The Crusades What happened and why its important

The Crusades What happened and why it’s important today

What does Crusade Mean? Latin: One signed to the Cross Arabic: No translation, but taken to be “Invaders of the Cross“ “War of the Cross”

How have the Crusades been viewed through the ages? Middle ages – Divinely inspired war against the enemies of Christ Initially taking the Holy Land, later Defend Europe from the Ottomans View undercut by Reformation, Pope lost authority over significant populations and secular matters plus Indulgences to pay for wars lost Protestants joined the Holy League to defend against the Ottomans, but considered the Crusades a waste of money and lives Enlightenment (L 1700 s)– distain for war Victorian Romantic Period – heroic selflessness, early form of colonization E 20 th Century – Natural consequence of society Post WW II – Conquerors seeking Money Today – Tragic error of Western Civilization

What Happened? Early Chronology 610 Islam revealed to Muhammad 632 Muhammad dies, Islam splits into Shia (decedents of Muhammad & Ali)and Sunni (caliphs following the traditions of the prophet) 660 Islam spreads from Medina/Mecca area to extend from Egypt to Persia 750 Islamic conquest via Jihad (holy war) across North Africa through Spain to the French border where pagans convert or die. Stopped by Charles Martel at Battle of Tours Holy Land is ~ 1/2 Christian, half Muslim. People of the Book pay extra tax to Muslim overlords. Pilgrimages continue. Charlemagne (King of Franks 768 -814) unites Western Europe, Crowned Holy Roman Emperor (800) by Pope Leo III and outraged the Byzantine Emperor

Crusades Begin 1000 AD Europe warms – population boom 1063 Pope Alexander II grants relief of penance owed for any knight going on an expedition to Spain 1035 -71 Normans take Sicily, S. Italy and Adriatic coast 1095 Pope Urban II calls for a Crusade to the Holy Land (Iberians are to continue the fight in Spain) 1096 1 st Crusade Departs

1 st Crusade launches from Constantinople and fights across Asia Minor 19 month siege of Antioch into 1098 Crusader States Principality of Antioch, County of Edessa, and County of Tripoli established 1099 Takes Jerusalem by surprise and Kingdom of Jerusalem declared Church of the Holy Sepulcher rebuilt Reinforcement column annihilated in Asia Minor 1101

Warrior Monks The Military Orders Over 100 orders organized much like monastic communities. The Most significant are: Knights of Santiago – fought in Spain for 400 years Knights Hospitaller – established hostels and protected pilgrims to the Holy Land. Fought on the front lines of Christendom through the siege of Malta in 1565 Knights Templar – Strongly supported by St Bernard were well supported and funded until loss of Holy Land. Later exterminated in France 13 Oct 1307 German Knights of Mary (Teutonic Order) est 1198, Moved to Prussia in 1225

2 nd Crusade 1148 -49 (not the dual crusades declared on each other by rival Popes Innocent II and Anacletus II in 1132 – no one came) 1 st Crusade united Muslims while Europe fractured (see Crusades in Europe) Muslims retake Edessa 1144 75% of crusaders killed wounded or deserted in Asia Minor Crusade fails to take objective (Damascus) and breaks up Many knights assist in liberating parts of Spain on return trip

rd 3 Crusade The Kings Crusade 1189 -92 1187 Saladin, Visor of Egypt defeats King Guy at “The Horns of Hattin”, kings all Military Orders present and takes Jerusalem 1190 Fredrich Barbarossa HRE drowns in Asia Minor (Germans turn back) 1191 (June) Richard the Lion Heart conquers Cyprus for a base of operations 1191 (July) Richard and Phillip of France take Acre (Phillip departs) Despite getting into visual range of Jerusalem, Richard realizes he can’t hold it if taken. Retreats to Ascalon resulting in many desertions. Philip attacks English possessions in Normandy and John attempts to usurp throne 1192 Treaty of Jaffa ends crusade – many crusaders visit Jerusalem Richard captured by Austrians on return trip

4 th Crusade 1201 -1205 1198 Innocent III elected Pope and calls for crusade Venice agrees to transport and supply Crusaders arrive in 1202 but there is no $$$ They sack Zara Byzantine usurper promises the crusaders $$$ but flees as they approach Constantinople Frankish knights attack and Sack the city in 1204 and establish Latin Kingdom

5 th Crusade 1217 -29 Poorly led 1218 Attacked Damietta Egypt 1219 (Aug) Francis of Assisi preached to crusaders and the Sultan 1219 (Nov) Crusaders take Damietta 1221 After moving inland, crusaders are cut off and surrender all gains 1227 Fredrich II, HRE after being excommunicated twice for not going on crusades and then returning early due to illness arrives in the Holy Land to sign the Treaty of Jaffa giving Jerusalem to the Christians and ending the Crusade

Crusades of Louis IX 1244 Christians lose Jerusalem for last time and Franks defeated at Gaza 1248/9 Louis seizes Damietta 1250 Louis defeated at al-Mansurah, captured and ransomed Mamelukes gain power in Egypt Louis moves to Acre and continues fighting until 1254 1270 Louis dies of plague on crusade to liberate Tunis

Crusades in Europe Reconquista in Spain 1095 -1492 Pogroms against Jews coincide with most crusades Wendish Crusade (1147 -85) convert NE Germans to Christianity Albigensian Crusade (1207 -55) wipe out heresy in S France Children’s Crusade (1212), Shephards’ Crusades (1251 & 1320) – Most ended up in slavery Teutonic Order 1225 -1525 Convert Baltic States to Christianity. Order becomes Protestant during reformation, collapses and is conquered by Ivan the Terrible Pope Clement V grants “Crusader credit” in 1308/9 to attack Venice Other religious wars in Europe sporadically use the term Crusade

End of the Crusading Era 1244 Fall of Jerusalem 1261 Restoration of Byzantine Emperor 1268 Fall of Antioch (slaughter of every male) 1291 Fall of Acre last foothold in Levant Knights Hospitaller hold Cyprus -1473 then Venice holds it until conquered by Ottomans in 1571 Knights Hospitaller hold Rhodes and enclaves in Asia Minor until 1523 when allowed to depart with honorable surrender 1453 Ottomans take Constantinople 1517 Martin Luther condemns indulgences 1565 Hospitallers defeat Ottoman siege of Malta 1683 Ottoman advance halted at Vienna by Holy League

Legacy of the Crusades Western Civilization romanticizes and forgets Islamic Civilization still bitter – used as rationale for terror Pope John Paul II apologized for crusades in 2001