CRUSADES 1095-1192
Reasons for the Crusades
I. RELIGIOUS
- fear of afterlife ∴ ppl believed crusade would ensure entrance to heaven
salvation vs. damnation
- papal reform movement (eg: Cluniac/Gregorian Reform Movement + Cluny Monastery)
spread ideas of penance (repentance) + remission (cancellation) of sins
**Cluny monastery encouraged good works + donations + gifts**
**Cluniac Reform Movement tried to purify Church of abuses + make it more holy**
**Cluniac = nding opportunities to atone**
**Gregorian = copy life of Chirst**
- crusading = a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins
(guarantee of plenary indulgence) ‘remissio peccatorum’
- freeing Jerusalem from Islam —> return to Christian control
**esp. since many Christians went on pilgrimages to the Muslim-controlled area**
**every Medieval map showed Jerusalem as centre of world**
- Pope = large in uence + supported crusade
- in uence of preachers (eg: Bernard of Clairvaux)
- crusaders who dies = martyrs who went straight to heaven
- ppl believed they lived in Last Days + world was ending
- indulgences = ‘penitential’ war fought as a punishment to make up for sins
- Jerusalem = centre of world on Medieval maps + location of Holy Sepulchre/Cavalry
II. POLITICAL
- Turkish threat to Byzantium Empire (paved the way to Jerusalem for pilgrims ∴ crusaders
wanted to protect Christian empire)
- Alexius I Comnenus’s appeal to Pope Urban II
- political ambitions of papacy
- Pope Urban’s political problems in Germany + France
- violence + disorder in Europe
- (the Second and Third Crusades and the defence of the crusader states)
III. KNIGHTS
= strong + formidable ghting force
- minor land con icts among nobles helped train knights + experience
- crusade re-directed knightly violence
- horses w/stirrup + high saddle = ↑ security on horse Interpretations of
Crusade:
- shod horses for rough land = ↑ mobility a) Christian chivalry against
Muslim aggressors
- heavy armour = ↑ protection b) unprovoked Christian
aggression
- W Europe = high military potential
- ideas of chivalry
1
, - protecting Christianity + pilgrims ie: helping situation in East
- settlement in the crusader states + the acquisition of wealth
- Pope guilts knights by saying their behaviour isn’t “soldiery of Christ”
- knights = profession of killing ∴ needed to cleanse themselves
- knights tied to lords followed their leader into Crusade (feudal obligations)
- social reasons —> pressure to go on Crusade
IV. ECONOMIC
- primogeniture = 1st son inherits everything ∴ younger sons seek own fortune
- economic problems @ home (eg: famine) ∴ crusading = escape
eg: Prince Bohemund ≠ inherit father’s land ∴ hoped to gain land elsewhere
- land in the East “ oweth with milk and honey”
V. SOCIAL
- crusading provided escape from domestic issues eg: famine/disease
HOW WERE PEOPLE PERSUADED TO GO ON CAUSES OF 1ST CRUSADE:
CRUSADE? i) situation in East (Alexius’
• indulgences (remissio peccatorum) appeal)
• Gregorian/Cluniac Reform Movement ii) papal ambition
• threat of excommunication iii) Investiture Controversy
• Pope’s preaching tour iv) Philip of France
• v) religiosity of Europe
• preachers (spread message) vi) personal considerations
• Just War concept (= acceptable to kill w/ vii) violent knights
good intentions) —> by Augustine of Hippo
(4th Century)
CONTEXT:
Life in West:
- Roman empire collapsed (410AD) = instability
- small kingdoms (not nations) —> no unity (constantly changing borders)
- feudal society = frequent violent clashes (over land + leadership)
- economic + military decline
- famine/disease/low life expectancy
- urbanisation (1000s) = stability
- prosperous cities (eg: Pisa, Venice, Genoa) = sea ports for trade
- large Christian population —> confession/pilgrimages/Sunday mass to have sins absolved (Church had
God-given power to forgive sins)
Life in East:
- Christians had own closed off quarter in Jerusalem + had right to religion + amicable w/Muslims
- 7th century: Muslims conquer land to spread islam
- 638: Muslims capture Jerusalem
- 1092: Malik Shah + advisor died (no successor ∴ in
