A Call to War

1071 Seljuk Turks, led by Alp Arslan, conquer Jerusalem and threaten Byzantine Empire.
Bzantine Emperor asked Pope Urban II for help.


1095 Urban speaks at Clermont.
Crusaders would be free of debt and taxes.
God would forgive the sins of those who died in battle.
Soldiers would wear a red cross.

 
The Peasants' Crusade  
War cry "Deus vult" means "It is the will of God."
Nobels hoped to gain more land in Palistine for themselves.
1096 AD,  12,000 French peasants began the journey to Palestine.


They were led by Peter the Hermit.
Two German groups also set out.
Peasant armies attacked, looted, and burned wheat fields.
Massacred any Jews they found.
Villagers poisoned their wells and at night attacked Crusader camps.
When Constaniople was reached they were in rags and penniless.
The Emperor thought he was getting soldiers not unskilled peasants.
He gave them supplies and ships to fight the Turks in Asia Minor.
They were almost completely wiped out by Turkish bowmen.

1st Crusade: The Nobles' Crusade
1097, Nobels set out on their Crusade.
Each lord had to pay for his own battle supplies, wagons, and horses.
30,000 crusaders arrived in Asia Minor and defeated the Turks.
They then moved to the Syrian Desert where many died of starvation or thirst.
Survivors survived by capturing Syrian cities along they way to Palastine.
1099 AD, 12,000 surviving crusaders captured the Holy City, Jerusalem.
They killed Turks, Jews, and Christians alike.
Then they looted the city taking gold, silver, horses, mules, and other goods.

The Kingdom Beyond the Sea
Remainng crusaders set up four feudal kingdoms, Outremer, "the kingdoms beyond the sea."
The county of Edessa, the principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Crusaders took over the estates of rich Turkish and Arab Muslims.
Arabs worked and became advisers for the Crusaders.
Muslims admired the knights bravery.
Arab scholars knew more about medicine, science, and mathematics than Europeans knew.


Each noble built an opulent castle.
Old way of living did not suit new surroundings.
Too hot for wool and fur.
The nobles began to wear turbans and silk or linen robes.
Fought in armor.
Women wore jeweled tunics and gowns made with gold thread.
They wore veils outdoors and learned to use make up and perfume.
Heat made them develop the habit of bathing.
They changed their eating habits.  Less meat and more vegetabls.
They ate new foods , like rice, oranges, figs, and melons.
Many died in battle against the Turks.
Many died in fights with each other over rights and lands.
Many could not survive the hot climate.



Saladin
1174 Saladin became ruler of Egypt.
He united the Muslims and started a war against the Christians.
Saladin's armies were well-organized and devoted to Islam.
His soldiers rode fast ponies into battle and used short bows.
1187 Saladin's armies took Jerusalem and he refused to massacre the Christians.

The Third Crusade: The Crusade of Kings
The Catholic Church urged another Crusade.
The most powerful rulers in Europe, the kings of England, Germany, and France led the crusade.
The Crusade of Kings was a failure.


Frederick Barbarossa of Germany died in Asia Minor and many of his troops went home.
Richard I of England and Phillip II of France were always quarreling.


Richard and Philip took the city of Acre.
Phillip II beacme ill and returned home.
Richard was called the "Lionhearted."
Richard beheaded 16,000 soldiers in view of Saladin's army.
He could not defeat Saladin.

The Peace of Ramla
Crusaders still controlled large areas of Palestine.
Jerusalem remained in Muslim hands.

4th Crusade: The Loss of an Ideal
1202 Pope Innocent III called for another crusade.
Knights decided to to go by ship from Venice.
Venetians provided ships and equipment for a large sum of money and ½ of all the conquests.
Crusaders could not pay, so they conquered city of Zara for the Venetians.
Then they captured Constaniople. They burned and looted for thre days.
The Crusaders decided to divide the city with the Venetians.
Western Europeans lost respect for the crusader ideal.
Other crusades were fought but none of them were won by the Europeans.
1212, the Children's Crusade.  Most were sold into slavery.
1291 AD, Muslims take Acer, last Christian stronghold.
Muslims won the Crusades.
They had gained back all the land they had lost.

Effects of the Crusades
Split between eastern and western christianity became permanent.
Byzantine Empire could no longer defend itself.
Europe was open to Turkish attack.
The Crusades helped to break down feudalism.
Crusaders contact with cultured Byzantines and Muslims led western Europeans to become interested in learning.
Europeans began to demand: luxeries like spices, sugar, lemons, rugs, tapestries, and richly woven cloth.
Europeans open up new trade routes.
As trade grew, towns grew in western Europe.

Time Line of the Crusades