Transparency 4.1A: The Quest For The Holy Land
Transparency 4.1A: The Quest For The Holy Land
In the Transparency we see a map illustrating armies from the western Christian
world marching toward the Holy Land during the Crusades.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 Describe the people and buildings you see.
 Where do you think the people are going?
 Why might so many people be trying to get to Jerusalem?
 What else does this map tell you about the Crusades?
Information For Chart
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of eight Christian military expeditions from Europe to
Palestine from 1096-1270. The main motivation was to recapture Palestine, and the
holy city of Jerusalem from the Muslims. Palestine (the holy land) was an ancient
region of southwest Asia, on the east coast of the Mediterranean. The word “crusade”
comes from the Latin word crux, meaning cross. “To take up the cross,” meant to
become a crusader. To identify themselves, Christians sewed symbols of the cross of
Christ onto their clothing before going into battle.
Christians Claim to the Holy Land
For Christians, the holy land was important because it was the site of Jesus’ life, death,
and resurrection. It was also home to original cross and stone or Christ’s tomb, site of
sacred Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and holds a variety of Christian shrines.
Muslims Claim to the Holy Land
The Qur’an establishes claim that both Jews and Arabs are people of Abraham. They
believe that God’s gift of the Holy Land to Abraham was also meant for Arabs (first
Muslims), too. The Holy Land was also the site of Muhammad’s ascension into heaven.
Jews Claim to the Holy Land
The Torah establishes the Jews claim to the Holy Land. Jews believe that the Holy Land
was a gift from God to Abraham and the rest of the Jews. The Holy Land was also
important to the Jews because King David brought ark containing the original Torah
here. It is also the site of King Solomon’s temple.
Transparency 4.1B: The First (or Peasants) Crusade
Transparency 4.1B: The First (or Peasants) Crusade
In this transparency we see a map illustrating armies from the western Christian
world marching toward the Holy Land during the Crusades.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 What do you see here?
 What seems to be the mood of the crowd?
 What symbol appears on the clothing of several individuals on the transparency?
 What is the importance of this symbol?
 Who do you think is addressing the crowd?
 What ideas might unite this diverse group of people?
Information For Chart
Peter the Hermit
Peter the Hermit was a small, poor man with dark skin covered in dirt who wore no
shoes and ate only fish and wine, managed to attract hordes of peasant followers with
his eloquent rhetoric and religious preaching. The crowd grew to include artisans,
beggars, thieves, and tricksters.
Pope Urban II
There were a combination of factors, which prompted Pope Urban’s call for the First
Crusade and motivated 30,000 European Christians to take the cross. One important
reason was that Pope Urban II felt responsible for protecting Christianity from
expansion by Muslim Turks. Another important reason was that he wanted to unite all
of Europe’s Christians to increase his personal power as pope.
Nobles
The Nobles got involved in the Crusades because they hoped to add their personal
fortunes and strengthen the power of monarchs.
Knights
The Knights were commanded to defend Jerusalem, the “fief of God”. It was every
knight’s duty to defend the holy city. The crusades also offered them hope of
adventure.
Peasants
Those peasants that went on the crusades were released from feudal obligations. The
crusades offered an escape from drudgery of a serf’s existence and hope for adventure.
Results
Four armies all used different land routes to get to Constantinople, Antioch, and
Jerusalem. Crusaders attached farmers, looted cottages, and massacred Jews during
their crusades. Siege tactics were used to capture Antioch from Muslims, but most
much of the army was lost to disease. The Christians captured Jerusalem and
massacred many Muslims and Jews, leaving Jerusalem to be controlled by the
Christians. Some crusaders returned to Europe, others stayed in Jerusalem.
Transparency 4.1C: The Third (or Kings) Crusade
Transparency 4.1C: The Third (or Kings) Crusade
In this transparency we see King Richard of England landing at Jaffa.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 What do you see here?
 Which army is Christian?
 Which is Muslim?
 How does this group of crusaders compare with those you saw in the previous
transparency? (The First Crusade)
 What seems to be the mood of the man leading the crusaders?
 Which army seems to have the advantage in this picture?
Information For Chart
Muslim Forces
Battle at the Horns of Hittin:
 Muslim victory over Christian army
 Triggered the third crusade
Muslim Military Leaders
 Imad al-Din Zangi was one of the first Muslim leaders to use jihad against the
crusaders.
 Nur al-Din was the son of Zangi, and captured several crusader state leaders and
thus produced a great deal of instability in the Christian empire around
Jerusalem.
 Saladin was a devout and chivalrous military leader who went to war when the
crusades broke treaty by attacking Muslim caravan.
Christian Forces
The Call For The Third Crusade
 Archbishop of Tyre called for a new crusade in response to the Muslim victory at
Hittin.
 It was sometimes called Kings crusade because military leaders were also
monarchs.
The Kings
 Philip was the king of France and more of a politician than a general.
 Frederick Barbarossa was the king of Germany and drowned on his way to
Constantinople.
 Richard I, nicknamed “Richard The Lionheart”, was the king of England and was
a skilled military leader.
