Chapter 10, Lesson 2: The Crusades (Pgs. 327-321)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION Why did the Christians begin a series of wars to conquer Palestine?
Causes of the Crusades
• Seljuk Turks captured Palestine, including Jerusalem, in 1071
- Jerusalem was sacred to
Christians, Jews, Muslims
- Seljuks made Christian pilgrimages to Jerusalem nearly impossible
• European princes, merchants were eager for power, trade opportunities • Seljuks attacked
Byzantine Empire
• Crusades—military expeditions from Christian Europe to Palestine- first Crusade began in
1096
The First Crusade
• In 1096, European armies departed for Byzantine capital Constantinople - lack of supplies,
attacks left tens of thousands dead along the way
• Christian forces captured Jerusalem in 1099
• Christians divided land into four Crusader statesEdessa, Antioch, Tripoli, and Jerusalem
Muslims Return to Power: Saladin’s Rise To Power
• Second Crusade (1147–1149) began after Muslims recaptured Edessa
- French, German armies
marched separately, were defeated by Muslims - rifts among Muslim leaders helped other
Crusader states survive
• Saladin—Muslim political, military leader in late 1100s
- fought with Syrian army to defend
Egypt from Crusaders; ruled Egypt - united Muslims to recapture Jerusalem in 1187
The Third Crusade
• Pope called for Third Crusade (1189–1192) to recapture Jerusalem - some of Europeʼs most
powerful leaders joined the Crusade
- Englandʼs King Richard the Lion-Hearted led Crusade
• Crusade was successful at first, but failed to recapture Jerusalem
• In 1192, Saladin and Richard agreed to a truce- Muslims controlled Jerusalem, Christians
allowed to visit Holy Land
The Fourth Crusade
• Truce didnʼt last; Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) launched
• Crusaders attacked Byzantine city of Zara, sacked Constantinople-Europeans put political ally in
charge of Byzantine Empire
• Pope angered by attacks on Christian cities, but could not stop them • Crusade ended, Byzantine
Empire left even weaker
Muslims Recapture Palestine: Effects of the Crusades
• By 1270, Muslims had driven Crusaders out of Palestine
• Crusades didnʼt have permanent effect on Muslims in Palestine-but Christian traders, pilgrims
continued efforts in Palestine
• Crusaders brought Asian goods to Europe (spices, furs, cloth, rice)-increase in trade helped
European towns to grow
• Christians became increasingly hostile toward Jews-believed non-Christians were their enemyJews expelled from England, France; many moved to eastern Europe
• Muslims allowed Jews, Christians to live in peace in most cases
The Reconquista
• In 700s, Muslims conquered Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal today)
• Muslim unity faltered by 1000; Spanish, Portuguese defeated Muslims-Reconquista—the
Christian reconquest of Spain (1000–1492)
• King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella unify Spain through religion, military
• Inquisition—European court punished those opposed to Christianity- Jews, Muslims tortured,
executed for their beliefs
Lesson Summary
• Christian Europe launched Crusades from 1096 to 1270 to take control of Palestine from
muslims.
• Under Saladin, Muslims regained much territory lost during the First Crusade.
• Crusaders failed to take control of Palestine, but the Reconquista in Spain was successful.