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Chapter 14: The High Middle
Ages
Section 1: The Crusades
Launching the Crusades
Goal of Crusades
• European Christians launched series of
religious wars, Crusades, in Middle
Ages
• Goal to take Jerusalem, Holy Land,
away from Muslims
• Jerusalem site of Holy Temple of Jews,
also where Jesus crucified, buried, was
to come again
• Vital to Christians to control city
Muslims Control Holy Land
• Jerusalem in control of North African
Muslims, Fatimids, late 1000s
• Turkish Muslims took control of Persia,
other lands, persecuted Christians
visiting region
• Turks attacked Byzantine Empire,
destroyed army, 1071
• Emperor turned to Western Europe,
Pope Urban II, for help
The Council of Clermont
• Pope Urban II called church leaders to council in Clermont,
France
• Described dangers faced by Byzantines
• Called on Christian warriors to put aside differences, fight
against Turks
– Effective call to arms
– Hundreds of knights, nobles volunteered for Crusade
– Set out to meet foes with slogan “God wills it!”
Fighting the Crusades
Crusaders left France in 1096 in First Crusade. In all, nine Crusades set out between
1096 and 1291 to claim or protect the Holy Land.
First Crusade
• Crusaders in two groups, peasants
and knights
• Unskilled peasants answered Pope’s
call
– Eager to fight non-Christians in
Holy Land
– On the way attacked and
slaughtered German Jews despite
protests
– Fell to Seljuk Turkish army at
Jerusalem
Knights
• Better trained in warfare than
peasants, but unprepared for
hardship of journey
• Traveled three years
• Siege of Jerusalem victory for
Crusaders
• Renamed four states in Holy Land,
intended to be strongholds against
future Muslim conquests
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikssfUhAlgg
Second Crusade
• Muslims began retaking lands lost in First Crusade
• Took city of Edessa, capital of one Crusader state, 1144
• European leaders called for Second Crusade, launched in 1147
• Second Crusade a failure, took no lands from Muslims
Third Crusade
• New leader arose in Muslim world, 1177
• known to Europeans as Saladin
• took title of sultan
• Set out to take back Crusader states, succeeded, drove European Christians out of
Jerusalem
Third Crusade
Three Kings
• Richard, Philip, Frederick set out from Europe on Third Crusade
• Frederick was killed, Philip quarreled with Richard, returned home
• Only King Richard the Lion-Hearted of England fought in Holy Land
Mutual Respect
• Richard, Saladin admired each other as military leaders, gentlemen
• Made proposals for peace, including marriage alliance of Richard’s sister, Saladin’s
brother; never took place because of religious differences
Fierce Fighting
• Richard, Saladin fought fiercely for control of Holy Land
• Richard won several battles, not able to drive Muslims out of Holy Land
• Richard could not take Jerusalem, had to return to England
Fourth and Later Crusades
Fourth Crusade, 1201
• Jerusalem still in Muslim hands
• Crusaders could not pay Venetians to
take them to Holy Land
• In lieu of payment, Crusaders agreed
to attack Zara
Constantinople
• Crusaders pushed on
• Attacked Christian city of
Constantinople
• Ransacked city, made one leader new
emperor
Zara
• Zara once belonged to Venice, now
held by Christian king of Hungary
• Pope angered that Christian city
attacked, excommunicated all
More Failures
• Disorganization, lack of leadership
made Fourth Crusade failure
• Five other Crusades followed, none
successful
Effects of the Crusades
Economic Changes
• Historic evidence of trade between Muslims, Byzantines, Europeans prior to
Crusades
• Crusades enhanced existing trade
• Returning Crusaders brought more goods, spices, textiles, to Europe
• Increase in trade added to changing European economy during Middle Ages
Political Changes
Social Changes
• Crusades led to deaths of many
knights, nobles
• Lands left vulnerable
• Other ambitious nobles took control of
unoccupied lands
• Nobles then had more power,
influence in Europe
• Some Europeans respected other
cultures, others intolerant
• Many viewed non-Christians as
enemies, persecuted Jews
• Holy Land Jews saw Crusaders as cruel
invaders
• Relations strained for centuries