6.2 The Crusades

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6.2 The Crusades

Why did Europeans go on the crusades?

Holy war for God

Community of Muslims

Journey of Muhammed from Mecca to Medina

Political and religious leader of Muslims

Jihad

Caliph

Ummah

Hijrah

Priest

Crusader

Siege tower

City wall of Jerusalem

A call for help

• The Seljucs (Turkish Muslim tribe) conquered large parts of the Arabian world.
• In 1080 they threatened to attack the Byzantine Empire.
• The emperor asked the Pope for help.

Seljucs warrior looking at a Byzantine stronghold

Response

'A godless people have invaded the Holy Land of the Christians. They are killing Christians and destroying the churches. If you do not stop these unbelievers, Jerusalem will be lost. That is why I beg you, rich and poor, go to the Holy Land. You hear my voice, but it is Jesus who speaks. Whoever dies on the way or in battle will be rewarded in heaven. Your family will not have to pay taxes.'

- Pope Urban

Pope Urban II calling for a holy war

Response

• Pope Urban II calls for a crusade (=holy war) in 1094.
• Goal= Making the Holy Land Christian again.
• =Jerusalem and its surroundings.

Pope Urban II calling for a holy war

Crusaders of the first Crusade

7,000-10,000 knights

35,000-50,000 foot soldiers

70,000-100,000 non-combatants

The path to Jerusalem

• Many people (even children) joined the 1st Crusade.
• They plundered many towns on the way.  

'There were magnificent things to see. Some of our men beheaded their enemies. Others shot them with arrows. Still others threw them into the fire. You could see piles of heads, hands, and feet in the streets of the city. You had to make your way through the bodies of men and horses. It was a just and wonderful punishment from God that this place was covered in the blood of the unbelievers.'

Raymond van Aguiles, 1099​

Crusader States

• Few crusaders survived the trip and battle but they manage to take Jerusalem.
• Small crusader states are established such as the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

ZS - Read 6.2 (page 130-133)

• Done with reading? ->
• Write down at least four effects of the crusades (below your notes).

1. The importance of Jerusalem. Drag the symbols and texts to the correct picture

Holy Sepulcher

Wailing Wall

Dome of the Rock

Orthodox Church

Catholic Church

Both

2. Do the drag & drop

Greek

Patriarch

Pope

Christians

Latin

Constantinople

Rome

4. In this section a number of reasons are mentioned for Pope Urban II to organise the Crusades.
What are these reasons mentioned?

5. Which of these reasons was the direct cause for him to organise the Crusades? Explain your answer.

6. Try to remember what you know from lesson 3.2 about the spread of Islam.

a. How did the first Muslims who spread their religion treat the Christians?

6b. How did the Seljuqs treat the Christians according to Pope Urban II?

7. How did Pope Urban II motivate people to join the Crusades in source 4.2.7?

8. People in Europe responded to Urban’s speech by shouting ‘God wills it!’
Do you think that Muslims would have agreed to this?

9. Besides knights and people of the Church, many common men and women joined the Crusades as well. How could they have been motivated by Pope Urban’s speech (source 4.2.7)?

10. Why were Jews seen as the enemies of Christians during the Crusades?