The Crusades Notes (295-302)
The Crusades/The Crusades Begin (295-297)

After 1070 the region around Jerusalem became unstable and Christians were
unsafe while making pilgrimages.

Pope Urban, in an attempt to unite Eastern and Western Churches, ordered the
crusades to begin.

For their service, European knights who fought would be given the land they
conquered.

Peasants would fight for immediate salvation, and release from their feudal rents
The March to Jerusalem/The Crusader States (297)

The Crusaders went to Constantinople where they were welcomed and then
marched to Nicaea where they set up their first Crusader State.

Crusader states were small outposts that were run like feudal kingdoms in
Europe.

In 1099 the Crusaders entered Jerusalem killing Muslims and Jews and setting up
a Crusader state.

The Crusaders built castles on the western side of the land around Jerusalem and
knights lived there for protection.

The Christians were now able to travel to Jerusalem.
Muslims Regain the Holy Land (299-300)

About 40 years after the first Crusade, Muslims began to overpower the Crusader
states.

The second Crusade failed because European kings fought against themselves.

Christian lords also struggled to maintain control because they didn’t trust new
pilgrims, which allowed Muslims to continue to recapture lands.

Because he was a strong leader, Saladin was able to unite the many small Muslim
groups surrounding the Crusader states.

When Saladin’s army took control of Tiberias, Jerusalem’s knights went to help.
Saladin was able to set a fire and kill or capture most of the knights allowing him
to easily take over Jersalem.
The Crusade of Kings/Richard and Saladin (300-301)

Pope Gregory called for a third Crusade which went badly from the beginning.

King Richard of England took the Muslim city of Acre and ordered the execution
of 2700 Muslims.

Richard and Saladin fought many battles for the next year, but Jerusalem was
never recaptured by the Crusaders.

The two leaders finally signed a peace treaty where Crusaders could keep their
cities in the north, and pilgrims could return to Jerusalem.
The Fourth Crusade (301)

In 1198 Pope Innocent III called for a fourth crusade where the Crusaders would
take a Mediterranean Sea route rather than by land.

The merchant of Venice convinced the Pope to take Constantinople to increase
both groups influence.

For three days, the Crusaders sacked the city.

The spirit of the Crusades had been lost.
The Crusades Affect the West (301-302)

The Crusades did not achieve their purpose and unfortunately for Jews in both
the East and the West, they suffered persecution and were killed.

The Crusades did benefit the West in some ways. Increased business and civic
improvements were a positive result.

The West also learned of great military technology, poetry and music that was
taken from the Islamic regions.

The Church’s desire to spread Christianity through exploration increased.

National governments grew and feudal lords were killed or went bankrupt.

The most important result of the Crusades for the West was that many
Europeans had their eyes opened wide to the world.