The Crusades were a series of military expeditions that began in the late 11th century, organised by Western European Christians in response to centuries of Muslim wars of expansion. The main objectives of the Crusades were to check the spread of Islam, retake control of the Holy Land in the eastern Mediterranean, conquer pagan areas, and recapture formerly Christian territories.
The Crusades took place from 1095 until the 16th century when the advent of Protestantism led to the decline of papal authority. There were eight major official crusades between 1095 and 1270 and many more unofficial ones. Here is a brief timeline of the first seven Crusades
1. First
Crusade (1096-1099)
2. Second
Crusade (1147-1149)
3. Third
Crusade (1189-1192)
4. Fourth
Crusade (1202-1204)
5. Fifth
Crusade (1217-1221)
6. Sixth
Crusade (1228-1229)
7. Seventh Crusade (1248-...)
By the end of the 11th century, approximately two-thirds of the ancient Christian world had been conquered by Muslims, including the important regions of Palestine, Syria, Egypt, and Anatolia. The Crusades, attempting to check this advance, initially enjoyed success, founding a Christian state in Palestine and Syria, but the continued growth of Islamic states ultimately reversed those gains. By the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks had established themselves in the Balkans and would penetrate deeper into Europe despite repeated efforts to repulse them.
The Crusades had a profound impact on the world. They led to the collapse of the Byzantine Empire and a souring of relations and intolerance between religions and peoples in the East and West, effects that still influence governments and societies today.
What causes this event?
The Crusades were caused by a variety of factors. Here are some key reasons,
1. Byzantine Empire's Request for Help
The Byzantine Empire, which was the remains of the former Roman Empire, was under attack from Muslim civilizations to the east. The Byzantine Empire had long been in control of Jerusalem and other sites holy to Christians but, in the latter decades of the 11th century CE, they lost them dramatically to the Seljuks, a Turkish tribe of the steppe.
2. Papal Authority
Pope Urban II saw the Crusades as an opportunity to strengthen the papacy in Italy and achieve ascendancy as head of the Christian church.
3. Economic Interests
Merchants saw the Crusades as a chance to monopolize important trading centres that were currently under Muslim control and earn money shipping crusaders to the Middle East.
4. Religious Zeal
Knights and other participants were motivated by a desire to defend Christianity (its believers and holy places), follow the principles of chivalry, and gain material wealth in this life and special favour in the next one.
These causes, among others, led to the launch of the Crusades, which were a series of religious wars carried out by Christian crusaders from Europe during the Middle Ages.
How long did this event take?
Here are the durations of the first three Crusades
1. First Crusade (1096-1099)
The First Crusade lasted from 1096 to 1099. It was successful in its primary aim of recapturing and destroying Jerusalem for Christendom.
2. Second Crusade (1147-1149)
The Second Crusade took place from 1147 to 1149. It was launched to recapture Edessa for Christendom, but it was not successful.
3. Third Crusade (1189-1192)
The Third Crusade occurred from 1189 to 1192. The failure of the Second Crusade emboldened the Muslims against the Christians, who now seemed weak.
The failure of the Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid Sultanate. However, a sequence of economic and political events led to the Crusader army's 1202 siege of Zara and the 1204 sack of Constantinople, rather than the conquest of Egypt as originally planned.
This led to the Partitio terrarum imperii Romaniae or the partition of the Byzantine Empire by the Crusaders and their Venetian allies leading to a period known as Frankokratia, or "Rule of the Franks" in Greek. The Republic of Venice contracted with the Crusader leaders to build a dedicated fleet to transport their invasion force. However, the leaders greatly overestimated the number of soldiers who would embark from Venice, since many sailed from other ports, and the army that appeared could not pay the contracted price.
In lieu of payment, the Venetian Doge Enrico Dandolo proposed that the Crusaders back him in attacking the rebellious city of Zadar (Zara) on the eastern Adriatic coast. This led in November 1202 to the siege and sack of Zara, the first attack against a Catholic city by a Catholic Crusader army, despite Pope Innocent III's calls for the Crusaders not to attack fellow Christians. The city was then brought under Venetian control.
In January 1203, en route to Jerusalem, the Crusader leadership entered into an agreement with the Byzantine prince Alexios Angelos to divert their main force to Constantinople and restore his deposed father Isaac II Angelos as emperor, who would then add his support to their invasion of Jerusalem. On 23 June 1203, the main Crusader army reached Constantinople, while other contingents (perhaps a majority of all Crusaders) continued to Acre.
In August 1203, following the siege of Constantinople, Alexios was crowned co-emperor. However, in January 1204 he was deposed by a popular uprising, depriving the Crusaders of their promised bounty payments. Following the murder of Alexios on 8 February, the Crusaders decided on the outright conquest of the city. In April 1204, they captured and plundered the city's enormous wealth. Only a handful of the Crusaders continued to the Holy Land thereafter.