Results
Philip and Richard captured the city of Acre, but Philip later returned to France. Richard
grew impatient and ordered execution of all of Acre’s Muslims. Richard and Saladin
fought many battles, but Richard never regained Jerusalem. In September of 1192,
Richard and Saladin signed a peace treaty. The crusaders were allowed to keep control
of cities north of Jaffa, and the Muslims would permit Christian pilgrims to visit the holy
shrines in Jerusalem.
Transparency 4.1D: The Fourth Crusade: The Sack of Constantinople
Transparency 4.1D: The Fourth Crusade: The Sack of Constantinople
In this transparency we see a romantic painting of the crusaders entering
Constantinople in 1204.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 What do you see here?
 Who are the men on horseback?
 What are they doing?
 Describe the people they are attacking.
 How do the people seem to feel?
 What city might this be?
 Why would crusaders attack a Christian city like Constantinople?
Information For Chart
Byzantines
Despite the Pope’s opposition, crusaders attacked Zara, a Catholic Hungarian city. The
crusaders than sacked the Byzantine city of Constantinople in A.D. 1204. The crusaders
not only sacked the Muslim quarter, they also were convinced that Byzantine Christians
were traitors and so they attacked them as well and looted and set fire to the city.
Crusaders
The crusaders were called by Pope Innocent III to free the Holy Land from the nonChristians. The crusaders were very enthusiastic after the fiery sermons that were
given by Fulk of Neuilly. Venice offered to supply crusaders in return for promise of half
of the wealth that was acquired. The focus of the crusaders changed from religion to
desire to pay off debt to Venice.
Results
The crusaders broke apart in 1204 and some of the money went to Venetians. The
crusade leaders who stayed soon died and the city was drained of wealth and strength.
When the Greeks regained the city in A.D. 1261, Constantinople was in ruins, having
forever lost its splendor and glory. There was a permanent split between the Latin and
Greek Christian churches.
Transparency 4.1E: The Children’s Crusade
Transparency 4.1E: The Children’s Crusade
In this transparency we see a picture of children joining in a crusade to the Holy Land.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 What do you see here?
 What is unusual about this group of crusaders?
 How do the children seem to be feeling?
How are the adults reacting?
 Why would some adults not be supportive of the children going on the crusade?
 Why would others let these children undertake a dangerous journey to the Holy
Land?
Information For Chart:
Participants
There were a few different groups of participants in this crusade. Children and
shepherds were the main participants. Laborers, wanderers, and sons who were not
first born were also participants in this crusade. Adults, including women with infants
also joined in the fight.
Some Parents…
Some parents joined their children in the fight. Others insisted that they return home.
Another Response Was…
Bishop of Brindisi refused to allow children to board ships to the Holy Land.
All Participants Believed…
All of the participants believed that the divine would help them to defeat the Muslims.
Another Response Was…
Philip II of France demanded that the children return to their homes.
Nicholas of Germany
Was one of the leaders of the children’s crusade and believed that God would part the
Mediterranean so crusaders could easily reach the Holy Land. (When this did not work
the crusade fell apart.
Stephen of France
Was one of the leaders of the children’s crusade and claimed to be inspired by Jesus and
have ability to perform miracles.
Results
The crusade fell apart when the children reached Genoa, Italy. Some of the children
died when attempting to sail to the Holy Land. Many children were caught and sold
into the Muslim slave markets. The Church claimed that the tragic fate of children
crusaders was the work of the devil.
Transparency 4.1F: The Impact of the Crusades
Transparency 4.1F: The Impact of the Crusades
In this transparency we see a medieval merchants trading at an Arabian seaport.
Transparency Questions To Discuss:
 What do you see here?
 Describe the people you see in this image.
 What are some of the differences between the various traders?
 Why would Europeans, after spending nearly 200 years of trying to drive the
Muslims from the Holy Land, begin to do business in the Muslim world?
Information For Chart
On Christians
Christians were given exposure to the Muslim culture because they got to see the world
while they fought in the crusades. The feudal structure in Europe weakened because
many knights left the fiefs to fight in the crusades, and many serfs were freed. The
Crusades also increased the use of money throughout Europe because someone
fighting in the crusade could not pay his expenses with sacks of grain. The Christians
were able to keep control of the Mediterranean and it’s islands. The Greek and Latin
churches permanently split due to what happened during the crusades. The failure of
the crusades produced bitter feelings in the Christians towards the Muslims.
On Muslims
Muslims maintained control of Asia Minor after the crusades, but lost Spain. There was
political fragmentation of the Muslim world after the death of Saladin. Generally,
Muslims respected Christians as “People of the Book”.
On the Exchange of Ideas
Muslims adapted many of the European military tactics from fighting against them in
the crusades. Muslim scholarship circulated throughout European universities as Arabic
works were translated into Latin.
On the Exchange of Goods
There was an exchange of languages due to the interaction during the crusades. Chess
and paper traveled to Europe through the Muslims. Muslim arch was used in European
cathedrals and Muslims adapted the textile industries.