The Crusades

High Middle Ages

The Crusades

What do you already know?

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The Crusades

The Crusades - A Definition

DEFINITION: A series of Christian military expeditions in the High Middle Ages (between 1096 and 1290)

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PURPOSE: They were organized mainly to recapture Palestine and the city of Jerusalem (The Holy Land)

The Big Ideas - First Crusade

1st Crusade

• Begins in 1095 with Pope Urban’s speech
• Divided into two parts - People’s Crusade and the Baron’s Crusade
• Crusaders capture Jerusalem and a 400 mile strip of land along the Mediterranean Coast

Big Ideas - Second Crusade

In 1144 CE, one of the new Crusader states (the County of Edessa) is LOST to Muslim forces

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Big Ideas - Second Crusade

Second Crusade attempts to recapture Edessa,

but FAILS

Saladin Captures Jerusalem

1187 CE - Muslim leader Saladin captures Jerusalem

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He had already controlled Egypt and conquers Syria - the Latin kingdom is surrounded and in TROUBLE!

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Big Ideas - Third Crusade

• (1189-92) - Called the “Kings’ Crusade”

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• Three kings led the crusade in an attempt to recapture Jerusalem… and FAIL

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Three Kings of the Kings’ Crusade

Frederick Barbarossa (German Emperor)

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Drowns on the journey and most of his forces turn back

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Three Kings of the Thirds Crusade

Philip II - King of France

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Argues with Richard and went home

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Kings of the King’s Crusade

Richard I

(The Lion-Hearted) of England

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Think Robin Hood and his “bad” brother who is King John

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Big Ideas - End of the Third Crusade

• Crusade ends in a TRUCE after many battles
• Jerusalem is NOT recaptured by this Crusade
• Crusaders DO capture the city of Acre
• Kingdom of Jerusalem remains as a thin strip of land along the coast from Jaffa to Acre
• Unarmed Christian pilgrims given right to visit Jerusalem

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Big Ideas - Fourth Crusade

• Pope Innocent III preached the Fourth Crusade

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• Venetians supply Crusaders and convince them to attack Zara (a Christian city)

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• Crusaders then attack Constantinople and actually … WIN (Really? Yes, they really do)

Back to the First Crusade

First Crusade - More Details

• Originally called Pilgrims - went on a pilgrimage (not called Crusaders until 100 years after Crusades begin)
• Pilgrims visited holy relics and/or holy locations as a form of penance (including purgatory)
• Pilgrims were protected by the Church, not to be assaulted, could not be sued and had right to expect hospitality

First Crusade - Special Pilgrims

• Crusades combines the pilgrimage idea with idea of a holy war

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• Crusades - a special pilgrimage because pilgrims were armed and expected to fight a holy war

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• Privilege of martyrdom - immediate salvation promised to those who died

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• Believed they would receive plenary indulgences - escape Purgatory

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Pope Urban II’s Speech

The Crusades begin on November 27, 1095 with Pope Urban II’s speech at the Council of Clermont in France

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Pope Urban’s Speech

Sourcing problems:

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Many versions and all written well after 1099

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Why Now? (Why 1095?) - REASON #1

• Byzantine Emperor Alexius I asks Pope Urban for military support against the Turks

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• Byzantine Empire had stopped acknowledging the Pope’s authority

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• Pope hopes to heal the division between the churches

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• Great Schism of 1054 - papal representative and patriarch of Constantinople had excommunicated each other -

Byzantine Empire

Alexius I

Anna Comnenus

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Why Now? (Why 1095?) - REASON #2

• Hopes to direct the violence of nobles/knights away from Europe
• Peace of God (not to fight/kill certain persons - like monks, peasants or widows, and in certain places - like monasteries and churches
• Truce of God - (stop fighting on Sundays and holy days)

An Incredible Response

• 100,000 nobles and peasants respond to Pope Urban’s speech in unexpected numbers (WAY more than was expected!)

