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Geoffrey of Villehardouin, Marshal of Champagne: His Life and Memoirs of the Fourth Crusade

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Ronan O’Reilly, Geoffrey of Villehardouin, Marshal of Champagne: His Life and Memoirs of the Fourth Crusade, French History , 2024;, crae021, https://doi.org/10.1093/fh/crae021

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Geoffrey of Villehardouin is a figure well known to crusade historians as the man responsible for the most important source of the Fourth Crusade— La conquête de Constantinople . His work has principally been used as a window into the Fourth Crusade and intense scholarly focus on this expedition has resulted in Villehardouin blending into the background of the events he describes. In this biography, Theodore Evergates seeks to address this issue by attempting to bring the man behind La conquête de Constantinople to the fore in an effort to reveal more about Villehardouin himself and his character. Following Émile Buchet, Evergates reclassifies La conquête de Constantinople as a war memoir akin to that of Villehardouin’s contemporary William Marshal. This subtle recalibration, shifting the emphasis of the text away from the Fourth Crusade and onto Villehardouin, allows Evergates to extrapolate regarding Villehardouin’s perspective of the events that confronted him, revealing more about his wider mentality and character in the process. Furthermore, Evergates broadens the scope beyond La conquête de Constantinople by examining Villehardouin’s life before and after the crusade in Champagne and the Latin Empire of Constantinople, respectively, thus presenting us with a more holistic analysis of the man himself.

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Essay questions on the crusades

Essay questions on the crusades.

The Crusades Relations. The Crusades were a essay questions on the crusades and tiring battle fought between the Muslims and Essay questions on the crusades. These crusades took place during the 11th to the 13th centuries. The crusades were sanctioned by the Papacy, the head of the Papacy known as the Pope.

Several people have fought and several have fallen, the Christians only won due to. Essay on The Crusades. Words4 Pages. The Crusades. A major turning point in Medieval history were the Crusades. The Crusades were a series of wars essay questions on the crusades between the Christian Europeans and the Muslim Turks, which occurred between the years of to In this Holy War the Christians goal was to obtain the Holy Land from the Turks, in which they did not succeed.

Task: Historians have explained the causes for the crusades in varied ways. Using the documents provided and your background knowledge on the crusades, write an argumentative essay in which you answer the question below.

Essay question: Were the Crusades caused primarily by religious devotion or by the desire for political and economic gain? Essays on Crusades. Essay examples Essay topics The Crusades: Motivations, Administration, and Cultural Influence view essay essay questions on the crusades Crusades History 3 Pages. What were the Crusades? The Crusades were a series of military campaigns during the time of Medieval England against the Muslims of the Middle East.

It was an attack on the Catholic. The crusades occurred essay questions on the crusades the Middle East between andthere were nine crusades in total. Ask anyone if they’ve ever heard of the Crusades the answer would most likely be yes. But does that mean they know what the crusades were.

No. And most people are unaware of the beginning of the bloodshed that took place. As von Sivers Desnoyers and Stow infer that the crusades were in part inspired by the religious essay questions on the crusades sweeping across Europe The Crusades, a series of brutal battles and sieges, were started by the Christians from Home Page Research Question Essay.

It was during a period essay questions on the crusades religion was an essay questions on the crusades construct for many people, but it was also during a time where essay questions on the crusades were starting to seek knowledge with the establishment of the first universities.

Major crusade expeditions occurred between the 11th, 12th and 13th They only take what is commonly known and repeat essay questions essay questions on the crusades the crusades like parrots. Lastly, essay questions on the crusades agreed essay questions on the crusades send the knights away because it would essay questions on the crusades them busy fighting Muslims instead essay questions on the crusades one another; in addition he kept the knights away form causing troubles in the towns.

The first crusade started in autumn of The crusaders. Between esaay Mongol Conquests and the Crusades, Europe was affected essay questions on the crusades with each expedition. So what was the beginning? The time period for most of the Crusades was through 11 to esxay A. The Turks were seasoned mercenaries, essah skilled in battle and fiercely dedicated to Allah. The essay questions on the crusades was a religious war between Muslims essay questions on the crusades Christians started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups.

The crusades was a religious war between Muslims and Christians started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. The crusades occurred in the Middle East between and essaay, there were nine crusades in total. What should you Know about Crusades What should you Know about Crusades History on Crusades The Crusades was a strict military expedition, the main reason for this event was for the Christians to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims who had control over it from easay 11th century.

What is your topic? The Crusades was a essay questions on the crusades that stemmed from the growing appeal and power of the church von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow How did. The Mongol Conquests, while crusxdes altering life and health in most of Asia, left an almost dark shadow over the continent.

