The Crusades

1
The Crusades

• 1095-1300s

2
Conditions that made the Crusades possible for
the Europeans

• The beginning of the Reconquista by the Spanish
  nobles
• The Byzantine Empire was being attacked by the
  Seljuk Turks and had asked Europe for help
• A divided Middle East showed the possibility of
  rescuing Jerusalem
• A growing population of young, landless European
  nobles

3
Urban IIs reason(and he is important because he
was the one who started it all)

• Chance to reunite the divided Church
• Chance to increase the prestige (and power) of
  the Church
• Reduce the feudal warfare that was going between
  European nobles.

4
Reasons behind people joining the Crusades

• Obeying Gods will
• Plenary indulgence
• Pursuit of riches
• Acquiring their own lands instead of being given
  a fief
• Avoiding taxes

5
Map for the Crusades
6
1st Crusade (1096)

• Goal- Rescue Jerusalem
• Success (one of the only ones)
• Aftermath Established 4 feudal states with a
  French feudal lord but did not last long.

7
2nd Crusade (1144)

• Goal- To recapture lands retaken by the Muslims
• Failure

8
3rd Crusade (1189-1192)

• Goal- To recapture Jerusalem.
• Failure highlighted with the death of a German
  king and the capture of the English king
• Aftermath King Richard of England (the
  Lion-hearted) managed to gain guarantees for the
  safety of Christians visiting Jerusalem

9
4th Crusade (1204)

• Goal- Conquer Constantinople
• Failure highlighted by the fact that there was a
  change of focus from Holy Quest to economic war.

10
1291

• The last European stronghold at Acre was defeated
  by Saladin and the Crusades were over.
• There were 9 Crusades- 5 within the last century

11
Results of the Crusades

• Exposure of the West to new cultural and economic
  influences from the Middle East.
• Increased European interaction (positive and
  negative) with the rest of the World
• Helped bring about the Renaissance