3rd Crusade (1187-1192)
 Saladin (a great Muslim leader) captured Jerusalem and 3 European Kings led
by Richard the Lionheart of England launched a crusade to retake the Holy
City.
 Neither side could defeat the other, therefore, they called a truce in 1192.
Christians were now allowed to visit Jerusalem.
The 4th Crusade (1202)
 Led by the city of Venice, the crusaders attacked and conquered the city of
Constantinople instead of the Holy Land.
 Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine empire and Venice’s rival.
 This crusade was viewed as an embarrassment to the church because
Constantinople was a Christian city.
Results of the Crusades
 The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church became highly esteemed thanks to
the 1st and 3rd crusades.
 Kings actually became more powerful because many of those that might
have challenged their authority were killed in the Crusades.
 Eastern products were introduced to Europe (ie. Cotton, sugar, spices).