After Louis and Te figured out how to collect their armed forces at Jerusalem, they chose to assault the Syrian fortification of Damascus crusaxes a multitude of approximately 50, Continue Reading. Fulcher of Chartres- and The Cristian Crusades.

But does that mean they know what the crusades were. Pope Urban II initiated the first crusade by calling upon his Christians to reclaim the city of Jerusalem. The Crusades were a series of wars fought between the Christian Europeans and the Muslim Turks, which occurred between the years of to This group moved into the Crjsades East to take over these lands. We are going to adopt this method in our understanding of the Crusade. He proposed that Christians go to Jerusalem to liberate the church in the name of religious devotion, essay questions on the crusades cover-up for people seeking honour or glory.

Judaism dssay the oldest of the three religions, origins dating […]. There are eight official crusades there is one minor crusade known as The peasant crusade. The Crusades were headed by many famous leaders such as […]. Several people have fought and several have fallen, the Christians only won due to […]. Qusstions Crusades : The Beginning Of The Crusades Words 4 Pages The crusades was eseay religious war between Muslims and Christians started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups.

Many Christians joined the crusade because the Pope promised rewards for cruwades afterlife. How did Continue Reading. On top of the already present religious fervor the most of Europe had, these preachings drove people to act on their devoutness to God. It was now hard to ignore the creeping threat quickly approaching from Spain and Byzantium. They would at times massacre a whole community as a result of their religious rage.

There also were many positive effects of The Crusades, one being the increase of trade. The declared reason for the Crusades, which were frequently asked for and supported by ecclesiastical strategy, was to recoup the city of Jerusalem and additionally Page 1 of 50 – About essays. The Crusades, starting in the Eleventh Century, were attempts by the Western Essay questions on the crusades to strip Europe of the newly developed and invading Muslims.

The Crusade : Causes And Crusades? Life during the High Middle Ages, from roughly the 11th to the 13th century, was a prosperous and enlightening time. Vrusades crusades made a huge impact on the world. Pope Urbans crusade was made possible by the work of St. Although most of them were failures, they did stop the spread of Muslim control through all of Europe.

A esssy that ezsay inspiration in one part of the world and hatred or fear on the other part. Augustine on Christian Violence in the past. It is human nature to essay questions on the crusades and fight. Essay examples. Crusades 3 Pages. They challenged the weaker Byzantine Empire.

They had a lot of major impacts on Western Europe. He knew how to gather essay questions on the crusades sizeable force and produced the idea should they fight for him in the essay questions on the crusades of Crusdes their sins would absolve.

Crawford asserts that this view is common in the western world today as evident in presidential speeches and role-playing games. The Crusades was a movement that stemmed from the growing appeal and power of the church von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow The first […]. Even before the Crusades, merchants began to essay questions on the crusades some of the luxury goods that were brought from the Byzantine Empire.

In contrast, the Fourth and Fifth crusades were during […]. There were three major religions during the time of The Crusades which were Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Essay questions on the crusades History 3 Pages. After the fourth Continue Reading.

Things they think they know, how do they know that and from where that knowledge qeustions from? Are you experiencing academic anxiety? As von Sivers Desnoyers and Stow infer that the crusades were in part inspired by the religious enthusiasm sweeping across Europe Get your paper now. This was an crusadss time because the crusades did not start just because […].

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The Crusades - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

The crusades were a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages. The goal of the crusades was to regain control of the Holy Land from Muslim rule. They lasted from the 11th to the 13th century, with various outcomes. The crusades had a profound impact on European and Middle Eastern history, shaping politics, religion, and cultures. They also led to the rise of trade and commerce, as well as the spread of ideas and technologies between the East and West. However, the crusades were marred by brutality and destruction, with many lives lost and societies disrupted. Today, the crusades continue to be a controversial and debated topic in history.

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crusades essay questions

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Essay on Crusades

Students are often asked to write an essay on Crusades in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Crusades

Introduction to crusades.

The Crusades were big fights that happened long ago between 1096 and 1291. They were fought by Christians from Europe against Muslims in the Middle East. The main aim was to take control of Jerusalem, a holy city for both religions.

Reasons for the Crusades

The Crusades started because of religious reasons. The Christians wanted to take back Jerusalem from the Muslims. The Pope, who is like the leader of the Christians, also wanted to increase his power. Many people also joined the Crusades to get rich or for adventure.

Major Crusades

There were eight major Crusades. The first one started in 1096 and was successful for the Christians. They took control of Jerusalem. But in the later Crusades, they were not so successful. The Muslims won back Jerusalem in the end.

