Christian pilgrimage – In medieval Europe it became common for the people to collect relics or
remnants of Saints. These relics became so popular that it caused huge movements in people.
So like the Muslims on their hajj, the Christians travel to these places that had these relics to
honor these saints. Most of the pilgrimages centered on Italy and Spain, but some people went
as far as Jerusalem. With this common movement to honor saints an industry centered on these
travels emerged. Inns began to dot along the routes to these places and guide books were sold.
Since the time of Constantine, Christians had gone on pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Even though Moslems had ruled Jerusalem since 638, Christians were still allowed
to visit the city. By the 11th century, however, the situation had changed. Just as
the number and frequency of pilgrimages to Jerusalem was at new peaks, the
Seljuk Turks took over control of Jerusalem and prevented pilgrimages.
The First Crusade
Pope Urban II (1088-1099, see art below) was responsible for assisting Emperor
Alexus I (1081-1118) of Constantinople in launching the first crusade. He made one
of the most influential speeches in the Middle Ages, calling on Christian princes in
Europe to go on a crusade to rescue the Holy Land from the Turks. In the speech
given at the Council of Clermont in France, on November 27, 1095, he combined the
ideas of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with that of waging a holy war
against infidels.1
Since the beginning of the Christian Era, the city of Jerusalem remained a central focus of
pilgrimages for those wanting to find a guarantee for the forgiveness of sins, or seeking a healing
of their bodies or souls by touching places where Jesus was known to have been. This was also a
Holy City for Moslems and Jews, who peacefully shared the Holy Land with the Christians. In
1071, an intolerant tribe of Moslem Turks captured the city, desecrating Christian shrines, killing
Christian settlers and persecuting pilgrims. At the same time other Turkish tribes threatened to
conquer the Byzantine Empire and drive out all the Christian influences. The Byzantine Emperor
at Constantinople appealed to the Pope at Rome for assistance. In 1095, Pope Urban II called
upon all the Christian faithful to "take up the cross" and rescue Christ’s Sepulcher from the
infidels.
In the spring of 1096 the First Crusade was begun by a collection of peasants, beggars, vagrants,
women and children left their homes in France and the Rhineland led by Peter the Hermit. Many
of them were killed and scattered in Hungary after the motley Crusaders looted, murdered and
committed other atrocities as they passed through. Others continued on to Constantinople where
further disturbances were recorded. Most were later slaughtered by Turks as they pushed into
Asia Minor.
The Prince’s Crusade was conducted by European princes, barons and knights who sailed to Asia
Minor in 1097 along with a company of monks, professional warriors, merchants, farm hands,
vagabonds and criminals. They captured Jerusalem in 1098 but were besieged by a powerful
Turkish army. The morale of the Crusaders was dampened by deaths and desertions until the
Spear of Destiny was discovered. On July 15, 1099 they recaptured the city and knelt at the
Sepulcher of Christ, covered in Turkish blood. The Celtic nobility established a Kingdom of
Jerusalem and ruled for nearly 100 years until the Moslems once again captured the Holy City.
The Second Crusade was led by the kings of France and Germany in 1147 to 1149. It was a
poorly managed campaign that accomplished little, but allowed thousands of Celtic Crusaders to
migrate into Asia Minor. The Third Crusade, in 1189 was led by the most powerful leaders in
Europe: The German Emperor Frederick I, called Barbarossa; Philip Augustus, King of France,
and King Richard the Lion-Hearted of England. The German emperor drowned while crossing a
river in Asia Minor, and a longstanding hatred between Philip and Richard caused the French
king to return home. King Richard continued on to Jerusalem and finally succeeded in
negotiating a three year treaty with the Turkish king, Saladin to permit Christians to visit the
Holy City undisturbed.
