The Crusades:Battle for the Holy Land

• In 1071, an invading Muslim army known as the Seljuk Turks attacked the Byzantine Empire and won.

Crusades

• Byzantine emperor, Alexius I with the help of Pope Urban II asked Christians to rise up against the Turks to reclaim the Holy Land that was lost. – These military campaigns are known as the

crusades.– Christians who joined the crusades either joined

because of their devotion to the Christian faith, or merely for adventure, land and riches

The First Crusade

• Crusaders were able to take control of Jerusalem in 1099

The Second Crusade• By 1140, Muslims began to strike back. A second

crusade began against the Muslims, however it was a total failure.

• In 1187, Jerusalem feel to the Muslims under the command of Saladin

The Third Crusade• A third crusade ensued, with Saladin allowing

Christians to visit the city of Jerusalem• Notable crusaders such as Frederick Barbarossa

of Germany, Richard the Lionhearted of England and Philipp II Augustus of France fought in the third crusade.

The Fourth Crusade• During a fourth crusade, after the death of Saladin,

Christians sacked Jerusalem and took control of it again.

Byzantine survived for another 190 years until the Ottoman Turks finally conquered it in 1453