The First Crusade is one of the most fascinating episodes of the Middle Ages -- one can argue that no other event would have as much of an impact on European and Middle Eastern history for hundreds of years. What is just as fascinating is that the first Crusade was even conceived and started, and then managed to achieve its goal of conquering Jerusalem in 1099.
Historians argue about the origins of the crusades, but most understand that many factors culminated in motivating tens of thousands of Europeans to march across the continent to the Holy Land. The eleventh century would see a resurgence in Christianity in Western Europe, and in particular the rise of the Papacy into a major political power.
Even before the launch of the first crusade, Europeans were waging what could be called a Holy War -- or at least using the ideology of defending Christendom as the reason behind their attacks in places in Spain, Italy and North Africa. Many medieval warriors saw fighting heathens -- usually Muslims -- as preferable to fighting their fellow Christians, although there was plenty of that happening too.
When Urban II was elected Pope in 1088, he received messages from the Byzantine Emperor Alexius the First asking for troops to help him fight the Seljuk Turks. Alexius was looking mercenaries, but Pope Urban had different ideas -- he saw at his opportunity to rally his fellow Christians to undertake a major military campaign to the Eastern Mediterranean. At the same time reports were coming from the Holy Land that Christian pilgrims were being attacked and kept away from the city of Jerusalem, the final earthly home of Jesus Christ.
After months of travelling through Western Europe, where Urban was laying the groundwork for his project, the Pope arrived at the Council of Claremont in November 1095, where he called upon the people to undertake a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, with the goal of retaking Jerusalem for the Catholic Church. As he said, "Let those who are accustomed to wage private wars wastefully against Believers, go forth against the Infidels." furthermore, the Pope promised spiritual benefits to those who would set forth on this pilgrimage: "Remission of sins, will be granted for those going thither, if they end a shackled life either on land or in crossing the sea, or in struggling against the heathen." This was essentially a promise that if you died on this journey, you would be immediately granted access into heaven, which was a powerful motivator for a deeply faithful people.
The Pope's call to go on crusade was met with much more enthusiasm then even he expected. Tens of thousands of people took the cross, and not just the rulers and knights who could afford the costly journey. Thousands of poor Christians, rallied by charismatic preachers like Peter the Hermit, also left their homes and villages to cross Europe. Some may have been motivated by the lure of riches from the east, and others for glory, but most Crusaders went for deeply spiritual reasons. What most of them probably did not know was how much of a struggle this journey would be, and how it would lead to great changes in medieval society.
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What were the Crusades, and were they justified?by mhfm116,872 views
You've reminded me, I must do my 'What is a Crusade' video.
mrgodbehere 5 months ago