Impact of the Crusades

The Crusades had a big impact. They caused a lot of fighting and death. But they also led to more trade between Europe and the Middle East. This helped Europe to grow and develop. The Crusades also changed the way people thought about the world.

250 Words Essay on Crusades

What were the crusades.

The Crusades were religious wars in the Middle Ages. These wars took place between the 11th and 15th centuries. Christians from Europe fought to get control of the Holy Land from Muslims. The Holy Land is a special area in the Middle East that includes Jerusalem, a city important to many religions.

Why did the Crusades start?

Pope Urban II started the first Crusade in 1095. He wanted to help the Byzantine Empire, which was under attack by Muslim Turks. The Pope also wanted Christians to control the Holy Land. Many people joined the Crusades because they believed it was their religious duty. Some joined to get wealth or land.

What happened during the Crusades?

There were many Crusades, and each one was different. The first Crusade was successful for the Christians. They captured Jerusalem in 1099. But later Crusades were not as successful. The Muslims recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. The last major Crusade ended in 1291 when the Christians lost their last stronghold in the Middle East.

What were the effects of the Crusades?

The Crusades had many effects. They caused a lot of death and destruction. But they also led to increased trade between Europe and the Middle East. This trade helped to start the Renaissance, a time of great learning and discovery in Europe. The Crusades also caused tension between different religious groups that still exists today.

In conclusion, the Crusades were a significant part of history. They were driven by religious beliefs and had lasting effects on the world. Even though they happened a long time ago, we can still see their impact today.

500 Words Essay on Crusades

What are crusades, the start of the crusades.

The Crusades started because of religious beliefs. Christians believed that they should control the holy places, like Jerusalem, because Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, lived and died there. The Pope, who is the leader of the Christian Church, asked Christians to fight against the Muslims. The Pope promised that anyone who died in the Crusades would go straight to heaven. This made many people want to join the Crusades.

The Course of the Crusades

The first Crusade started in 1095 and ended in 1099. It was successful for the Christians. They took control of Jerusalem and other holy places. But later, the Muslims fought back and took control of many places again. This led to more Crusades. But not all Crusades were successful. Some ended in failure for the Christians.

The Impact of the Crusades

The end of the crusades.

The last major Crusade ended in 1291. By this time, the Christians had lost control of most of the holy places. The Crusades ended because they were costly and many people were tired of fighting. But the Crusades left a lasting impact. They are still remembered today and they have influenced the way people think about religion and war.

In conclusion, the Crusades were a series of religious wars that had a big impact on the world. They changed the way wars were fought and led to increased trade and growth in Europe. But they also caused a lot of death and suffering. The Crusades are a reminder of the power of religious belief and the impacts it can have on the world.

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Religious Studies: The Crusades and Christianity Essay (Critical Writing)

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Introduction

Early doctrinal developments in the ancient church, warfare and reasons behind crusades, stagnation in the middle ages, aftermath of the crusades, relevance of the crusades.

Bibliography

The war between Christians and Muslims was then focused on the holy land, which included Jerusalem and the Middle East. Initially, these lands were controlled by the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. However, Islam began to spread to other parts of the world, including Europe. In its earliest days, the Islamic faith spread quickly because of its peaceful nature, as not warriors but “the preacher and the trader… carried their faith into every quarter of the globe.” Aziz stresses that the methods of preaching mentioned in Quran are peaceful, since it is stated that “obey God and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away, the duty of Our Messenger is only to deliver the message clearly.”

As Fantus observes, Muslims did not try to kill or harm people of other religion until Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah took power and not only killed Christians but also burnt down churches. Walker notes that during his reign (996-1021), this ruler introduced new and often conflicting policies, and had inconsistent attitudes towards other religions, such as Christianity and Judaism. Some researchers suggest that the reasons behind Al-Hakim’s cruelty was his desire to bring order to his kingdom and ensure righteous way of life of his people.

Ferguson and Binks claim that the adoption of the “convert or die” philosophy is not confined to religious beliefs, but is a product of people’s personal traits, experiences, as well as their community. The adoption of this approach or radicalization based on religious motifs is based on micro-, meso- and macro-level factors.

At this point, Rome and Pope Urban II felt the need to protect Christendom and sought the help of their faithful in declaring war on Muslims. This essay looks into the purpose of the crusades from a Christian viewpoint, including their aftermath and relevance for the Medieval society. The discussions presented in the essay demonstrate the fact that faithful Christians believed that their spiritual wellbeing was negatively affected and corrupted by the growth of Islam. Thus, they had to do everything they could to stop the growth of this competing religion.

