The Crusades

Anirudh Koka

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TooOJGKlGc

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is holy to three major religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism

Christianity: This was the city where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. And it was also where Jesus ascended to heaven.

Islam: The third most holy city to Muslims. This is where Muhammad ascended to heaven. The lace where Jesus ascended to heaven and where Mohammed ascended are only 700 yards from each other.

Judaism: The holiest city to the Jews, and have the oldest claim (Tenth Century B.C) Also the place where the Temple in Jerusalem used to stand.

Pre-CrusadesBy the 10th century, Europe and the Middle East were divided into Muslim and Christian spheres of influence. Jerusalem was controlled by the Muslims. Christian and Jewish followers were allowed to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem safely. In the 11th century, Christianity split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Byzantine Empire. Both the leaders excommunicated each other. Meanwhile, the Muslims decided to attack the Byzantine Empire. Because of the war, pilgrims were no longer allowed to travel safely. When the Muslims threatened to take Constantinople, the emperor of the Byzantines requested help from the Holy Roman Church

Pope Urban the Second

First Crusade

Pope Urban 2 answered the Byzantines call for help.

He called on the Christian princes of Western Europe.

"

Council of ClermontThe noble race of Franks must come to the aid their fellow Christians in the East. The infidel Turks are advancing into the heart of Eastern Christendom; Christians are being oppressed and attacked; churches and holy places are being defiled. Jerusalem is groaning under the Saracen yoke. The Holy Sepulchre is in Moslem hands and has been turned into a mosque. Pilgrims are harassed and even prevented from access to the Holy Land.

"The West must march to the defense of the East. All should go, rich and poor alike. The Franks must stop their internal wars and squabbles. Let them go instead against the infidel and fight a righteous war.

"God himself will lead them, for they will be doing His work. There will be absolution and remission of sins for all who die in the service of Christ. Here they are poor and miserable sinners; there they will be rich and happy. Let none hesitate; they must march next summer. God wills it! “

First Crusade

Priests and preachers alike spread the message of the crusades along the countryside.

The Nobles gathered their knights and organized them into armies. However, a man named Peter the Hermit led

thousands of peasants to Jerusalem.Many of these peasants had no idea where Jerusalem was.

Europeans began to kill Jews.

Peasant’s Crusade

Peasant’s Crusade

The armies of peasants led by Peter the Hermit set off to Jerusalem much earlier than the Pope planned. The army lacked military discipline, and became increasingly chaotic, attacked anyone in their way for food, even Christians.

The “army” finally arrived at Constantinople. Alexios, the emperor of Byzantine, ferried them into Asia Minor. They began pillaging the countryside, when finally, a Turkish Army attacked and destroyed them.

First Crusade

• The main Crusaders arrived at Constantinople in 1097.

• They consisted of about 30,000 soldiers.• Alexios, wary from the trouble the Peasant’s

Army gave him, did not want to lead the army.

• However, in return for supplies, he made the leader of the armies swear fealty to him and any lands they won would be returned to the Byzantium Empire.

First Crusade

The Crusaders fought their way down from Constantinople to Jerusalem. By the time they reached Jerusalem, they had about 12,000 men left. They sieged the city from two sides, and did a direct assault. When one side fell, the defenders fled in panic, letting the Crusaders from the other side enter as well.

The Sacking of Jerusalem

After gaining entry to the city, the Crusaders laid waste to it’s inhabitants.

Both Muslims and Jews were killed.It was said that the soldiers feet were

painted red up to the ankles.http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGj_bOX9yGo&feature=related

5:47

Aftermath

Afterwards, the Crusaders slit the land they had won into 4 kingdoms, not giving the land back to the Byzantines. They accused Alexios of not following his oath. The first crusade was the only real Christian victory, and the land they had won would be taken back by the Muslims in 50 years.

Second Crusade1147-1149

The Crusades won the first Crusade largely through the disunity and poor organization among the Muslims. In 1147, however, the Muslims united, and captured one of the Crusader Kingdoms, Edessa. The entire population of Edessa was enslaved or killed. This prompted the Pope Eugenous to call for another Crusade.

