The First Crusade

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The First Crusade

• 1096-1099

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Rise of Islam

• Muhammed (570-632)
• Unification of Arabs
• Conquest of neighboring lands
• Middle East, n. Africa, Asia Minor
• Incl. Antioch and Jerusalem, Alexandria
• Constantinople threatened, falls in 1453
• Pilgrims could visit holy sites, but had to pay
  taxes
• Spain 711-1492

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Guibert of Nogents account

• Saint story
• Must have a miracle
• Note Urbans miracle!
• Pope Urban II not an official saint, but
  beatified in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII
• Sees events as signs of Gods providence
• Mixes the gory and the pious without irony
• See p. 334

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Call to Crusade 1095

• Pope Urban worried about Muslims in Spain
• Apocalyptic fears
• Retaking control of holy sites could quicken the
  end of the world (327-28)
• Need a Christian resurgence first
• Need a battle with the Antichrist (Bring it on)
• Muslims control Holy Land (Palestine)
• Sites of Christian pilgrimage
• Charged tax to visit sites
• French more receptive
• Germans less obedient to pope
• God favors the French

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Violence, anti-Judaism at home

• Rhineland communities in France and Germany
• Call issued
• Responders if we are going abroad to kill the
  infidel, why not kill the infidel at home?
• Attacked whole Jewish communities
• Many committed suicide, killed children before
  Crusaders could
• Remembered in Judaism as martyrs

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A holy war?

• Cleanse the holiness of the city and the glory
  of the tomb, which has been polluted by the thick
  crowd of pagans, Pope Urban II (327)
• Says previous wars in France/Europe were for
  greed and pride
• This war is holier, for higher purposes
• Receive gift of martyrdom
• Earn present and future praise
• Soldiers received absolution as they set out
• Later, contributors could receive an indulgence
• Framed as a form of asceticism (330)
• Worship and almsgiving part of the effort (331)
• Winning battle like freeing Christ from the tomb
  (333)
• Retribution by God against Muslims

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For next time

• Rise of papal authority
• Gregorian reforms, 1070s
• How did Pope Gregory claim his authority over
  kings?
• Why?
• Is he trying to correct abuses of power?