Before the crusades, there were significant early doctrinal developments in the ancient church. Arguably, it is these developments that eventually led to the First Crusade, which will enhance understanding of the purpose and intent of the crusades. Fantus notes that leaders in the Christian church, especially the Roman Catholic Church through Pope Urban II believed that their faith was in danger due to encroachment from Islam and other religions between the eleventh and the eighteenth centuries. Not only was the church fighting for its rights based on the conversion of people into Islam, but it was also trying to remain relevant among communities.

For instance, the radical conversion under the rule of Al-Hakim was regarded as inappropriate since Christians had to convert to Muslims, flee, or be killed. People who lived in Egypt in the tenth and eleventh centuries practices different religions, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Although these three religions had not witness considerable oppression previously,

Al-Hakim started attacking non-Muslim Egyptians forcing them to conversion. Marco Nievergelt argues that between 7 AD and 70 AD, the church lost several members due to a sought of liberation. This, coupled with the fact that some members were subscribing to a new faith, made it prudent for the church to initiate self-preservation techniques.

The growth of Islam brought in two main factors that enhanced the need and desire for the crusades. The first, as Rodney Stark mentions was both a political and social factor. Since 7 AD when Islam was conceived, the religious leaders who subscribed to this faith sought not only to expand their population but also to acquire land. Stark notes that Muslims had acquired territories in the Middle East and in North Africa before 70 AD. However, they began gaining interest in the gaining interest in areas of the Eastern Roman Empire. Thus, many of the believers in the region were Christians.

During Pope Urban II’s speech on the need for the crusades, he argued that one of the purposes or intents of the activities was to free Christians in the Eastern part of the empire from the suffering they were enduring because of the invasion of Muslims. The Pope was concerned that even though majority of the Christians had not converted to Islam, they would be spiritually affected by the Muslims.

This influence was mainly associated with Christians’ becoming less focused on their worship and their giving to god and to the Church. Urban II believed that the potential impact of the growing role of Islam was considerable because people could start comparing practices and beliefs or accept the fact that other religions could exist. Such bold ideas could lead to a substantial decrease in the size of Christian congregation.

There were also some political issues that led to the crusades. Going back to the Pope’s argument that Islam would corrupt Christians spiritually, many of the people who supported the crusades did so due to fear of being punished by God. In his speech, Urban II refers to the possible divine punishment of those who disobey God’s laws and let Muslims commit their crimes against Christ:

For if through your carelessness or negligence a wolf carries away one of your sheep, you will surely lose the reward laid up for you with God. And after you have been bitterly scourged with remorse for your faults, you will be fiercely overwhelmed in hell, the abode of death.

In a way, the Pope draw a parallel between those who commit crimes by practicing another religion and those who do nothing to fight this kind of wrong. Clearly, such speeches made people fearful of possible punishment in their afterlife and considered joining the troops that went to fight against infidels. Clearly, economic gains were another reason for following the call of duty and attacking Muslims.

Political goodwill enhanced this fear as politicians did not put in place any measures to curb the growth of Islam in the traditional Christian territories. Fantus explains that religious leaders had more political power than politicians in the early developments of the ancient church. This premise can be used to explain why the crusades were initially not influenced by political leaders but rather religious ones. Islamic factions also had internal political squabbles and this affected their ability to invade other regions. For example, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah was known to kill Christians and torch down churches in regions he controlled, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. However, other Muslim leaders did not torture Christians and even allowed them to practice their religion with minimal interruption.

Such differences in ideologies in the leaders of Islam led to the loss of Jerusalem as a Muslim state in 969 AD. One of the reasons for internal opposition among Muslims was religion-based because Shia and Sunni Muslims had certain differences in their core beliefs. Some Shia leaders, including, Al-Hakim, cold not address Sunni Muslims even for the sake of defending Jerusalem. The representatives of these two Camps saw each other as heretics who were not much different from such infidels as Christians or Jews. Christians tried to rebel, but their efforts were not successful until the first crusades when massive military groups were sent to Jerusalem. The Pope then urged Christians to participate in the crusade after the break of Jerusalem from Islamic rule and the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Church also debated the role of warfare in Christianity, particularly because many Christian doctrines preached peace and not war. Additionally, one of the commandments urged people not to kill, as it is a sin. To change the mindset of people, the clergy argued that the crusades were acceptable because individuals would be fighting for their God. One of the ideologists of the “just war” was Augustine who identified the term and explained the reasons behind the necessity (as compared to the possibility) of crusades and killing people for the sake of certain religious beliefs.

