Download 1.3 Why did the Crusades occur and how they they

1.3
Why did the Crusades occur and how did they impact Europe?
CLASSWORK (part 1): Please read and annotate the three paragraphs below.
In the 1050s, Seljuk Turks, who were Muslims, invaded the Byzantine Empire and conquered Palestine,
known to the Christians as the Holy Land. Christians referred to this area as the Holy Land because it was where
Jesus had lived and taught. Muslims and Jews also considered the land holy. The leader of the Byzantine Empire,
Alexius I, asked the pope for help in defeating the Turks. Under the leadership of Pope Urban II, the Catholic
Church called for a movement to drive the Muslims out of Palestine. The pope believed that the Crusades would
increase his power in Europe. Christians who answered the pope’s call were known as crusaders. Men and women
from all over Western Europe left their homes to reclaim the Holy Land. Many never returned. There were other
secular reasons for the Crusades as well. Nobles hoped to gain wealth and land by participating in the Crusades.
Adventurers saw the Crusades as a chance for travel and excitement. Serfs hoped to escape feudal oppression by
fighting in the Crusades.
For nearly 200 years, Christians fought a series of religious wars known as the Crusades. Only the first of
four Crusades came close to achieving its goals. In 1099, Christians captured the city of Jerusalem during the First
Crusade. In the late 1100s, Muslim leader Saladin united the Muslim world. Saladin and his army took control of
Jerusalem. Later Crusades also resulted in failure for the Christians.
The Crusades left a legacy of ill will and distrust between Christians and Muslims. However, the Crusades
had other effects as well. Trade increased, and the European economy expanded. The Crusades increased the power
of monarchs, who had gained the right to increase taxes in order to support fighting. At the same time, the
institution of feudalism was weakening. Traditionally, lords had required grain or labor from their serfs. Now,
needing money to finance the Crusades, they began to ask for payment of rent in money. Feudalism was weakened,
and an economy based on money, not land, took hold. Europeans also benefited from the learning and cultural
achievements of Islam in the fields of mathematics, science, literature, art, and geographical knowledge.
CLASSWORK (part 2): On a separate sheet of paper, please write down the focus question. Then, answer
the following questions in complete sentences IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. What caused the Crusades?
2. What were the reasons why people became crusaders?
3. What was the outcome of the Crusades?
4. How did the Crusades impact Europe?
5. Do you think that the overall impact of the Crusades was positive or negative? Explain your answer.
HOMEWORK: Use SOAPSTone to analyze the document below.
Pope Urban II’s Crusade Speech
Pope Urban II assisted Emperor Alexius I in launching the first crusade. He made one of the most influential
speeches in the Middle Ages, calling on Christian princes in Europe to go on a crusade to rescue the Holy Land
from the Turks. In the speech given at the Council of Clermont in France, on November 27, 1095, he combined the
ideas of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with that of waging a holy war against infidels.
"The noble race of Franks must come to the aid of their fellow Christians in the East. The infidel Turks are
advancing into the heart of Eastern Christendom; Christians are being oppressed and attacked; churches and
holy places are being defiled. Jerusalem is groaning under the Saracen yoke. The Holy Sepulchre is in Moslem
hands and has been turned into a mosque. Pilgrims are harassed and even prevented from access to the Holy
Land. The West must march to the defense of the East. All should go, rich and poor alike. The Franks must
stop their internal wars and squabbles. Let them go instead against the infidel and fight a righteous war. God
himself will lead them, for they will be doing His work. There will be absolution and remission of sins for all
who die in the service of Christ. Here they are poor and miserable sinners; there they will be rich and happy.
Let none hesitate; they must march next summer. God wills it!”
SOAPSTone
Speaker
Who is the speaker, or author, of the
document? Include information about the
speaker beyond just a name.
Occasion
What is the short-term occasion of this
document? What is the long-term
occasion?
Audience
Who is the audience for this document?
Purpose
What is the purpose of this document?
Subject
What is the subject of this document?
Tone
What is the tone of the document?