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• Crusaders (Pilgrims) advance toward the Holy Land in TWO WAVES

First Wave - People’s Crusade

Peter the Hermit inspires thousands to join the crusade to recapture the Holy Land

People’s Crusade - A Disaster

1. Jews in Germany ordered to convert to Christianity or die

WHY?

• Wanted their wealth to pay for their pilgrimage
• Believed all all unbelievers needed to convert or die (and Jerusalem conquered) to bring about the end of the world

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People’s Crusade - A Disaster

2. Conflicts and battles with Christians in Kingdom of Hungary and Byzantines in the Balkans

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People’s Crusade - A Disaster

3. Constantinople - not prepared for the huge mob of common people that arrive

(This is NOT what Alexios was asking for)

• Alexius EITHER warns them or encourages them about going to Asia Minor (modern Turkey) - depending on who you believe
• Either way - Muslim Turks annihilate them in fall of 1096

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END OF PEOPLE’S CRUSADE

1st Crusade

PART II

2nd Wave - The Barons’ Crusade

The Baron’s Crusade - The Plan

• August 1096 had been Pope Urban II’s announced departure date

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• Crusaders are to rendezvous in Constantinople where Byzantine forces will join them

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• People’s Crusade had increased distrust on both sides - it had never been part of the plan

Why did Nobles go on the Crusade?

• For adventure
• For economic reasons
• For feudal reasons - loyalty to a lord
• For family reasons
• For religious reasons - plenary indulgences

Who led the First Crusade?

Lots of people - different bands of knights came from different parts of Europe

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• Pope’s rep. - Bishop Adhemar
• Raymond, Count of Toulouse - S. French knights

(almost 60 - old - religious motivations)

• Bohemond - led Norman Italian knight

(brother stole his inheritance - economic reasons)

Who led the First Crusade?

OTHER IMPORTANT PARTICIPANTS:

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• King of France’s brother -Hugh

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• King of England’s brother - Robert, Duke of Normandy

Various Leaders

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Barons arrive in Constantinople

Alexius insists on

1) Oath of loyalty to Byzantine Empire

2) Promising to give any former Byzantine territory that they capture back to Byzantium

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Crusaders say, “NO!” - until Alexius cuts off their food supply, then “O.K., if we have to.”

Barons in Constantinople

• Barons leave Constantinople in spring of 1097

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• Byzantine army comes with them, but not Alexius (seen as a BIG coward!)

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• It will be two years before they finally arrive in Jerusalem

First stop - Nicaea

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Crusaders siege of Nicaea

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Alexius’ first goal

was to retake Nicaea

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Alexius makes a Secret Deal

• Alexius convinces leaders of Nicaea to surrender to him instead of the Crusaders
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• Alexius will NOT let the Crusaders sack the city AND he will be kind to the captives
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• Crusaders are NOT happy
• Irony - victory leads to even more distrust

Siege of Antioch

Lasts from October

1097 to June 1098

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Crusaders are not

able to surround this

huge city (400 towers)

Bohemond’s Sneaky Plan

• Byzantine general leaves claiming that

Crusaders were plotting to kill him

• Bohemond gets Crusaders to agree to give him the city if he can get them inside the walls
• Crusaders eventually agree and a bribe gets them in the city
• Crusaders kill without mercy

The

Holy

Lance

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The Holy Lance

• Once inside the city of Antioch, the Crusaders find themselves under siege by rescue army

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• Alexius does not send forces to rescue them

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• Discovery of the Holy Lance inspires them to attack and defeat the Muslim army

Peter Bartholomew

Trial by Fire

On to Jerusalem

• Crusaders rest for several month

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• Leave Bohemond behind in Antioch and continue to Jerusalem

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• Only 1,200 of 7,000 original knights are left

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Jerusalem and a Priest’s Vision

• Peter Desiderius - “march around the city barefoot and the city will fall in 9 days.”

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• Falls in 7 days

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• July 15, 1099 - Crusaders enter Jerusalem

SC3 - Jerusalem

Primary sources of what happens when the Crusaders reach Jerusalem