Download The Crusades

The Crusades
1095-1291
Background Stuff
• The Ancient Romans were the most powerful
empire in the world – having expanded from a
city state, they eventually took over all of the
known world.
• Rome fell in 590 CE, although their decline had
been occurring for at least 300 years.
• The fall of Rome indicates the start of the period
known as The Dark Ages.
• Rome took on Catholicism as their main religion
which survived the fall.
Why did the Holy Roman Empire need
to retain their power?
• From 590 to 1517, the Roman Church
dominated the western world. The Roman
Catholic
Church
controlled
religion,
philosophy, morals, politics, art, economics
and education.
What was the Cause for the Crusades?
• The reason for the crusades was a war between
Christians and Moslims which centred around the
city of Jerusalem. The City of Jerusalem held a
Holy significance to the Christian religion. The
Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
commemorated the hill of crucifixion and the
tomb of Christ's burial and was visited by
Pilgrims. In 1065 Jerusalem was taken by the
Turks and 3000 Christians were massacred
starting a chain of events which contributed to
the cause of the crusades.
• Decline of Christendom
vs Expansion of Muslim states
• 1071 CE: Battle of Manzikert
• Battle was to stop the Seljuk Turks from
moving into Christendom, and for the Holy
Roman Empire to not lose influence.
• Romans were smashed!!
Council of Claremont
In 1095 Pope Claremont, at the Council of
Claremont, announced the first crusade – it’s
purpose?
To drive back the advancing Muslim peoples.
A war against the infidels!!
The irony of the crusades is perhaps that these
‘Christian’ men were very prepared to do very bad
things to secure political power and influence.
 Actions of crusaders.
What were the Objectives of the Crusades?
• The Objectives of the crusades was at first to
release the Holy Land, in particular Jerusalem,
from the Saracens, but in time was extended
to seizing Spain from the Moors, the Slavs
and Pagans from eastern Europe, and the
islands of the Mediterranean.
How many Crusades were there?
• There were a total of nine crusades! The first
four crusades were seen as the most important
and scant reference is made to the other
crusades - with the exception of the Children's
crusade which effectively led to the decline of the
crusades. For a period of two hundred years
Europe and Asia were engaged in almost
constant warfare. Throughout this period there
was a continuous movement of crusaders to and
from the Moslem possessions in Asia Minor,
Syria, and Egypt.
The First Crusade
• The first crusade, which lasted from 10951099, established the Latin Kingdom of
Jerusalem, providing more lands for the
crusading knights, who often travelled across
Europe to try their fortunes and to visit the
Holy Sepulchre.
The First Crusade was the most successful from a military
point of view. Accounts of this action are shocking. For
example, historian Raymond of Agiles described the capture
of Jerusalem by the Crusaders in 1099:
• Some of our men cut off the heads of their enemies; others
shot them with arrows, so that they fell from the towers;
others tortured them longer by casting them into the
flames. Piles of heads, hands and feet were to be seen in
the streets of the city. It was necessary to pick one's way
over the bodies of men and horses. But these were small
matters compared to what happened at the temple of
Solomon, a place where religious services ware ordinarily
chanted. What happened there? If I tell the truth, it will
exceed your powers of belief. So let it suffice to say this
much at least, that in the temple and portico of Solomon,
men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins.
Why Crusade?
• Adventure
• Ladies
• Plunder
• Honour / Glory
• Duty – but not to a country • Religion
Guaranteed acceptance into Heaven
System of Indulgences / Salvation by Works
Crusaders got to sew a red cross on their cloths to
indicate their acceptance as a knight.
• “I say it to those who are present. I command
that it be said to those who absent. Christ
commands it. All who go thither and lose their
lives, be it on the road or on the sea, or in the
fight against the pagans, will be granted
immediate forgiveness for their sins. This I
grant to all who will march, by virtue of the
great gift which God has given me.” ~Urban II
Legacy
• Relationship between Muslim and Christian countries and
peoples today
• Opened up trade routes through to Asia Minor and the
Middle East.
• Promoted ideas of trade, introduced by goods such as
spices and silks.
• Led into exploration of the world.
• New ideas and philosophies gained by interactions with
other cultures.
• New Weapons gained by interactions with other
civilisations.
 Arguably this led to the Renaissance.
Legacy Cont.
• Brought back much wealth – re-ignition of
European economies.
• Also brought back the Black Death, which
killed 1/3 of Europe’s population.
• Legacy of Church corruption, and invention of
new religious ways – including the infallibility
of the Roman Catholic Church.
Legacy Cont. II!!!
• The crusades halted the Muslim advance into
Western Europe.
• Speculate: What would Europe look like today,
if it were essentially, a Muslim continent.
• Speculate: Would Europe have been the scene
for the world wars, great art and literature,
political ideals or dominant economies?
 Consider how this would have affected
Australia’s discovery and our nation today.