Augustine found it acceptable and even critical to state just wars or “avenge injuries, if some nation or state against whom one is waging war has neglected to punish a wrong committed by its citizens, or to return something that was wrongfully taken.” Augustine’s doctrine implied that justice could be achieve if all the wrongdoing was punished accordingly. In simple terms, such sins as murder and robbery were justified by the need to help God restore justice and maintain the order in the world.

After several deliberations, it was agreed that the Truce of God be observed and no warfare would take place on Sundays and other identified holy days. This measure was established first in 1027 during the Synod of Elne where any violence was suspended until the end of festivals. Later, similar steps were undertaken by the church, and sometimes meetings involved secular leaders. For example, the emperor Henry IV was present at the synod that took place in Mainz in 1082. The church had to involve the political lords and the knights who had also been fighting over land and resources in order to properly organize and manage the war.

Therefore, the third purpose of the crusades was penitential warfare, which also sought to bring together the knights, the political lords and the church. Penitential warfare became an important element in the opposition between the West (Christians) and the East (Muslims) during the middle Ages. Penitential warfare could be referred to as any activity associated with the participation in a crusade or a just war. Knights, political lords, and the church all pursued their own interests that were related to economic gains. Some invested money to support the troops, while some provided their men and armament, and went to the distant land to fight for Christ. Although the three groups were talking about penance, they concentrated on potential gains, such as property of the Muslims (or other people) who lived in Jerusalem or other places controlled by Muslims.

Fantus argues that the rallying call of the crusades after Pope Urban II’s speech was “God wills it” to show the spiritual obligation the crusades had on Christians. At that time, they truly believed that their spiritual wellness was being corrupted by Muslims and God had willed it that they declare war against all Muslims. The growth of Islam also affected Christians spiritually as they believed that it was their duty to stop any “evil” from spreading. This pushed the agenda and the passion for the Christian faithful to support the crusades.

The first crusade occurred between in 1096, and it was led by four army commanders in an attempt to save Christians who were being tortured in Byzantium. This first crusade recorded various social and economic impacts. First, socially, it allowed different groups of Christians who believed that it was their duty to kill Muslims or face eternal damnation to join in the war. Fantus explains that several separate groups were formed by different pastors and churches with the most common being led by a preacher referred to as Peter the Hermit. These groups could not be easily controlled and they ended up massacring women and children in Islamic villages and Jewish communities.

The economy of these regions was negatively affected due to the warfare. Towns and cities were often devastated due to destruction and the lack of resources. Destroyed communities were abandoned, people did not work in the fields as they had nothing to sow and traders had nothing to trade. Moreover, diseases also resulted in additional economic burden. Also, the Roman Catholic Church, the knights and the political lords contributed large investments in sustaining the war and this affected the general economy.

The majority of European countries that took part in crusades had to face certain economic challenges as they invested heavily in warfare, but economic gains were insignificant or even non-existent. The armies needed food, weapons, and other resources that were extracted from their communities. Moreover, many young men went to fight in the Middle East instead of working in fields and producing goods. Nevertheless, some countries had considerable gains, such as Italy, that was trading with both Muslims and Christians.

The issue of the Christian’s concern on how their faith was spiritually affected by the growth of Islam was also clearly demonstrated during the first crusade. Gerard Delanty explains that Tancred, who was the nephew of one of the four appointed commanders leading the war, had proclaimed that women and children would not be harmed during the war. This proclamation was crucial for those who did not fully accept the idea of the “just war” as they knew that innocent people would not be harmed. The commander made the promise that was consistent with the doctrine of Augustine that people doing wrongs should be punished, so Christians were more willing to take part in crusades. Additionally, through other political agreements, villages and towns were not to be destroyed as this would, as mentioned, negatively affect the economy of the area.

The second most significant crusade was the third crusade which occurred between 1189 and 1192. This was an important crusade as the city of Jerusalem had been recaptured by Muslims and Christians were killed in similar manner as Muslims were during the first crusade. The third crusade acted as a reaction to the fall of Jerusalem and was called for by Pope Gregory VIII. The whole of Europe supported this crusade: the Pope asked for help from King Philip II of France, King Frederick Barbarossa of Germany, and King Richard I of England, all of whom accepted the call and pledged both armies and finances to support the third crusade. The fact that Jerusalem had fallen due to internal wrangles between Christians also motivated the crusaders to work effectively together as they blamed themselves for the city’s loss. Unlike the previous two crusades, the political wing was heavily involved in the third crusade and political alliances were established. The leaders would often travel to the different cities to encourage the crusaders as they checked on the progress of the war.

