Download The Crusades

The Crusades
An extended religious war fought between Christian and
Muslim forces for possession of Jerusalem and the Holy
Land
1095-1291
The rundown…
• European Christians
(England, France, Italy,
Germany, & Turkey)
• vs. Middle Eastern
Muslims (Palestine, Syria,
Egypt, & North Africa)
• Fought mostly in Anatolia
(Turkey), the Holy Land, &
Egypt
• Led to clash of Eastern vs.
Western cultures and
exchange of ideas, food,
etc.
Key Events
• 634-44: Holy Land conquered by
Muslims
• 1095: Byzantine emperor asks Pope
for help
• 1096: First Crusade begins
• 1099: Jerusalem captured by
Christians
• 1147: Second Crusade begins
• 1187: Jerusalem captured by Muslims
• 1189: Third Crusade begins
• 1204: Crusaders sack Constantinople
• 1291: Last crusader outpost in Holy
Land, Acre,
falls
Strategy
Crusaders
• Recapture Holy Land in
name of Christianity
• Organized territory on
feudal lines
• Defend conquests in Holy
Land with castle
• Turn European aggression
outward
• Offer immediate forgiveness
of sins to Crusaders
Muslims
• Repulse Christian attacks
• Avoid civil wars between
Muslim states
Tactics
Crusaders
• Center of attack was charge
of heavy cavalry (knights)
• Shock of heavy cavalry
charge was meant to
shatter the enemy
• Foot soldiers, archers used
to support main attack
Muslims
• Widely used fast moving
mounted archers
• Main component of army
was Mamluks (turkish
military slaves)
Technology
Crusaders
• Lances
• Swords
• Iron helmets and chain mail
tunics
• Kite-shaped shields
• Footsoldiers armed with
what they could afford
• crossbows
Muslims
• Lightly armored, leather or
horn tunics
• Iron helmets
• Heavy cavalry had chain
mail
• Composite bows
Leadership
Crusaders
• GUY OF LUSIGNAN
– King of Jerusalem 1185
– Attempted to relieve garrison
at Tiberias
– Marched army from sources of
water
– Crushed at Battle of Hattin by
Saladin
– Led to Muslim conquest of
Jerusalem
• RICHARD THE LIONHEART
– King of England (spent only 6
months of his reign in England)
– Led 3rd Crusade, forced to sue
for peace with Saladin
Muslims
• SALADIN
– Kurdish Muslim who unified
Egypt & Syria after sezing
power in 1174
– United Muslims against
Crsuaders
– Captured Jerusalem around
1187
– Employed scorched earth
methods against Richard
– His chivalrous actions led to his
legend during the Crusades
Logistics
Crusaders
• Establish bases in Holy Land
• Depended on influx of
European soldiers
motivated by religion
and/or greed
• Distance from Europe made
success difficult
Muslims
• Wear down Crusader
armies
• Depended on Mamluks and
other soldiers from nearby
Middle Eastern states
• Benefitted from
geographical location
“home turf”
Military Orders
• Several religious military orders were formed
in the Holy Land during the Crusades
– Templars
– Hospitallers
– Teutonic Knights
The Northern Crusade