Aim: Which side would I have taken during the Crusades?

Israel Today

Ethiopian Christians in Jerusalem The Jewish Quarter The Arab Quarter The Armenian Quarter Ethiopian Christians in Jerusalem

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of wars fought over control of the Holy Land (Jerusalem) in the Middle Ages (1095-1291) between Christian knights and the Saracens (Muslim Turks). In 1070 the Seljuk Turks (also Muslim) conquered Jerusalem from the Umayyads and threatened the Byzantine Empire. Unlike the Umayyads, the Seljuk Turks did not allow non-Muslims to visit their holy sites. In 1095 the Byzantine Emperor asked Pope Urban II to help him fight the Seljuk Turks in Jerusalem promising forgiveness of sins, salvation in heaven, and wealth. "Christians, hasten to help your brothers in the East, for they are being attacked. Arm for the rescue of Jerusalem under your captain Christ. Wear his cross as your badge. If you are killed your sins will be pardoned.“ – Pope Urban II, 1095

Crusades Continued… What was at stake for Christians? 1. Church of the Holy Sepulcher: Christians believe the church was built over the site where Jesus was crucified.

Crusades Continued… B) Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity: Where Jesus is believed to have been born.

The First Crusade (1095 – 1099) A) 30,000+ Christian knights went. On the way to Jerusalem, the crusaders massacred and looted Jewish communities (due to anti-Semitism and mob mentality). B) Godfrey of Bouillon conquered Jerusalem and began the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem. The French word for cross is “croix”, which led to the word “crusades”. All crusading knights sewed crosses on their tunics.

A Christian Depiction of the Crusades Can you see bias in this painting?

Primary Source Unknown Christian Knight, 1099 "Exulting with joy we reached the city of Jerusalem… we besieged it in a wonderful manner… the defenders of the city quickly fled… Our men followed and pursued them, killing and hacking, as far as the Temple of Solomon [the Wailing Wall], and there was such a slaughter that our men were up to their ankles in the enemy's blood. . . . Entering the city, our pilgrims pursued and killed the Saracens [Muslims]… the whole temple flowed with their blood… Then the crusaders scattered throughout the city, seizing gold and silver... Afterwards our men went rejoicing and weeping for joy to adore the Holy Sepulcher of our Savior Jesus. . . On the eighth day after the capture of the city they elected Duke Godfrey prince of the city…The city was captured by the Christians on Friday, July 15."

Later Crusades By 1144 CE the Saracens had recaptured a lot of the Holy Land  2nd Crusade. The crusading army was led by the Kings of France and Germany… who were defeated before they ever got to Jerusalem! 1174 Saladin became the leader of the Saracens. He conquered Jerusalem in 1187  3rd Crusade. King Richard I (the Lionhearted) of England, King Philip of France, and the Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa led the Christian army. Barbarossa drowned while bathing. King Philip went home. In 1192, Richard agreed to peace with Saladin; Christians could visit their holy sites as long as they did not make further attacks. The 3rd crusade inspired the story of Robin Hood! While Richard I was away fighting, his brother John became king  Robin robbing the rich to help the poor.

Eleanor of Aquitaine At 15 years old Eleanor was married to Louis VII, the King of France. In 1147 she joined her husband on the 2nd Crusade. She traveled with 300 other ladies, all dressed in armor and carrying lances. They never fought, but they helped the wounded. After returning to France following their defeat, Eleanor successfully divorced her husband… though it may have had more to do with the fact that she bore him no sons.

Later Crusades Continued… Saladin died in 1193. Some Christians saw this as an opportunity  4th Crusade. On the way to the Holy Land, the knights attacked a Christian city in exchange for ships from Venice. They then attacked Constantinople (also a Christian city!) when the Byzantine Emperor failed to give them money. *Constantinople never fully recovered, and eventually fell to the Turks in 1453. 1212 CE 30,000 children (mostly from France and Germany) joined the Children’s Crusade. Most were never heard from again. Many were sold into slavery. *This crusade was never officially blessed by the Pope.

Primary Source: Saladin 1187 CE "If God blesses us by enabling us to drive His enemies out of Jerusalem, how fortunate and happy we would be! For Jerusalem has been controlled by the enemy [Christian Knights] for 91 years, during which time God has received nothing from us here in the way of adoration. At the same time, the zeal of the Muslim rulers to deliver it languished. Time passed, and so did many [in different] generations, while the Franks succeeded in rooting themselves strongly there. Now God has reserved the merit of its recovery for one house, the house of the sons of Ayyub [Saladin's family], in order to unite all hearts in appreciation of its members."

The Sack of Constantinople, 1204 CE Nicetas Choniates: How shall I begin to tell of the deeds wrought by these nefarious men! Alas, the images, which ought to have been adored, were trodden under foot! Alas, the relics of the holy martyrs were thrown into unclean places!.... Nor can the violation of the Great Church [Hagia Sophia] be listened to with equanimity. For the sacred altar… was broken into bits and distributed among the soldiers... No one was without a share in the grief. In the alleys, in the streets… weeping, lamentations, grief, the groaning of men, the shrieks of women, wounds, rape...

Acre, A Crusader Castle, Near Haifa, Israel

The Crusaders in Mainz 1096, May 27 In the year 1096, bands of zealous crusaders set out for the Holy Land. As they passed through Germany on their way to Jerusalem they killed thousands of "infidel" Jews in the cities of Speyer, Worms, Mainz and Cologne. It was .... at noon [Tuesday, May of 1096], that Emico the wicked… led a band of plundering German and French crusaders. Then the enemies of the Lord said to each other: “look! They have opened up the gate for us. Now let us avenge the blood of 'the hanged one' [Jesus].”… Then young and old donned their armor and girded on their weapons... The bishop's men, who had promised to help them [the Jews], were the very first to flee… even the bishop himself fled from his church for it was thought to kill him also because he had spoken good things of the Jews.... [Archbishop Ruthard had been paid to remain and defend the Jews. He was later accused of having received some of the plunder taken from them.] - Solomon Bar Samson

Consequences of the Crusades Short Term Consequences Long Term Consequences By 1302 the Crusades were officially over. There had been 9 official (Pope approved) crusades, and many more minor ones. Many nobles who joined the Crusades never returned. This allowed kings to increase their power, breaking down the feudal system. The Holy Land remained in the hands of the Saracens (Muslim Turks). Europeans were exposed to Muslim technology, education, and luxury goods. This led to a revival of trade. 1-5 million people died. The Holy Land was controlled by the Muslim Turks until the end of WWI in 1922!

Fill in your Period 3 chart for medieval western Europe. HW Questions Fill in your Period 3 chart for medieval western Europe. What were the causes of the Crusades? Why do you think anti-Semitism increased during the Crusades? (Use evidence from “The Crusaders in Mainz”) What were the causes and consequences of the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade? Did it make any sense? Were the Crusades a success or failure? Explain. Do you think the Christian source depicting the First Crusade, or the source from Saladin is more historically accurate? Why? Which side would you have fought for and why?

Key Vocabulary Children’s Crusade Church of the Holy Sepulcher Crusades Eleanor of Aquitaine First Crusade Fourth Crusade Godfrey King Richard I Kingdom of Jerusalem Pope Urban II Saladin Saracens