The Crusades

1096 -

1291

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Jerusalem is a very holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

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- Christ’s Empty Tomb

- Wailing Wall

- Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem and Palestine came under Muslim rule in the 7th century, but Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together relatively peacefully. All faiths made pilgrimages there.

11th century, the Seljuk Turks, a rising Muslim power had gained control of Palestine.

The Seljuk Turks came from Central Asia. Had taken over Baghdad from the Abbasids in 1055.

Travel for pilgrimages to Holy Land was reportedly growing unsafe. Byzantine emperor in Constantinople was worried that they would expand into Constantinople. In 1095, the emperor asked Pope Urban for help.

Pope Urban called a council and called for a crusade to drive Muslims back and reclaim Jerusalem.

“Jerusalem is now held captive by the enemies of Christ and is subjected, by those who do not know God, to the worship of the heathen (unconverted). She seeks… to be liberated, and (implores) you to come to her aid. On whom, therefore, rests the labor of avenging these wrongs and of recovering this territory, if not upon you?” Pope Urban, 1095…listeners reportedly responded “God wills it! God wills it!”Pope Urban had goals of reuniting Eastern and Western Christians under his rule, helping the Byzantines could possibly help him.

Reasons to go on a crusades:Entry to Heaven for all who joined the fight.Merchants might earn money in tradeNobles might gain estates in the new kingdoms established in the Holy Land.

First Crusade (1096-1099)30,000 –45,000 crusaders. Only about 4,000 true “knights,” the rest were foot soldiers, cooks, archers, women, and priests.They fought their way through modern day Turkey and finally captured Jerusalem in 1099. The Christians massacred Muslims and Jews throughout the city. Survivors were sold into slavery. They established four crusader kingdoms, temporarily spreading Europe’s feudal system to the Holy Land.

Second Crusade (1146-1148)Muslims started uniting to defeat the crusaders and captured one of the crusader kingdoms, Edessa. Christians were angered by this and mounted the Second Crusade, but they were defeated.

Between the 2nd and 3rd crusades:Salah-al-Din, had united Muslims in Egypt, Syria, and lands to the east. Horns of Hattin•Crusader army of 20,000 was exhausted from marching through the desert. When they camped at night the Muslim soldiers led by Salah-al-Din surrounded them and set fire to the valley and then attacked. Most were killed or taken captive, but Salah-al-Din guaranteed the safety of the fleeing pilgrims, released husbands from captivity, and gave gift to widows and orphans.•He took back Jerusalem.•He didn’t kill his prisoners, like the crusaders. He freed many captives, or sold them for ransom. Some became slaves.

Third Crusade (1189-1192) or the Crusade of Kings

King Richard I or England (Richard the Lionheart) led the fight against Salah-al-Din to take back Jerusalem.At one point, when the two sides were trying to make an agreement, King Richard got impatient and killed all 2700 of his Muslim prisoners. By September 1192, both armies were weak from battle and so Richard and Salah-al-Din signed a peace treaty. The crusaders kept some cities along the coast of Palestine. Muslims agreed to let Christian pilgrims enter Jerusalem.

Fourth Crusade (1202-1204)Merchants of Venice wanted to strengthen their trade routes and sought to install the next Byzantine emperor. The crusaders went to Constantinople and tried to install a new emperor, and when the people rebelled, they pillaged the city in what’s called “the Sack of Constantinople.” Burned, stole, desecrated“How shall I begin to tell of the deeds done by these wicked men? They trampled the images underfoot instead of adoring them. They threw the relics of the martyrs into filth… They broke into bits the sacred altar of Santa Sophia, and distributed it among the soldiers. When the sacred vessels and the silver and gold ornaments were to be carried off, they brought up mules and saddle horses inside the church itself.” –Nicetas Choniates, 1204

Later Crusades

Children’s CrusadesPoor PeasantsFew made it to the Holy Land, many sold into slavery, many disappeared.By 1291, Muslims had taken back the last crusader city, ending 200 years of Christian kingdoms in the Holy Land.

Reconquista

Christian rulers in northern Spain started attacking Muslim controlled Southern Spain. Between 1085 and 1492, Christians were began gaining territory.Inquisition thousands of Muslims and Jews who had converted to Christianity were tortured to find out if they were practicing their old religions. Thousands were burned at the stake. 1492 Columbus and Jews were forced to become Catholic or leave. More than 170,000 Jews left their home forever. In 1609, all remaining Muslims were forced out.

Effects for Christians1. Many died or suffered terribly from the crusades2. Increased use of money in Europe. (kings started taxing for crusades)3. Monarchs grew more powerful, feudalism was weakened.4. Christians learned about new clothes, spices, technology, etc., brought back luxury items.5. Learned new military tactics, perhaps gained gunpowder from Muslims who had learned of it from the Chinese.6. New styles of music and literature7. opened the eyes of Europeans to the great size of the world, paving the way for an age of discovery

Effects for MuslimsMuslim society more advanced, so less to gain.Gained new weapons and military technologyGrew wealthy from trade, helped fund projects.Allowed Muslims to band together.

Effects for JewsBy the end of the crusades, the situation had worsened for Jews.

They could not hold public office. Lost trading jobsRiots and massacres in multiples cities1290 England expelled1394 France

ghettos developed.

Slide1: The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 (Source: Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris)weekly.ahram.org.eg/ 2002/585/bo2.htm

Slide 2: www.religionfacts.com/ islam/places/jerusalem.htm,http://www.bethelnr.org/index.cfm?ID=539, www.ebibleteacher.com/ imagehtml/ntplaces.html