~600~1200 general observations ◦ religious and political and economic causes ◦ targeting muslim...
TRANSCRIPT
~600 ~1200
General Observations◦Religious AND
political AND economic causes
◦Targeting Muslim lands AND other enemies (Orthodox, Byzantine, heretics)
Geopolitical side◦West (Rome) vs. East (Constantinople)◦Barbarian invasions Evolution of Rome as
separate center◦Legacy of old Roman Empire: Identity, pride◦Pope (Rome) vs. Patriarch (Constantinople)
ByzantineEmpire
Geopolitical Side: “Holy Roman Empire” (West) vs. “Roman (Byzantine) Empire” (East)
Religious side:◦ Latin vs. Greek
religious culture◦ Authority of pope over
eastern patriarchs◦ Theological disputes◦ 1054: Great Schism:
Rome vs. Constantinople: Papal legate vs. patriarch: mutual excommunication
◦ Long-term Split within Christendom: Western (Catholic) vs. Eastern (Orthodox)
Christianity among Arabs:◦ Eastern, Southern
shores of Mediterranean◦ Periphery of Byzantine
Empire◦ ‘Eastern Rite’ churches
Historical Background: Dispute over human
and divine natures of Jesus
Council of Chalcedon: Fully human, fully divine, fully joined as one
Accepted by Rome, Constantinople, rejected elsewhere
Arabian Peninsula◦ Caught between 2
empires◦ Outside ‘sphere’ of
Christianity Birth of Muhammad
(c. 570) Began to spread
prophecies ~ 622 Political, religious
impact
Expansion of Islam (7th-10th c.) ◦Widespread conversion from Christianity
in ‘Eastern Rite’ areas◦Holy Land passes to Muslim control
Widespread presence of Jewish communities in Christian, Muslim worlds
Muslim populations in ‘overlap’ areas
Christian World: Byzantine East generally more tolerant than Latin West
Muslim World generally more tolerant than Latin Christian World
Economic role of Jewish communities (moneylending) dislike
Christian religious prejudice towards Muslims (more), Jews (less)
“Overlap areas” (Spain, Sicily): Greater tolerance, multi-cultural environment
Intellectual contacts:◦ Mostly indirect (through
translation)◦ Respect for Islamic
scholarship◦ Islamic scholars’ lack of
enthusiasm for ‘barbarian’ civilization
Background Factors (Social & economic)◦Fragmentation, militarization of European society
◦Surplus of noble sons, knights needing land & livelihood
Feudalism
Background factors (geopolitical)◦Rivalry between Christian and Muslim powers◦Authority of ‘papal monarchy’
Over Christian rulers of Western Europe Over Eastern Christians
1000 1100
Medieval Religious Culture◦ Christians’
‘obsession’ with Jerusalem, loss of Holy Land
◦ Preoccupation with sin, need for penance
◦ Belief in purgatory, indulgencesTradition of pilgrimages
Pope Urban II and Council of Clermont (1095)◦ Free Christians from
Muslim rule◦ Liberate Holy
Sepulchre (Tomb of Jesus)
◦ Respond to appeal from Byzantine Emperor
First Crusade 1096: Capture of Antioch, Jerusalem
Founding of Crusader States (Outremer)◦Feudal kingdoms
linked to European political families
◦Rivalries, conflicts over power, land, money
◦Christian toehold on edge of Muslim world
1187 Jerusalem retaken by Saladin
Fourth Crusade 1202◦Diverted by
European politics◦Sacked
Constantinople
Saladin
1212 Children’s Crusade (France, Germany)
1290s—Muslim reconquest of last Holy Land territories
PaintingOfChildren’sCrusade
Surrenderof Acre(Last FrankishKingdom)1291
Reconquista (Christian reconquest of Spain)◦ Late 11th c. (religious vs.
geopolitical concerns)◦ Gradual incorporation
into wider Crusades◦ 1492 Final defeat of
Granada (last Muslim kingdom)
1000
1400
Assessment: What was accomplished?◦Temporary
reconquest of Holy Land
◦Heavy human, material losses
◦Social, political disruption
◦Further militarization of European society (orders of knights)
Return of the Crusaderby Lessing
Geopolitical:◦ Consolidation of “fault-
line” within Mediterranean world
◦ Strengthening of Muslim powers, rise of Ottomans (Turks)
◦ 1453: Fall of Constantinople to Ottomans
1300
Ottoman Expansion1600
Religious:◦ Hardening of religious
identities (Catholic vs. Orthodox, Christian vs. Muslim)
◦ Heightened sense of ‘Christendom’ vs. ‘Heathendom’, especially in Catholic West
◦ Increase in anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe
◦ Linking of Muslims, Jews as non-Christian “Semitic” minorities Forced conversions of
Muslims, Jews in Spain Pogroms, economic
measures against Jews
Global:◦Commercial rivalry◦Religious rivalry
The Crusades in Memory (until 19th century)◦ Catholics◦ Protestants◦ Muslims
19th-20th centuries◦ British, French empires
vs. Ottoman Empire revival of Crusading rhetoric on both sides
◦ Expansion of Christianity in proximity to Islam (Africa, Asia)
Equation of “West” with “Christianity” Western power linked to threat of Christianity
Palestine problem, US support for Israel linking of “Zionist” & Christian interests (reinforced by American Christians)
Global perceptions of American power reinforce suspicions of Christianity
Post 9/11: Perception of Christian “crusade” against Muslim world
How do we respond as Christians?◦ ‘Not my fault—where got Chinese
crusaders?’◦ ‘The past is the past’◦ ‘Those were Catholics, I’m Protestant’◦ ‘I don’t believe in fighting or killing in the
name of religion’