The conquest of Constantinople was followed by the fragmentation of the Byzantine Empire into three states centred in Nicaea, Trebizond and Epirus. The Crusaders then founded several new Crusader states, known as Frankokratia, in former Roman territory, largely hinged upon the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
The Fourth Crusade thus gained its infamous reputation as the most cynical and profit-seeking of all the crusades. It led to the collapse of the Byzantine Empire and a souring of relations and intolerance between religions and peoples in the East and West.
Outcomes of the Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade had significant effects on both Europe and the Middle East
Effects on Europe
1. Increased Power of Royal Houses: The Crusades led to an increase in the
power of the royal houses of Europe.
2. Stronger Collective Cultural Identity: The Crusades contributed to a
stronger collective cultural identity in Europe.
3. Increased International Trade: The Crusades led to an increase in
international trade and the exchange of ideas and technology.
4. Rise of Italian States: The Fourth Crusade, in particular, led to an
increase in the power of Italian states such as Venice, Genoa, and Pisa.
5. Expansion of Kingdoms: Crusades in northern and eastern Europe led to the expansion of kingdoms like Denmark and Sweden.
Effects on the Middle East
1. Immediate Impact: In the immediate sense, the Crusades had a terrible
effect on some of the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants of the Middle East.
2. Global Trade Power: During the Middle Ages, the Islamic world was a global
centre of trade, culture, and learning.
3. Creation of a New Hero: One effect of the Crusades was the creation of a
new hero for the Islamic world: Saladin (Salahaddin).
4. Long-term Impact: Eventually, it was Europe's rebirth and expansion that finally created a Crusader effect in the Middle East.
How were the images of the Crusaders?
The perception of the Crusaders varied greatly during the time of the Crusades, both within Europe and outside of it
In Europe
1. Religious Venture: The Crusades were initially seen as a great pilgrimage
to rescue the holy places. Pope Urban II preached the ideals of the first
crusade at the Council of Clermont.
2. Opportunistic Prospect: The idea of a 'Holy' war, in that war can be
sanctioned by the Pope for the rescue of the holy places, was quite an
opportunistic prospect to people, both Lord and Peasant alike.
3. Chivalry and Piety: Crusading was a prospect that could only increase a
person's chivalry, land ownership, or indeed feed the people's piety.
4. Waning Interest: As the Crusades became less rewarding, military orders such as the Knights Templar died off, and Egypt became more focused, Crusading became extraordinarily expensive, and it waned until it stopped completely.
Outside Europe
1. Criticism: More often, criticism was aimed at improving the odds of success of future crusades. As crusaders were held to a higher standard than soldiers in other wars, their defeats were often blamed on their sins, such as greed and sexual promiscuity.
2. Justification: It means that crusading was not simply seen as a necessary evil—it was seen as a positive spiritual good for those who participated.
The Crusades spanned several centuries and involved many different groups and individuals, each with their own perspectives and motivations.
The Crusades had significant outcomes and effects on both Europe and the Middle East, which continue to shape the world today:
Outcomes of the Crusades
1. Increased Presence of Christians
The Crusades resulted in an increased
presence of Christians in the Levant during the Middle Ages.
2. Development of Military Orders
The Crusades led to the development of
military orders.
3. Polarization Based on Religious Differences
The Crusades caused a
polarization of the East and West based on religious differences.
4. Increased Role of the Church
The Crusades led to an increased role and
prestige of the popes and the Catholic Church in secular affairs.
5. Souring of Relations
The Crusades led to the souring of relations between the West and the Byzantine Empire, ultimately leading to the latter's destruction.
Effects of the Crusades on the World
1. Increased Power of Royal Houses
The Crusades led to an increase in the
power of the royal houses of Europe.
2. Stronger Collective Cultural Identity
The Crusades contributed to a
stronger collective cultural identity in Europe.
3. Increased Xenophobia and Intolerance
The Crusades led to an increase in
xenophobia and intolerance between Christians and Muslims and between
Christians and Jews, heretics, and pagans.
4. Increased International Trade
The Crusades led to an increase in
international trade and the exchange of ideas and technology.
5. Rise of the Italian States
The Fourth Crusade, in particular, led to an
increase in the power of Italian states such as Venice, Genoa, and Pisa.
6. Appropriation of Christian Relics
The Crusades led to the appropriation of
many Christian relics to Europe.
7. Justification of Colonialism, Warfare, and Terrorism
The Crusades have been used as a religious historical precedent to justify colonialism, warfare, and terrorism.
These outcomes and effects have had lasting impacts, influencing international relations, cultural identities, religious practices, and economic systems. The Crusades also played a major role in the development of Western historical literature.
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Conversation with Bing, 12/21/2023
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