2
Reasons for the Crusades
I. RELIGIOUS
- fear of afterlife ∴ ppl believed crusade would ensure entrance to heaven
salvation vs. damnation
- papal reform movement (eg: Cluniac/Gregorian Reform Movement + Cluny Monastery)
spread ideas of penance (repentance) + remission (cancellation) of sins
**Cluny monastery encouraged good works + donations + gifts**
**Cluniac Reform Movement tried to purify Church of abuses + make it more holy**
**Cluniac = nding opportunities to atone**
**Gregorian = copy life of Chirst**
- crusading = a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins
(guarantee of plenary indulgence) ‘remissio peccatorum’
- freeing Jerusalem from Islam —> return to Christian control
**esp. since many Christians went on pilgrimages to the Muslim-controlled area**
**every Medieval map showed Jerusalem as centre of world**
- Pope = large in uence + supported crusade
- in uence of preachers (eg: Bernard of Clairvaux)
- crusaders who dies = martyrs who went straight to heaven
- ppl believed they lived in Last Days + world was ending
- indulgences = ‘penitential’ war fought as a punishment to make up for sins
- Jerusalem = centre of world on Medieval maps + location of Holy Sepulchre/Cavalry
II. POLITICAL
- Turkish threat to Byzantium Empire (paved the way to Jerusalem for pilgrims ∴ crusaders
wanted to protect Christian empire)
- Alexius I Comnenus’s appeal to Pope Urban II
- political ambitions of papacy
- Pope Urban’s political problems in Germany + France
- violence + disorder in Europe
- (the Second and Third Crusades and the defence of the crusader states)
III. KNIGHTS
= strong + formidable ghting force
- minor land con icts among nobles helped train knights + experience
- crusade re-directed knightly violence
- horses w/stirrup + high saddle = ↑ security on horse Interpretations of
Crusade:
- shod horses for rough land = ↑ mobility a) Christian chivalry against
Muslim aggressors
- heavy armour = ↑ protection b) unprovoked Christian
aggression
- W Europe = high military potential
- ideas of chivalry
1
, - protecting Christianity + pilgrims ie: helping situation in East
- settlement in the crusader states + the acquisition of wealth
- Pope guilts knights by saying their behaviour isn’t “soldiery of Christ”
- knights = profession of killing ∴ needed to cleanse themselves
- knights tied to lords followed their leader into Crusade (feudal obligations)
- social reasons —> pressure to go on Crusade
IV. ECONOMIC
- primogeniture = 1st son inherits everything ∴ younger sons seek own fortune
- economic problems @ home (eg: famine) ∴ crusading = escape
eg: Prince Bohemund ≠ inherit father’s land ∴ hoped to gain land elsewhere
- land in the East “ oweth with milk and honey”
V. SOCIAL
- crusading provided escape from domestic issues eg: famine/disease
HOW WERE PEOPLE PERSUADED TO GO ON CAUSES OF 1ST CRUSADE:
CRUSADE? i) situation in East (Alexius’
• indulgences (remissio peccatorum) appeal)
• Gregorian/Cluniac Reform Movement ii) papal ambition
• threat of excommunication iii) Investiture Controversy
• Pope’s preaching tour iv) Philip of France
• v) religiosity of Europe
• preachers (spread message) vi) personal considerations
• Just War concept (= acceptable to kill w/ vii) violent knights
good intentions) —> by Augustine of Hippo
(4th Century)
CONTEXT:
Life in West:
- Roman empire collapsed (410AD) = instability
- small kingdoms (not nations) —> no unity (constantly changing borders)
- feudal society = frequent violent clashes (over land + leadership)
- economic + military decline
- famine/disease/low life expectancy
- urbanisation (1000s) = stability
- prosperous cities (eg: Pisa, Venice, Genoa) = sea ports for trade
- large Christian population —> confession/pilgrimages/Sunday mass to have sins absolved (Church had
God-given power to forgive sins)
Life in East:
- Christians had own closed off quarter in Jerusalem + had right to religion + amicable w/Muslims
- 7th century: Muslims conquer land to spread islam
- 638: Muslims capture Jerusalem
- 1092: Malik Shah + advisor died (no successor ∴ in
2
