The Crusades:The Fight for the Holy Land

Why fight for Jerusalem?(A little background knowledge)

• Jerusalem – where is it?• Proclaimed as divinely sacred by Judaism,

Christianity, and Islam (Jews, Christians and Muslims)

• Destination of pilgrimages for all three religions.• In Hebrew, the city’s name means “City of

Peace.” For Muslims, Jerusalem is Al Quds, Arabic for “The Place of Sacredness.”

Jerusalem Timeline• www.biblewalks.com/Sites/jerusalem.html

Why fight for Jerusalem?(A little background knowledge)

• For Jews:– According to the Torah (Old Testament of the Bible as Christians

call it), God told Abraham to look North, South, East, and West – for as far as he could see (from where he was standing) God told him He would give him and his descendants forever. (Therefore the “Holy Land”)

– Jerusalem is where the Jewish King David brought the ark (not the big boat) containing the original Torah for safe keeping.

– It was in Jerusalem that God commanded King Solomon to build the original Temple

– It is in Jerusalem that the Messiah will appear on the Day to End All Days.

– Every year on Passover, Jews all over the world end the service by saying “L’Shana HaBahah Be’rushalalim” (Next year in Jerusalem)

Why fight for Jerusalem?(A little background knowledge)

• For Christians:– Jerusalem is the site of Jesus’ life and preaching, as well as His

death, reappearance before ascending to heaven, and resurrection.

– He was born in the nearby city of Bethlehem– He was executed on a hill called Golgotha, just outside

Jerusalem’s walls.– The city was the home to the original cross and sacred stone of

Christ’s tomb.– It remains the home of the sacred shrine of the Holy Sepulchre,

as well as over fifty Christian shrines.– According to Christian tradition, Jesus mourned for Jerusalem

and predicted the destruction of Solomon’s Temple

Why fight for Jerusalem?(A little background knowledge)

• For Muslims:– According to both Qur’an and the Bible, both

Jews and Arabs are descendants of Abraham – therefore the Holy land belongs to them too as they are descendants of Abraham as well the Jews.

– Jerusalem is the site of Muhammad’s ascending into heaven to meet God.

The Quest for the Holy Land

• The Crusades– Definition: series of eight Christian military

expeditions from Europe to Palestine– Date: 1096-1270– Crusader: to take up the cross (crux = cross in Latin)– Motivation: to recapture the Holy Land from the

Muslims– Palestine (the Holy Land): ancient region of

southwest Asia, on east coast of Mediterranean.

The Quest for the Holy Land

• Muslims: – descendants from Abraham so given to them by God– Site of Muhammad’s ascension into heaven

• Jews: – descendants from Abraham so given to them by God– King David brought ark containing Torah there– Site of King Solomon’s temple

• Christians: – site of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection– Home to original cross and stone of Jesus’ tomb– Site of sacred Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The First (or Peasant’s) Crusade

• What do you see here?

• What seems to be the mood of the crowd?

• Do you see any symbols?

• Who do you think these are?

Pope Urban II• Felt Muslim Turks

threatened Byzantine Empire and he had responsibility to protect all Christianity

• Important Turkish leader died in 1092 – weakened Turkish empire – provided a good time to attack.

• If all Christians would unite under him, he’d have more power

• By AD 1071 not safe for Christians to go to Jerusalem

Probably most popular motivation…

• AD 1071 – Jerusalem ruled by Seljuk Muslims

• Christians not protected

• Christian pilgrims from Europe threatened by highway robbers

• Important to Christians that they be able to go there

Peter the Hermit

• Poor man who attracted peasant followers with his religious preaching

• Also attracted artisans, beggars, thieves, and tricksters

Nobles

• France in late eleventh century was too small and too poor for so many people.

• French ruling class looked for new opportunities in the Holy Land

• Hoped to add to personal fortunes and strengthen power of the monarchy

KnightsKnights

• Urban originally intended the crusading army was to be knights (but others answered the call as well)

• Church had declared proclamation that attempted to curtail killing among Christians leaving knights without much to do.

• Urban wanted chivalry and courage in battle to continue

• Church declared Jerusalem the “fief of God” Church declared Jerusalem the “fief of God” and commanded Knights to defend itand commanded Knights to defend it

• Crusades offered hope of adventureCrusades offered hope of adventure

Peasants

• Those who went on crusades were released from feudal obligations

• Crusades offered escape from drudgery of serf’s existence and hope of adventure

ResultsResults• Four armies all used different land routes to get Four armies all used different land routes to get

to Constantinople, Antioch, and Jerusalemto Constantinople, Antioch, and Jerusalem• Crusaders attacked farmers, looted cottages, Crusaders attacked farmers, looted cottages,

and massacred Jews during their crusadeand massacred Jews during their crusade• Used siege tactics to capture Antioch from Used siege tactics to capture Antioch from

Muslims, but lost much of army to diseaseMuslims, but lost much of army to disease• Captured Jerusalem and massacred many Captured Jerusalem and massacred many

Muslims and Jews.Muslims and Jews.• Jerusalem controlled by Christians; some Jerusalem controlled by Christians; some

crusaders returned to Europe, others stayedcrusaders returned to Europe, others stayed

The Third (or Kings’) Crusade

• What do you see here?

• Which army is Christian? Which is Muslim?

• How does this group of crusaders compare with those you saw in the previous transparency (the First Crusade)?

