Crusades

Brandt Winters

Mrs. Kozinsky

English 12

18 September 2013

Crusades

            The first crusade was launched in 1095; this time was then known as the high middle ages. The crusades were a “Holy” Christian war, fought to regain the holy lands such as Jerusalem and Bethlehem, from the opposing religions or the “infidels”. The crusades were also fought to convert and change many other religious groups to Christianity. This was a dark time in the history of Christianity. The crusades were a time that is interesting and that has many reasons and purposes for the war.

            One very big cause of the crusades was the massacre of three thousand Christians on a pilgrimage to Palestine. Palestine was originally governed by the Saracen caliphs who were very tolerant and actually encouraged pilgrims to come to the land and visit their holy places. During the time of this pilgrimage though there was a change in power in Palestine. The Seljukian Turks, who were part of a tribe called the Tar Tar tribe, were very devout Islamic followers took control of Palestine during the time of the pilgrimage.  When the three thousand Catholic pilgrims got to Palestine they were insulated persecuted and killed, and all of the churches in Palestine were burned down or were converted in to a horse stable.

            Another reason was the idea that god would be happy if they regained that land for him. Church officials felt that if they were to regain this holy land from the infidels they would appease god. It was that religious conviction that started to slower transform the holy devout people into warriors who fought for god. This feeling of conviction and pride in religion drove most of Europe to attack Asia. The Idea of dying in god’s name was also put in to play, where it would be the noblest of deaths if you did in the name of god. "When Jesus Christ summons you to his defense," exclaimed the eloquent pontiff, "let no base affection detain you in your homes; whoever will abandon his house, or his father, or his mother, or his wife, or his children, or his inheritance, for the sake of my name, shall be recompensed a hundred-fold, and possess life eternal." (Cause of the Crusades)

            One of the final nails in the coffin was Catholic Church council at Clermont France. The chief speaker at this council was none other than Pope Urban II. Pope Urban was compelled that the church needed to start a crusade. Earlier that year Pope Urban actually attempted to convince the church to start the crusade, but it was in vein, the church disagreed at that time. But later in that year of 1095 the troubles in Asia and the middle east had only worsened and the church was more willing. Pope Urban was known to be a wonderful and graceful speaker, so he had no trouble at this time around convincing the church with his powerful sermon. Pope Urban brought up the impending threat of the savage Turks, who were a group of filthy barbarians that threatened the church and all of Europe. "…The Turks had been making constant advances in the East, and were now threatening Constantinople itself. The Greek emperor (Alexius Comnenus) sent urgent letters to the Pope, asking for aid against the infidels, representing that, unless assistance was extended immediately, the capital with all its holy relics must soon fall into the hands of the barbarians." (Cause of the Crusades)

                As one might imagine the church was convinced and preparations for the holy act were being made, one problem was the lack of man power, the word of god's mission must spread. To get god's word spread Pope Urban sent a man known as Peter the Hermit so spread the word all over europe. Edward D. who wrote Encyclopedia of the Medieval World, vol. 2 said, "Peter the Hermit was a native of the Amiens region who left his Hermitage and began in 1096 to preach charismatically in Berry for the First Crusade. In April, he set out from Cologne for Jerusalem with perhaps 20,000 ill-trained and inadequately equipped companions." The reason the Hermit set out for Jerusalem was help back the roman empire against the Turks. Since the small army that Peter the hermit had acquired was so ill prepared they were literally slaughtered by the Seljuks at Nicaea.

            A second attempt was called the Crusade of the Barons, which was all in all much better planned out and prepared. Another quote from Edward D. from his first medieval encyclopedia shows just how much more prepared the barons was, "Raymond of Saint Gilles, count of Toulouse , led the Provençal knights. Godfrey of Bouillon headed those from Lorraine, Germany, and Belgium. Bohemond of Tarantoand Tancred commanded the southern Italians. Robert, count of Flanders; Hugh, duke of Vermandois; and Robert II , duke of Normandy led contingents from other regions in northern and western France." This quote shows the immensity of the forces that the church had acquired and the diversity of how spread out the crusades cause effected. This force was one to truly be reckoned with, this force went to Dorylaeum and came out victorious against the Seljuk army, which had defeated Peter the hermits army. Then the rode Jerusalem and slaughtered thousands of innocent people on the way there. In 1099 the Crusaders had finally taken over Jerusalem and infamously massacred thousands more innocent civilians, and thus the first crusade came to an end.

            In conclusion, the first crusade was a caused by many different events that angered the catholic church. The first cause was the three thousand pilgrims murdered on there pilgrimage the Palestine but the Seljukian Turks who were extremely devout Islamic people. The second cause was that it was the will of god that the holy land be re-concurred by the church and the infidels be brought the justice. The third reason was the Popes influence at the council in Clermont France, where he persuaded the church to finally begin the crusades. The first attempt by Peter the hermit was unsuccessful, but the second attempt by the Barons Crusade was a success and the first crusade ended. The crusades were unusual and horrifying acts by the Catholic Church and will hopefully never happen again.

             

           

Citations

D, Edward. "Peter the Hermit." Encyclopedia of the Medieval World, vol. 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005.Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE49&iPin=EMW1120&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 19, 2013).

D, Edward. "Crusades." Encyclopedia of the Medieval World, vol. 1. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE49&iPin=EMW0400&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 19, 2013).

"Cause of the Crusades" Middle-ages.org.uk. NP. ND. Web. 19 Sep. 2013