The involvement of the political elites opened the door for other lords to join the fight in the best way they could. By the time the eighth was being conducted in 1270, it was mainly run by the political elite. Delanty explains that King Louis IX of France began the eighth crusade with the help of Prince Edward of England. Whereas the last crusades were mainly driven by the political elite, the Church still had an important role to play in ensuring that the crusaders were motivated to end the war. Delanty explains that because the crusades began as a religious fight, there was no way of changing it into a political one despite the fact that it was being led by politicians.

Additionally, the crusaders believed that God anointed their political rulers. Therefore, their involvement in the crusades was a welcomed idea as it also meant that God, by extension, approved of the crusaders’ actions against Muslims. Nievergelt argues that the united Christian front and the failing Muslim front ensured that the battle for the Holy Land was won by Christians. Muslims were fighting amongst themselves (Shia and Sunni factions) and this greatly affected their ability to continue with the war.

Additionally, lack of resources led to the fall of many of the Islamic states that had already been established. Many factors led to the decay of communities and even states, including environmental issues (such as drought) and political. Wars led to the decrease in population so fewer laborers were available and could produce goods. Trade was also declining due to wars as merchants were afraid of being robbed or killed and they looked for new routes. Therefore, many Muslims lost their lives, including those that were not directly involved in the wars.

There are several things that came about during the later years of stagnation in the Middle Ages. These include the fact that more political allies were involved in the cause. It is important to note that after the eighth crusade, there were a lot of activities that happened in the holy land that have been referred to as the “stagnation years.” One main activity during the stagnation years was the rebuilding of the Holy Land. Montgomery notes that the Holy Land had been negatively affected by the war with both infrastructure and human life lost. The efforts to restore the Holy Land fell mainly on the political elite, although the church declared that it equally invested. Although the Church provided some resources, but they still originated from the elites’ donations, so, in a sense, secular groups bore the heaviest economic burden where rebuilding the Holy Land.

Interestingly, a few Muslims remained in some of the areas due to treaties and truces that had been discussed. One of such agreements was the treaty of 1272 that implied a 10-year truce between crusaders and Egypt. According to this truce all religious groups could live in Jerusalem, but certain restrictions regarding fortification and armament were introduced. However, Jerusalem, which was important for both Christians and Jews was, remained an area of contention. Whereas Christians and Jews had been fighting over this area long before the wars, the situation that had been advanced by the crusades led to the long Palestinian-Israel war that continues to this day. The history of the area made the two groups hostile to each other as too many people were killed and tortured during the crusade on both sides.

Equally important to point out is that the stagnation years encouraged the break between religion and political leadership. This argument is based on the fact that many kings, albeit still being tied to the Church, looked for other alliances and ways of achieving their goals without involving the Church. One of the reasons for this was the fact that the last crusades were highly political, especially the last two crusades, where kings supplied most of the forces and finances to regain control of the Holy Land.

Notably, the conquests to take back and protect the Holy Land ensured that crusaders had lands they could conquer and explore. Fantus explains that the idea that crusaders would get as much land as they wanted after the conquest was used to motivate them even further. This premise ties closely with the legal issues that faithful in England had been fighting. Fantus explains that the English law allowed only firstborn sons to inherit their father’s lands. The younger sons were motivated to participate in crusades to earn some money to start a prosperous life when they are back home.

Also, during the stagnation years, a new regime referred to as the Mamluks was formed. The group was mainly made up of former slaves of the Muslim empires that had been destroyed by the crusaders. Indeed, it is arguable that the group sought freedom from both their masters and the new Christian faithfuls that had taken charge of their villages and homes. A majority of the crusaders, at first, did not see these slaves as a threat despite the fact that they practiced Islam. Indeed, several were killed during the war but those that remained were largely ignored. After the formation of the group and their activities in Palestine that halted the crusaders’ ability to invade the country, they were attacked and stopped in the ninth crusade. It is important to note that there are critics who do not consider the attack on the Mamluks as a crusade. This is because it was smaller in size and less significant in the history of Christianity.

There were several implications of the crusades in the years that followed. This section analyzes the political, social and theological implications of the crusades.

Political Implications

One of the biggest political implications of the crusades was that they enhanced the power of the political leaders and significantly lowered that of the Roman Catholic Church. Whereas it is true that the crusades began as a purely religious venture, other factors that contributed to the later crusades moved the agenda from a religious one to a political one. Stark explains that the first crusade sought to help Christians who were being tortured in Islamic states, bring together Christian factions that were fighting each other, and free Jerusalem from Islamic rule. However, by the fifth crusade, it was evident that the war could also help countries trade more effectively by opening up new routes of trade especially to the Middle East and Africa. This made the crusades a significant political tool for many of the kings who were involved.