Background

• Like the Second Crusade, the Third Crusade was provoked by increasingly powerful Muslim threat to the crusader states in the Holy Land.

• During the 1120’s the governor of Mosul began a series of campaigns that brought many neighboring Muslim states in Syria under his control.

• Zangi (one of the first Muslim leaders to take advantage of the idea of jihad against Christians) and his son were able to capture some crusader state leaders.

Background on Saladin

• Born in 1138 in Tekrit (now in Iraq) to powerful Kurdish Sunni Muslim family

• Schoolboy in Damascus when Christians attacked the city during 2nd crusade

• 1169 chosen as commander in chief of entire Syrian army

Muslim Forces:Battle at the Horns of Hittin

• Muslim victory over Christian army

• Triggered the third crusade

Muslim Forces:Muslim Military Leaders• Imad al-Din Zangi: one of first

Muslim leaders to use jihad against the crusaders

•Saladin: devout and chivalrous military leader who went to war when the crusaders broke treaty by attacking a Muslim caravan

•Nur al-Din: son of Zangi, captured several crusader state leaders

Christian Forces:The Call for the Third Crusade

• Archibishop of Tyre called for new crusade in response to Muslim victory at Hittin

• Sometimes called King’s crusade because military leaders were also monarchs

Christian Forces:The Kings• Philip: king of France,

more of a politician than a general

Frederick Barbarossa: king of Germany, drowned on his way to Constantinople

Richard I: king of England, nicknamed the lionheart, skilled military leader

ResultsResults

• Philip and Richard capture city of Acre, but Philip later returned to France

• Richard grew impatient and ordered execution of all of Acre’s Muslims

• Richard and Saladin fought many battles, but Richard never regained Jerusalem

• Peace treaty of 1192:– Crusaders to keep control of cities north of Jaffa– Pilgrims free to visit holy places of Jerusalem

The Fourth Crusade: The Sack of Constantinople

• What do you see here?

• Who are the men on horseback?

• What are they doing?

• Why are they doing it?

Crusaders

• Called by Pope Innocent III to free Holy Land from non-Christians

• Initially, slow to start – then very enthusiastic after fiery sermons of Fulk of Neully

• Venice offered to supply crusaders in return for promise of half the wealth acquired

• Focus of crusaders changed from religion to desire to pay off debt to Venice

ByzantinesByzantines

• Despite Pope’s opposition, crusaders attacked Zara, a Catholic Hungarian city

• Crusaders then sacked the Byzantine city of Constantinople in AD 1204

• Sacked not only Muslim quarter, but convinced that Byzantine Christians were traitors, attacked them, looted and set fire to the city

Results

• Crusade broke apart in 1204; some money sent to Venetians

• Crusade leaders who stayed soon died, the city was drained of wealth and strength

• When the Greeks regained the city in AD 1261, Constantinople was in ruins, having forever lost its splendor and glory

• Permanent split between Latin and Greek Christian churches

The Children’s Crusade

• What do you see here?

• How are the children feeling? The adults reacting?

• Why would some adults let children undertake a dangerous journey to the Holy Land?

Participants

• Children and shepherds

• Laborers, wanderers, and sons who were not first born

• Adults, including women and infants

Bishop of Brindisi refused to allow children to board ships to Holy Land

Some parents joined their children; others insisted they return home

Philip II of France demanded children return to their homes

All participants believed divine will would help them defeat the Muslims

Nicholas of Germany

A boy who was inspired by what he had heard of

Stephen

• Believed God would part the Mediterranean so crusaders could easily reach the Holy Land

• Claimed to be inspired by Jesus and have ability to perform miracles

Stephen of France

A boy who was probably about 12 at the time

AD 1212 – a fateful year for children

Nicholas of Germany

• Many followed him from Germany across the Alps – many died along the difficult journey. When they reached Genoa, Italy, they too believed the Mediterranean would part and they could walk across. When this did not happen most scattered. Some continued on to Palestine. Some were able to return home.

• Many followed him from central France to Marseilles thinking that when they reached the Mediterranean it would open and they could walk to Palestine. When that didn’t happen, some merchants offered to take them by ship. Two ships sank, killing all on board. Many children who boarded the ships were sold as slaves.

Stephen of France

AD 1212 – a fateful year for children

Results

• Crusade fell apart when children reached Genoa, Italy

• Some children died while attempting to sail to Holy Land

• Many children sold to Muslim slave markets

• Church claimed tragic fate of children crusaders was work of the devil

The Impact of the Crusades

• What do you see here?

• What similarities do you see? Differences?

• After spending nearly 200 years trying to drive the Muslims from the Holy Land, why would Europeans begin to do business in the Muslim world?

On Christians

• Exposure to Muslim culture

• Feudal structure weakened

• Increased use of money

• Kept control of the Mediterranean

• Greek and Latin churches permanently split

• Failure of crusades produced bitter feelings toward Muslims

On the Exchange of Ideas

• Muslims adapted European military tactics

• Muslim scholarship circulated throughout European universities as Arabic works were translated into Latin

On the Exchange of Goods

• Exchange of languages

• Chess traveled to Europe through Muslims

• Paper introduced to Europe through Muslims

• Muslim arch used in European cathedrals

• Textile industries adapted by Muslims

On the Muslims

• Controlled most of Asia Minor but lost Spain

• Political fragmentation of the Muslim world after Saladin’s death

• Generally respected Christians as “People of the Book”