The Quest for the Holy Land
• Definition: series of 8
military expeditions from
Europe to the Middle East
• Dates: 1096-1270
• Crusader: to take up the
cross
The Quest for the Holy Land
• Motivation: to recapture
the Holy Land from the
Muslims
• Holy Land: an ancient
region of southwest Asia
on the east coast of the
Mediterranean
Claims to the Holy Land
•
Jews: Torah establishes
claim to the Holy Land
• Site of King Solomon’s
Temple
Claims to the Holy Land
•
Muslims:
• Site of Muhammad’s journey into heaven
• Site of the Dome of the Rock
Claims to the Holy Land
• Christians: Site of Jesus’ life, death,
and resurrection
• Site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Pope Urban II
called for crusade
against Turks
Indulgences as
incentive
Battles in the Holy
Land
Eight Crusades
The First Crusade: Pope Urban II
“God Wills It!”
• Wanted to protect Christianity from expansion
by Muslim Turks
The First Crusade: Pope Urban II
“God Wills It!”
• Wanted to unite all of Europe’s Christians
and increase his personal power as pope
The First Crusade: Pope Urban II
“God Wills It!”
• Promised immediate salvation to anyone
who died
Knights
• Commanded to defend Jerusalem, the “Fief
of God”
Knights
• Crusades offered hope of adventure and wealth.
Nobles & Peasants
• Peasants who went
on crusades were
released from
feudal obligations
Nobles & Peasants
• Escape from
drudgery & hope of
adventure.
• Promised salvation
for anyone who
died.
Nobles & Peasants
• Nobles hoped to
add to their
personal fortunes
and strengthen to
power of monarchs
Peter the Hermit
• A poor man who
attracted peasant
followers with his
preaching
Peter the Hermit
• Also attracted
artisans, beggars,
thieves, con men
and tricksters
The First Crusade
Results
• Four armies traveled
to Constantinople,
Antioch, and
Jerusalem.
The First Crusade
Results
• Captured Antioch
and Jerusalem
• Massacred many
Muslims and Jews
The First Crusade
Results
• Much of the army
died from disease
• Some Europeans
returned home,
while others
established
crusader states
The Third (or Kings’) Crusade
Muslim Forces
• Saladin was a
devout Muslim and
military leader
• He went to war
when the crusaders
broke a treaty by
attacking a Muslim
caravan
The Third (or Kings’) Crusade
Muslim Forces
• Battle at the Horns
of Hattin triggered
the third crusade.
• Surrounded the
Christian army and
set fire
• Muslims recaptured
Jerusalem in
October 1187
The Third (or Kings’) Crusade
Christian Forces
• Called the Kings’
Crusade because
the military leaders
were monarchs
• Philip king of
France
The Third (or Kings’) Crusade
Christian Forces
• Frederick Barbarossa
king of Germany,
drowned on his way to
Constantinople
• Richard I king of
England, nicknamed
the lion heart
Results of the Third Crusade
• Philip and Richard
captured Acre.
• Richard grew
impatient and
ordered the
execution of all of
the city’s Muslims
Results of the Third Crusade
• Richard and
Saladin fought
in many battles
but Richard
never regained
Jerusalem
Results of the Third Crusade
• Treaty of 1192:
Crusaders control
cities north of Jaffra.
• Pilgrims can safely
visit Jerusalem
The Impact of the Crusades
• Trade Expands: Europeans
want to have the luxuries
they saw in the Middle East.
The demand for silk and
spices grew.
• Feudalism Weakened: Knights left their fiefs to fight
and serfs were freed. Lords were killed or went
bankrupt.
• Exchange of Ideas: Military technology, poetry and
music, use of money, languages, architecture
• Muslims remain in control of Jerusalem until WWI
The Impact of the Crusades
• Trade Expands: Europeans want to have the
luxuries they saw in the Middle East.
• The demand for silk and spices grew.
The Impact of the Crusades
• Feudalism Weakened: Knights left their fiefs
to fight and serfs were freed.
• Lords were killed or went bankrupt.
The Impact of the Crusades
•Muslims remain in control of Jerusalem until WWI