Church Reform and the Crusades

Between 1095 and 1291, the Catholic Church launched the

Crusades against the Muslims for supremacy in the Holy Land

The Guy Who Started it

• In 1093, the Byzantine emperor Alexis Comnenus sent an appeal to Robert, Count of Flanders and to Pope Urban II.

• The plea was to send soldiers to help defend his capital city of Constantinople against waves of invading Muslim Turks.

Urban II Declares a Holy War

• After the pope had read this appeal, he declared a holy war, a crusade, to regain control of the Holy Lands from the Muslims.

• “God Wills It!”

• In 1096, between 50,000 and 60,000 knights joined the Crusades. Mostly Frenchmen and Normans.

• Kings saw the crusades as an opportunity to get rid of some of the quarrelsome knights who were always picking fights with each other.

• Pope Urban promised the knights that if they died in battle, they were assured a place in heaven.

Did You Bring the Map?

Motives for the Crusades• Many of the knights thought it was

an opportunity to better their place in society. They believed that they might acquire land and property through battle.

• Leave the manor, see the world, participate in an incredible adventure… sure beats being a serf!

• Religious motives – liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims.

The First Crusade: Recipe for Disaster

• 1097, three armies of European knights gathered in Constantinople but were not equipped to fight in the desert environment or familiar with the geography or culture of the Holy Land.

• Due to supply line problems, only 12,000 of the original 60,000 were able to fight.

• Muslims were not the best hosts…

Victory is Ours! Um, er… kinda

• In 1099, Christians concentrate their forces on Jerusalem and take the city after weeks of a vicious seige. Plunder away!

• The crusaders won Jerusalem and a narrow strip of land, called Edessa, where four feudal crusader estates were established.

• Muslims easily conquer everything outside of Edessa, and by 1144, take that too (setting up the Second Crusade).

The Second Crusade• A Second Crusade was organized

in 1147 to recapture Edessa with the scraps of troops that were left, plus 35,000 reinforcement troops from Western Europe.

• These Crusaders were unsuccessful. Only about 30% of the defeated army returned to Europe (but they had some cool relics).

• For those of you keeping score: Muslims 2, Christians 0

The Third Crusade: This time it’s Personal

• Europe reacts with wild enthusiasm. “We must regain the Holy Land!”

• The Third Crusade was launched in 1187 by three of Europe’s most powerful kings:– Philip Augustus (France)– Frederick I Barbarossa (Germany)– Richard IIIthe Lion-hearted (England)

Survivor: Jerusalem?• Barbarossa drowned on the

journey. How sad.

• Philip Augustus had a falling out with Richard and went home. Quitter.

• Richard is left to regain Jerusalem from the great Muslim leader, Saladin. This would be no easy task.

Deal or No Deal?

• After the armies of Richard and Saladin had fought many battles, the two leaders, who respected each other a great deal, agreed on a truce.

• The agreement was that Jerusalem would remain under Muslim control, but that Christian pilgrims could freely visit the holy city in safety.

The Fourth Crusade

• In 1198, Pope Innocent III, appealed for yet another crusade to capture Jerusalem.

• The knights met in Italy to prepare for war, however, during their stay they became entangled in the politics of the Church.

Sore Losers: The Sack of Constantinople

• Instead of going to the Holy Lands, they ended up attacking the city of Constantinople.

• This attack solidified the permanent split between the western and eastern branches of Christianity.

• Victory: Islam (by default)

Later Crusades: More of the S(h)ame

• Other Crusades were launched to the Holy Lands and North Africa.

• Children’s Crusade- in 1212, thousands of children from Europe marched to the Holy Lands to fight the Muslims. God would turn Jerusalem over to them! (Muslims fight to hold back laughter).

• 5th Crusade: Loss• 6th Crusade: Loss• 7th Crusade: Loss• 8th Crusade: Do you see a pattern here?

• Final Record: Christians 0-8-1

The Lasting Impact of the Crusades

1. Because of the failure of the Crusades, the Pope’s power was lessened.

2. Feudal nobility was weakened because so many knights died in the wars.

3. The crusades stimulated trade between Europe and Southwest Asia.

4. Fostered a lasting intolerance and prejudice between Muslims and Christians.

5. Alliances were formed of former rival nations. New politics of diplomacy.

• Literature: Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba, Aladdin, Arabian Nights

• Food: sugar cane, syrup, nutmeg, saffron, pepper

• Cosmetics: rouge, henna, glass mirrors

• Music: guitar and violin introduced

• Art: stained glass windows• Math: Arabic numbers, decimals,

algebra, sine and tangent

Impact of the Crusades