Additionally, Stark explains that since a significant percentage of the finances that were used during the crusades were collected from kingdoms, and kings had to raise taxes of the noble families in order to allow the crusades to continue. This power also ensured that nobles who refused to pay their taxes were branded traitors of the Church. It is arguable that there are some leaders who took advantage of the situation to extend their reach, especially in Rome. Their power over the crusades also made them more powerful in Rome as the Church needed their resources and their support to motivate the crusaders. It is arguable that this power continued to grow as the crusades continued.

Social Implications

One of the most significant social impacts of the crusades was the large population movement from England to other parts of the world. Many young men joined the crusades to conquering new lands and settle there. Scaruffi notes that it is not only the young poor families that sought to make their lives better. The fact that the kings had become more powerful than ever due to their control of the crusades also encouraged some nobles to relocate to other areas that had been conquered. Scaruffi explains that due to the increased taxation by many of the Christian kings, a good number of nobles were forced to sell off their property or be jailed due to failure to pay taxes. Also, failure to pay taxes meant that they were religiously unfaithful. Joining the crusades, albeit not at the forefront, ensured that these nobles had a chance to relocate and gain new lands.

Falk goes further to explain that whereas no one had denied poor people the freedom to relocate before the war, the costly nature of the relocating made them stay and live in squalor. This changed during the crusades as they would be transported to the new lands without paying anything. Thus, the majority who joined the cause and survived the wars would choose to stay in East. This demonstrates that those joining the fight were motivated by a combination of both social and political issues, often much more than religious reasons.

Theological Implications

Indeed, the most significant debate regarding the crusades is whether or not they were part of a “holy war.” Delanty supports this premise arguing that both Muslims and Christians valued the Holy Land due to its tie to both religions. Jerusalem was critical to Christians as it was the land where Jesus was crucified according to the Christian tradition. On the other hand, places such as current-day Mecca were important to Muslims as it held a significant role in the religion. Therefore, the war was not simply for purposes of stopping the recruitment of members of both religions but also a preservation of the two faiths. Significantly, the initial rallying call for Christians was “God wills it” to prove that the war had been ordained by God.

The crusades were a holy war as they purposed to save tortured both Christians and Muslims. Additionally, Christian churches were burnt down by Muslims who had invaded their territories. From the beginning, the war was clearly defined as a religious one. This changed only in the last crusades, as explained above. The same can be said for Muslims who were looking to also protect the Holy Land through their own customs. To them, the land had been invaded by heathens, and they wanted to do anything to secure it and guide the people back to Allah.

Kaplan introduces the controversial debate of who was more hostile between the Christians and the Muslims during the war. Indeed, Kaplan points out that even though Muslims did torture Christians in some areas, a majority of them did not force either Jews or Christians to convert. This was unlike the Christians who killed every Muslim they met without even the chance to convert.

There are two main factors when talking about the relevance of the crusades. The first is that the “winners” of the war were seen as a superior religion compared to the rest. Kaplan explains that Jerusalem was in the middle of the war due to its significance to three religions – Christianity, Jewism and Islam. For Christians, Jesus was crucified and resurrected in Jerusalem.

On the other hand, for Jews, it was where the original temple of God was built by King Solomon while for Muslims, it was where Muhammed ascended to heaven. The fact that Christians won and ended the war automatically gave them an upper hand in terms of faith. It is arguable that this is one of the reasons why a large percentage of the world’s population is Christian compared to the other religions.

From a religious standpoint, it is also arguable that the war was relevant to determine the status of the different religions in terms of the strength of their gods. This comes from the fact that all the religions involved in the war believed that the God they worshiped had ordained their actions. For Christians, this was Jehovah while for Muslims it was Allah.

In conclusion, the crusades formed a crucial part of the history of Christians, Muslims and even Europe as a political block. There are three main purposes of the crusades as stipulated by history. These three purposes were projected by Pope Urban II who championed for the start of the crusades. One of the reasons is the need to fight for Jerusalem. Both Muslims and Christians had deep attachments to Jerusalem as it was believed to have been the place where Muhammed ascended to heaven and where Jesus was crucified. The second purpose of the crusades was the freeing of Christian faithful in the East who were being tortured by Muslims. Thirdly, Pope Urban II argued that the crusades would bring harmony amongst some factions that were significant to the medieval church.

These reasons were based on the faith and beliefs of Christians. They agreed to the war rallying call “God wills it” to attract individuals to join the crusades. Additionally, kingdoms in Europe gave both financial and other human resources to support the church in order to stop Muslims from expanding to their lands. It is important to note that after the first few crusades, the activities became politically driven as opposed to the religious reasons at the beginning, as more political leaders got involved in the war.

