A Quest for the Holy Land
Crusades
A series of wars between
European Christians and
Muslims
From 1095 -1291
They fought over control
of Jerusalem which was
called the Holy Land
Jerusalem’s Importance
Jews: site of King
Solomon’s Temple
Christians: site of
Christ’s death,
resurrection (Church of
Holy Sepulchre)
Muslims: site of
Muhammad’s ascension
Background Causes of
Crusades

Christians had been going to Holy Land for
centuries for pilgrimage, and Muslims never got in
the pilgrims’ way
 Year 1000 brought an increase of pilgrims
1009: Al-Hakim (caliph) burns Church of Holy
Sepulcher, but it’s re-built.
Immediate Causes of Crusades
Muslim Turks
captured Jerusalem
from the Byzantine
Empire
Muslim Turks less
supportive of
Christian pilgrims
Christian pilgrims
were attacked
Byzantine Emperor
(Alexius I)
feared an attack on
Constantinople
Pope Urban II
and his call

Byzantine Emperor
Alexius I asks Church for
help against Turks
1095: Pope Urban II issues
a call for a “holy” war, or
Crusade, to capture back
Jerusalem from Muslims
 Pope assured that those that
died in Crusade will have a
place in Heaven
Who Answered the
Call?

Feudal Lords
Knights
Peasants
The First Crusade (1096-1099)
Peasant army

 Untrained
 Lacked military
equipment
 Many killed by Muslim
Turks
Knights
 Succeeded in capturing
Jerusalem
The Second Crusade (1147-1154)

 Europeans fail to recapture a “Crusader state” of
Edessa—accomplished nothing!
The Third Crusade (1189-1192)

1187: Muslims recapture Jerusalem!
Led by Saladin.
 Saladin treated fallen enemies, including
Christians, with courtesy. Known as
chivalrous.
Christians’ led by Richard “the
Lionheart”, King of England
 Despite war, eventually a truce with
Saladin; Muslims kept control of
Jerusalem, though Christians would be
allowed in the city