Crusade and Coexistence:
Christendom & Islamic World, 10001400
I. Factors Influencing Contact
II. Evidence of Coexistence
III. The Crusades, 1096-1280
IDs: al-Idrisi, Saracens, Franks, Outremer, First
Crusade, 1096-1099
Question
To what extent did religious differences divide
the people of Christendom and the Islamic
world?
I. Factors Influencing Contact
A. Possible Types of Contact
• War
• Trade
• Co-existence along borders
• Co-existence in communities
• Transmission of learning, ideas & culture
B. Common Borders
C. Religious Differences
D. Muslim World: More Wealth, Learning, &
Comfortable Lifestyle
Afro-Eurasian Worlds
China
Christendom
(Europe)
House of Islam
India
E. Muslim World Divided
Seljuk
Turks
F. Issues in Christendom
1. Expansion
Normans
2. Problem: knights
without a mission
3. Growth in power
& influence of
The Church
(especially the
pope)
II. Evidence of Coexistence
A. Trade
B. Christian Pilgrimage to the “Holy Land”
C. Coexistence in Communities
King Alfonso X of
Castile (Spain)
D. Transmission of Learning, Technology &
Ideas
Classical Greek
scientific books
translated from
Arabic to Latin by
Muslim, Jewish &
Christian scholars
in Spain & Sicily
Technology
Al-Idrisi, Book of Roger
Maps for King Roger II
of Norman Sicily
Catalan Atlas, 1375
Made by Jewish
scholar using
Muslim maps
for Christian
king
Ship Technology
Compass
lateen sail
astrolabe
III. Crusades
A. Causes
1. Invasion of Seljuk Turks
into Byzantine Empire
2. Appeal by Emperor
Alexius Comnenus
3. Pope Urban II preaches crusade - Council
of Clermont, 1095
Pope Urban II’s Promises
• fighting as penance
• promise of salvation
• goal: free Jerusalem
from Muslims
Holy Sepulchre
His astonishing success
Strong religious feeling
– popularity of pilgrimage
– concern for salvation
Day of Judgment
Mosaic in
Torcello
Basilica, Venice
Top level: Christ breaking the doors of hell
Next level: Christ sits in judgment accompanied by
Mary, St. John the Baptist, the Apostles, and Angels
Adam & Eve prepare the throne of
judgment & Angels lead forth the
dead
Notice the red line going down
from Christ in Judgment
(represents his blood)
In the center, an angel & a demon compete for
a soul, while Mary prays for the sinner. On the
right are the saved souls happy in heaven; on
the left, the damned.
Angels pushing “proud” sinners, Devil with the
Antichrist.
Punishments in Hell: 7 Deadly Sins
Other possible motives
• Acquiring fiefs in the
Holy Land (especially for
knights who had no
land)
• Adventure
• Being swept up in the
emotion
B. First Crusade, 1096-1099
2 sides:
Franks = European
Christian
crusaders
Saracens = Muslim
Arab or Turk
defenders
Taking the Cross
4 armies of nobles
• Duke Godfrey of
Bouillon
• Bohemond of Sicily (a
Norman)
Hordes of common people
Massacre of Jews in Rhineland cities
• Mainz
• Speyer
• Worms
Journey
Arrival in Constantinople
• Emperor Alexius
Comnenus
• Anna Comnena
• Bohemond & the
Normans
Conquest of Jerusalem, 1099
C. Establishment of Crusader States,
“Outremer”
• 4 kingdoms
• Never enough knights
D. More than 7 Other Crusades
1. No more
successes
2. Saladin Unifies Muslims
• Battle of Hattin, 1187
• Saladin leads a
Muslim army that
defeats & kills most of
the Outremer knights.
• Saladin reconquers
most of Outremer,
including Jerusalem.
3. Third Crusade
• Richard the
Lion-Heart
4th Crusade
Crusaders
conquer
Constantin
ople &
defeat
Byzantine
Empire
(fellow
Christians)
E. Crusades in Europe
Reconquista in Spain
Majorca
E. Effects of Crusades
1. Hostile marker in European Christian
and Arab Muslim relations
2. Increased Trade
Mediterranean Trade around 1000
Trade Routes, ca. 1300
Trade between
Christians and
Muslims
expanded
greatly in the
period between
1000-1300.
Big items: silk
(China & IW),
cotton cloth
(India), spices
(IW & SE Asia)
3. First pogroms against Jews in Europe
Question
To what extent did religious and/or cultural
differences divide medieval people of
Christendom and Islamic world?
Sicily
Normans
Al-Idrisi, Book of Roger
Roger II
Majorca
Crown of Aragon (Aragon-Catalonia)
James I, King
of Aragon
- Conquers
Valencia
from
Muslims
- Conquers
Majorca
- Why?
Majorca
Majorca as a Trade Entrepôt
Muslim Arab
merchants
dominate
trade with
West Africa
(gold – salt
trade)
Venetians and
Genoese
dominate
trade in Medit.
With Egypt &
other Muslim
merchants
Catalan Atlas
Abraham Cresques, 1375