One of the reasons for this is that the war created a viable opportunity for trade by opening up new trade routes especially to the Middle East. Indeed, debates on the topic can take either a political, social or combined or holy war approach. Regardless of the school of thought, it is evident that the crusades were a very significant part of the history of world religions.

Allen, Susan Jane. An Introduction to the Crusades . Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2017.

Aziz, Zahid. Islam, Peace and Tolerance . Wembley: A.a.i.i.l. (u.k.), 2017.

Delanty, Gerard. Christianity in the Making of Europe. In: Formations of European Modernity . Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.

Falk, Avner. Franks and Saracens: Reality and Fantasy in the Crusades . London: Routledge, 2018.

Fantus, James Michael. “The Last Word: Why the Timing of the World’s Religious Writings Matters.” Open Journal of Philosophy , no. 9 (2019): 252-264.

Ferguson, Neil, and Eve Binks. “Understanding Radicalization and Engagement In Terrorism Through Religious Conversion Motifs”. Journal of Strategic Security 8, no. 1-2 (2015): 16-26.

Fulcher of Chartres. “Speech at Council of Clermont, 1095.” Fordham University , Web.

Kaplan, Jeffrey. “Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted: Premodern Religious Terrorism.” Terrorism and Political Violence 31, no. 5 (2019): 1070-1095.

Montgomery Guyton, ed. “An Examination of Religious History: 33-1500 A.D.” 26th Annual NWFSBS Lectureship, Cantonment, FL, 2018.

Nievergelt, Marco. “The Sege of Melayne and the Siege of Jerusalem: National Identity, Beleaguered Christendom, and Holy War during the Great Papal Schism.” The Chaucer Review 49, no. 4 (2015): 402-426.

Pryor, H. John, ed. Logistics of Warfare in the Age of the Crusades . New York: Routledge, 2016.

Scaruffi, Piero. What the Muslims knew . PDF. Self-Published, 2018.

Stark, Rodney. “The Case for the Crusades.” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 20, no. 2, (2016): 9-28.

Syse, Henrik. “Augustine and Just War: Between Virtue and Duties,” in Ethics, Nationalism, and Just War: Medieval and Contemporary Perspectives, ed. Henrik Syse, Gregory M Reichberg (Washington: The Catholic University of America Press, 2012), 38.

Tyerman, Christopher. The Debate on the Crusades . London: Manchester University Press, 2015.

Walker, Paul E. “Al-Ḥākim And The Dhimmīs”. Medieval Encounters 21, no. 4-5 (2015): 345-363.

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Why did Pope Urban II launch the First Crusade?

Crusades – Essay Questions on the First Crusade, 1095-99

In this course, Dr Nicholas Morton (Nottingham Trent University) considers three questions related to the First Crusade, 1095-99: (i) Why did Pope Urban II launch the First Crusade?; (ii) What motivated warriors and pilgrims from across Christendom to participate in the First Crusade?; and (iii) Why did the First Crusade succeed? In each module, we outline some potential approaches to the question, as well as considering the sources that are available that might help us answer the question.

In this module, we think about why Urban II decided to launch the First Crusade, focusing in particular on: (i) the view that Christianity was riven with in-fighting at this point in time, and the Pope wanted to export to fighting to somewhere else; (ii) the view that the Pope wanted to build bridges with the Greeks, especially given the Great Schism of 1054; (iii) the view that the Pope was interested in the expansion of Christendom; (iv) the view that the Pope was responding to the attack by the Seljuk Turks on the Byzantine Empire; (v) the view the Pope wanted to secure the city of Jerusalem, the perceived (spiritual) importance of which had grown rapidly in recent decades; (vi) the key sources that we might use to answer this question: the letters written by Urban II when launching the Crusade, Urban II's sermon at Clermont, the crusade chronicles, and other contemporary histories focused on European politics at this time. Suggested reading: – Tomaz Mastnak, Crusading Peace (2002) – Peter Frankopan, The First Crusade: Call from the East (2012) – Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades (Second Ed.) (2003)

Cite this Lecture

Morton, N. (2018, August 21). Crusades – Essay Questions on the First Crusade, 1095-99 - Why did Pope Urban II launch the First Crusade? [Video]. MASSOLIT. https://massolit.io/courses/the-first-crusade-1095-99-essay-questions

Morton, N. "Crusades – Essay Questions on the First Crusade, 1095-99 – Why did Pope Urban II launch the First Crusade?." MASSOLIT , uploaded by MASSOLIT, 21 Aug 2018, https://massolit.io/courses/the-first-crusade-1095-99-essay-questions

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Dr Nicholas Morton

Nottingham Trent University

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Were The Crusades Justified

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