Download Chapter 14 Section 1 The Crusades

Chapter 14 Section 1
The Crusades
Main Idea
The Crusades, a series of attempts to gain Christian control of the Holy Land, had a profound economic,
political, and social impact on the societies involved.
Reading Focus
• Why did the Europeans launch the Crusades?
• What happened during the Crusades?
• What were the effects of 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, disaster for city
• Renamed four states in Holy Land, intended to be strongholds against future Muslim conquests
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
• Salah ad-Din, known to Europeans as Saladin
• Overthrew Fatimids, 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
• 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
Social Changes
• 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
Causes and Effects of the Crusades
Causes
Effects
Muslims controlled the Holy Land
Trade increased
The Byzantine Emperor feared Muslim Turks
would destroy Constantinople
Kings gained more power
Pope Urban II called for Christians to join a
Crusade at the Council of Clermont
Knowledge of Muslim culture spread throughout
Europe
Relations between Christians and Jews became
increasingly strained