Later Crusades were conducted through the Thirteenth Century to attempt a capture of Jerusalem
and the Holy Land, but none were successful. The Crusades did accomplish other changes
however, by introducing a flow of Eastern trade into Europe, with such imports as Oriental rugs
and perfumes, cane sugar, rice, garlic, lemons, muslin, silk and satin. It also weakened the feudal
system of Europe, allowing an increase in small landowners and merchants. Interest in
geography and other cultures increased as well, and many Crusaders converted to the Moslem
religion. The exposure of thousands of Celtic warriors to Eastern lands also gave the people a
more Compassionate view of the world. Romans and Celts fought side by side, and eventually
gained a more compassionate view of the Moslems through the wisdom of their king, Saladin.
Three powerful religious military orders grew out of this era to become the Knights Templar,
The Teutonic Knights, and the Knights of St. John (Hospitalers). Other Crusaders returned home
to lead violent campaigns of persecution against religious minority groups.
Introduction: Muslim civilization always has been mobile (moving). Both the
Arabs and the conquerors from Central Asia were originally nomadic (able
to move or travel around) and inherited a tradition of travel. Large armies were
constantly on the move. Students and scholars went on long journeys to
sit at the feet of famous teachers, for the Prophet Muhammad himself
encouraged travel even "as far as China" for learning. The wealth of cities
depended upon trade. And the Faith of Islam asked of the Faithful the
most powerful of all reasons for travel -- the Pilgrimage. So Muslims
traveled the length and breadth (width) of the vast (large, extensive, widespread)
Islamic Empires and beyond, especially for trade purposes. Muslims
traveled by land and by sea and through their trips they began an Age of
Travel and Exploration far beyond their homelands.
Ibn Battuta was perhaps the greatest traveler of the Middle Ages,
having traveled about 75,000 miles in 29 years! He is especially
important to history because of his written accounts (reports) of his
travels. From these records we can learn about the cultures that he
visited. The book about his travels is the only historical source of
information about many of the places he visited which included the
East African coast, the Empire of Mali in West Africa, Arabia, Iraq,
Iran, Turkey, India, China, Spain, and many, many more! As a Muslim,
he took advantage of the generosity shown to pilgrims and travelers
in the Empire. He was often given gifts (of horses, gold, and even
slaves) and stayed for free in dormitories, private homes, and even
in the palaces of Muslim rulers. For seven years he worked for the
Sultan in Delhi, India. On his travels he met several Sultans who
welcomed him into their company. His descriptions are filled with
adventures - he almost died several times. He survived robbers,
shipwrecks, pirates, wars, and the Black Death (or Bubonic Plague).
Mansa means "king" and Musa is the Arabic name for Moses) - Mansa Musa was an
extremely rich ruler of the Mali Empire. Mansa Musa was either the grandson or the
grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty. He became "Mansa" or king in
1307. In 1324, he began his famous pilgrimage to Mecca. It was this pilgrimage that
awakened the world to the incredible wealth of Mali, or "put Mali on the map." He
traveled from his capital of Niani on the Upper Niger River to Walata (Oualâta,
Mauritania) and on to Tuat (now in Algeria) before making his way to Cairo. Then he
continued on to Medina and Mecca. Accounts vary, and some may be exaggerated, but
according to some: Mansa Musa was accompanied in his caravan by 60,000 men
including of 12,000 personal slaves finely dressed in silk. The emperor himself rode on
horseback and was preceded by 500 slaves, each carrying a gold-decorated staff. In
addition, Mansa Musa had a baggage train of 80 camels, each carrying 300 pounds of
gold. He generously gave away or spent so much gold that Cairo's gold market didn't
recover for several decades. Mansa Musa was able to impress the rest of the Islamic
world by his wealth and by his commitment to Islam. As a result he was able to bring
Islamic scholars and other Arab settlers to Timbuktu and other towns in Mali and bring it
more firmly and with respect into the World of Islamic Nations, or "Dar al-Islam".
. Zheng He [or Cheng Ho], a Chinese Muslim under the authority of Ming Emperor
made several trips of exploration and diplomacy from 1405 - 1433. He even made a hajj
to Mecca!