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The Crusades
Impact of the Church
• Remember that the church is the
most important entity during the
time.
• Everyone looks up to the church for
guidance, hope, salvation,
education etc.
• Pope rules almost as a King.
Why Did the Crusades
Begin?
• 1. Reclaim Land of Christ and stop
Muslim invasion
• 2. Heal the rift between Roman and
Orthodox Christianity
• 3. Harness energy of lords and
knights
Initial Ideas
• 1074 Pope Gregory VII called
for “soldiers of Christ” to aid
the Byzantine Empire from
Turks (laugh!)
• Mad when Christian pilgrims to
Jerusalem are abused.
• Muslim Invasions spark Christian
zeal (support) for the Crusades.
Muslim Invasion
• Jerusalem sacred to Christian faith
• Islam spread and they took control of
Jerusalem in 638 (could still visit)
• Turks invade Byzantine take
Constantinople. (no more pilgrimages)
– Emperor Alexius I ask Urban II for help from
knights
Penitential Warfare
• How justify war if church is peaceful?
• St Augustine and Pope Gregory VII
argue that if in defense or by order of
the church then is ok
– Called Penitential Warfare
– Offered absolution to those who died
fighting for the cross
– Pope Urban II endorsed when called for
the First Crusade
The Crusades
• Eight Total
• First was most documented and
successful
• Set the tone for what the Crusades
were all about.
First Crusade
(1096-1099)
• Pope Urban decides to help Alexius in
order to reunite Empire under Papacy
(control of the Pope).
• Council of Clermont: Urban II gives a
speech inspiring French nobles and
clergy to take back Jerusalem. (peasants
find meaning in the cause as well!)
People’s Crusade
• 100,000 people set out for
Jerusalem.
• Have trouble getting supplies and
food. (drought)
• Not treated well by cities…having
difficulty.
• Most warriors are unskilled!
Christian Crusaders
• Speech given in France by Pope
Urban II so many French knights
answer the call.
• Also peasants, women, and
children.
• Many want the opportunity to have
salvation so want to participate in
the Crusades.
Antioch
• First “Christian” site. Matthew wrote
gospels there.
• Took 9 months to gain control.
• Many Turks were massacred (closed
in, disease)
• Found Holy Lance: Rally around it to
victory
– Finally defeated Turks
Movement to Jerusalem
• Some stay in Antioch others on to
Jerusalem
• Hard struggle
– Failure, lack of water and supplies, fast
and repent for sins
– Finally conquer city and massacred
every Muslim and Jew in the city
End of First Crusade
• Successful (only one)
– Won back Jerusalem
• Pope Urban II died 2 weeks later
(never heard news)
• People returned home to families as
heroes and those who did not
participate are shunned.
German Crusade
• Jews persecuted as “non-believers”.
Some seek out Jews instead of heading
to Jerusalem to fight Muslims
• Enter Jewish lands and told to convert or
be killed…mass killings and mass suicides.
• Pope Urban promised rewards from God
for killing non-Christians.
Effects of First
Crusade
• Restored the Church
• Created Military Orders to protect people
• Knights of St. John: Built a hospital wore
white crosses and protected pilgrims
• Knights Templar: 1119 by French knights
wore red crosses and protected pilgrims
to and from Holy Land
• Teutonic Knights: German and joined
others
Other Crusades
• Various reasons…8 in total…most
attempt to gain back other lands.
• Jerusalem lost and tried to gain it
back again.
• Unsuccessful.
• Way for the church to keep control
of the people.
Conclusion
• Crusades had negative lasting affects
– Separated the Byzantine East from Roman
West
– Created a divide between Islam and
Christianity
• Still exists today
– Christianity more powerful and dominate
during the time.
– Created a warrior Aristocracy who are
looking for new conquests.
Conclusion continued…
• Positive affects of Crusades
– Idea of Heroism
• Encourage us to ponder what
divides the religions and similarities
and differences