CHAPTER 12 SECTION 1

MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY

CHURCH REFORM

Pope Gregory VII believed it was his duty to reform the Church; Gregory claims:

The pope is God’s earthly representative

Pope has authority over all Christians (including rulers)

The Church can appoint its own leaders and operate independently of kings

Catholic Church reaches peak under Pope Innocent III

Innocent III used interdicts to influence rulers

Interdict: Decree given by the pope that forbade people from receiving sacred rites from priests

INQUISITION

Heresy: beliefs or opinions contrary to accepted religious doctrine

People with these beliefs known as heretics

The Church sought to defend itself from heresy; created the Inquisition

Inquisition’s purpose was to identify and try heretics

Many tortured and executed

Personal wealth and belongings confiscated (stolen)

CHAPTER 12 SECTION 2

THE CRUSADES

BEGINNING OF THE CRUSADES

The Crusades started when the Byzantines asked for help to fight the Seljuk Turks

(Muslims).

Pope Urban II responded by calling for a crusade to free Jerusalem from the Muslims

European Christians flocked to the Middle East to fight infidels (non-believers)

Muslims are main target; Jews massacred too

“All who die shall have immediate remission [forgiveness] of sins.”

First Crusade was a “success”

Europe claimed Jerusalem and Antioch

Massacre of inhabitants

SECOND AND THIRD CRUSADES

Second Crusade: Called as crusader kingdoms struggled to survive in the Middle East; total failure

The Third Crusade is called after Jerusalem fell (1187 CE) to the Muslim sultan Saladin.

France, England, and Holy Roman Empire lead the charge

Saladin and King Richard I of England ultimately sign a peace treaty; Muslims keep Jerusalem

FOURTH CRUSADE, CHILDREN’S CRUSADE

Fourth Crusade is called by Pope Innocent III after Saladin’s death to

recapture Jerusalem

Crusaders march east; end up sacking Constantinople instead (1204 CE)

Byzantine Empire retakes their capital ~60 years later; permanently weakened

Despite constant failure, crusading continues

Children’s Crusade: Thousands of young people gather to retake Holy

Land from Muslims

20,000 drown at sea or are sold into slavery before reaching Middle East

EFFECTS OF THE CRUSADES

Neutral

Broke down feudalism

Italy grew rich and powerful

Exposed Europe to technology of

the Arab world

Negative

Crusades drained Europe of

resources and manpower

Began severe persecution of

European Jews

Sewed seeds of distrust and even

hatred between Christian and

Muslim worlds

Mass slaughter