1. A Quest for the Holy Land
THE CRUSADES
A Quest for the Holy Land

2. Crusades A long series or Wars between Christians and Muslims
They fought over control of Jerusalem which was called the Holy Land because it was the region where Jesus had lived, preached and died

3. Causes of the Crusades Muslim Turks captured Jerusalem/Holy Land
from the Byzantine
Empire
Muslims stopped
Christians from
Visiting Holy Land
Christian pilgrims
were attacked
Byzantine Empire
feared attack on their Capital city,
Constantinople

4. The Call to Arms
Byzantine emperor Alexius Comnenus asked for help from West.
Pope Urban II called for the defeat of the Turks, returning the Holy Land to the Christians. If you die assured place in heaven.

5. Pope Urban II

6. Goals of the Crusades (from Western Perspective)
Economic, social and political goals as well as Religious
Stop Muslim Turks from conquering additional land from Christian Byzantine Empire.
Reclaim Palestine / Holy Land from Muslims and reunite Christendom, which had split in 1054.
Opportunity to unite Europe.
Eventually goals change and include Economic.

7. Who Answered the Call?
Feudal Lords
Knights
Peasants
Fueled by
religious fervor,
adventure, land.

8. Based on this map, which holy city was the destination of the first three? How about 4th crusade?

9. The First Crusade (1096-1099) Peasant army Ill prepared
Lacked military equipment
Many killed by Muslim Turks
Knights
Succeeded in capturing Jerusalem, July 15, 1099

10. Second Crusade ( )
After victory many Christians went back home.
The Turks eventually took back much of the territory and re-captured Jerusalem.
2nd Crusade was unsuccessful in taking back Jerusalem.

11. Second Crusade ( )
Saladin leads the Muslim Turks to victory, defeating the Christians
* He was considered a very wise ruler. He was known for his sometimes kind treatment of fallen enemies. Many Christians saw him as a model of knightly chivalry.

12. Third Crusade ( )
King Richard of England and Saladin fight several battles, eventually convinces Turks to allow Christians to visit the Holy Land
Well known in Literature, due to Robin Hood

13. Fourth Crusade (1199-1204) Do not reach Holy Land
Western – East Christian relations strained
Crusaders sack Constantinople in 1204!
In 1453, when Constantinople is under siege by Turks, Byzantine Empire does not bother to ask Rome / West for help.

14. Crusades Continue Through 1200’s
Several more crusades attempted with no victories for the Christians
Children’s crusade of 1212, - 30,000 soldiers - many of them under 12 years old – Never made it to the Holy Land
Most died from cold,
Hunger or sold into slavery
The last crusader cities
fell in 1291.

15. Crusades Die Out Lack of interest Rising European prosperity
Repeated military defeats
Pope influence lessened, tired of religious call to crusade

16. Results of the Crusades
Fatal weakening of Byzantine Empire after Constantinople sacked
Vast increase in cultural horizons for many Europeans.
Stimulated Mediterranean trade.
Need to transfer large sums of money for troops and supplies led to development of banking techniques.
Romantic and imaginative literature.

17. Results of the Crusades
Knowledge introduced to Europe
Heavy stone masonry, construction of castles and stone churches.
Siege technology, tunneling, sapping.
Moslem minarets adopted as church spires
Weakening of nobility, rise of merchant classes
Enrichment was primarily from East to West--Europe had little to give in return
Distrust (mild term) between religions