Leaders

In the second Crusade, even the kings were caught up with the sacred frenzy. King Conrad of Germany and King Lois of France led their armies to retake the country of Eddessa.

Failure

As with the first crusade, all the talk of defending Christianity against its enemies made the European population attack the Non-Christians closer to home.In Rhineland, mobs of people began massacring the Jewish population.

Jewish Massacres

Failure

Out of the 35 thousand, only a couple thousand survived the Turkish attacks on Asia Minor. The survivors sieged the city of Damascus, but had to surrender in 4 days.

Crusader returning home

Saladin’s Conquest

3rd Crusade(1189–1192)

After the 2nd Crusade, Saladin recaptured Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land. The 3rd Crusade is also known as the King’s Crusade, as it was led by 3 kings.

Richard the Lionhearted of England

Philip Augustus of France

Even before they first set off, Richard and Phillip were enemies.

Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire

3rd Crusade

RoutesThe Crusading armies took two different routes. Fredrick, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire took his armies overland. His army’s march was one of the most organized overland travel up to that date. He managed to cross Asia Minor which had been disastrous for the other crusaders. His 100,000 strong army greatly alarmed Saladin. However, while the army was encamped by the Saleph River, the elderly Fredrick Barbossa drowned in the river.

Richard and Phillip

Richard and Phillip travelled together by sea. They stopped for the winter in Sicily, where they had an argument. After they landed in the Middle East, Phillip returned to France. Richard would face Saladin alone.

Richard the Lion-Hearted

Richard marched slowly around the coast, keeping his army organized, and not letting the Muslims pick off at the army. This scored him a number of victories.

However, Saladin then used a scorched earth strategy. Saladin stripped the land that Richard was about to enter from water and all supplies. Richard, who had run out of food and water to feed his army, was unable to siege Jerusalem. However, he and Saladin were able to negotiate a treaty.

Jerusalem would remain under the control of the Muslims, but Christian pilgrims and traders would still be able to enter the city.

Fourth Crusade

6 years later, the crusaders were sent again. While on their way to Jerusalem, they decided to attack Constantinople, capitol of the Byzantine Empire, which was a Christian country………

The crusaders looted the city for three days, and for a little while, the Latin and Byzantines were reunited. The Greeks reestablished control of the city soon after, but would never have the same power. It did.

All the fourth crusade accomplished was weaken the country that was the main protection from the Eastern Turks.

The sacking of Constantinople

Fifth Crusade1213-1218

While the Christians were still fighting among themselves, a new Muslim empire grew to power.The Egyptian Muslims took Jerusalem and the Holy land.

Fifth Crusade

• Instead of going straight for Jerusalem like always, the crusaders tried something different

• They tried attacking Egypt, and from there go to Jerusalem.

• The crusaders had initial success, capturing an important city named Damietta. They began marching towards Cairo with a huge army.

Fifth CrusadeThe Egyptians began retreating back towards the city, which lay on the banks of the Nile. Hasty to take the city, the Crusader Generals overlooked an important detail, the Nile Flood.

The Crusaders marched along the Nile, when they were trapped from the flooding and a canal. Also, the crusaders did not take enough supplies with them.

This is when the Egyptians launched a counter attack, and the Crusaders had to retreat from the land of the Nile.

Sixth Crusade

1228-1229The Sixth Crusade was led by Fredrick the 2nd, leader of the Holy Roman Empire. Fredrick didn’t join the Fifth Crusade, and was excommunicated by the Church.To repent, Fredrick set off on the Sixth Crusade without any other Christian support.The sixth Crusade involved very little fighting. Fredrick engaged the Muslim rulers of Jerusalem in negotiations.Surprisingly, the Muslims agreed to compromise. They would give up the control of Jerusalem, with the exception of some of their holy places. For the first time since the First Crusade, the Christians were in the Holy Land.But then in 15 years the Muslims invaded again.

7th Crusade1248-1250

The seventh Crusade occurred in Egypt, in the same place the Fifth Crusade was fought.Both Crusader and Egyptian Army faced each other across a large canal.

The Crusaders attempted to build a bridge across the canal, while the Egyptians kept widening it.

Finally, the Crusaders crossed 4 miles up the canal, and attacked the Egyptians head on.The Egyptians won.