The Crusades

A Long Tragic History

General Background

The Old Roman Empire Lawless Very aggressive Divided into small

kingdoms,estates, and manors

Semi-Barbaric (semi-Christian

Very poor lower class (serfs)

Uneducated upper and lower class

The Byzantine Empire Strong Central

Emperor Large Barbarian

(pagan) populations in the East and South

Great Wealth Relatively high levels

of learning and technology

Immediate Causes of the Crusade

Challenges to Papal Authority (the power of the Pope)

Unceasing warfare in the Old Roman Empire Defeat of a Byzantine army at Manzikert by the

Muslim Seljuk tribe.

How the First Crusade Began In 1095, Pope Urban II gathered

kings and nobles at Clermont, France

He told the kings and nobles that Infidels (Muslims) endangered the holy places in Palestine

He called on the kings and nobles to save the holy places by gathering an army and going to battle against the Infidels.

He promised all who went on this crusade that their souls would be saved from damnation.

The Development of the First Crusade

Two groups organized to go on crusade One was led by

kings and nobles The other was led

by a poor religious leader called Peter the Poor.

Most crusaders went over land by way of Constantinople

The Peasants' Crusade The Peasants' Crusade

killed, raped, and pillaged Jews and others on their way through Eastern Europe

When the Peasants arrived at Constantinople, the Emperor, afraid of the crowd of poor, put them on boats and sent them on their way.

The Peasants were destroyed by a Muslim army in what is now Turkey.

First Crusade (continued)

Participants in the main crusade gathered at Constantinople

As they continued south toward Palestine, some groups left to capture lands for themselves (Antioch)

The Capture of Jerusalem The remaining

Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099.

They killed all the inhabitants of Jerusalem -- men,women and children.

They created a crusader capital and chose a king.

The crusaders ruled in Jerusalem until 1187 when they were defeated at the Battle of Hattin.

The End of the Major Crusades Because of additional attacks

by Muslims, new crusaders were sent.

Richard I and Saladin were two famous opponents.

The last Crusader stronghold, Acre, was captured by the Muslims in 1291.

Crusaders altogether controlled Palestine for 192 years.

There were later Crusades, but none were able to control the Holy Land.

How did the Crusades Change the World

Crusaders sold much of their property to pay for their expenses

Land changed ownership Peasants were freed from

their lands to go on the Crusades

New foods, medicines, and technology were brought back from the Crusades

The Crusades unlocked the feudal system.

How did the Crusades Change the World

The Crusades opened up trade between the East and the West.

The trading nations of the West developed a merchant and business class which eventually took over from the nobles and knights.

The Muslim world developed a strong suspicion of the West.