The Crusades

1. The Crusades

2. What are The Crusades? • A series of military campaigns launched against the Muslims in the Middle East • Particular focus on the city of Jerusalem, known as the “City of God” by the Christians, because it was where Jesus of Nazareth preached and was executed • Jerusalem was also important to the Muslims because it was one of the cities that Muhammad had preached in

3. Timeline of the Crusades • The First Crusade: 1096 to 1099 • The Second Crusade : 1147 to 1149 • The Third Crusade : 1189 to 1192 • The Fourth Crusade : 1201 to 1204 • The Fifth Crusade : 1217 to 1221 • The Sixth Crusade : 1228 to 1229 • The Seventh Crusade : 1248 to 1254 • The Eighth Crusade : 1270

4. The First Crusade • The Muslims captured Jerusalem in 1076 which made it difficult for European Christians to do a pilgrimage to the Holy Land • Alexius I, ruler of Constantinople, asked Pope Urban II for help • 1095 Pope Urban II made a speech in Clermont, France that called for war against the Muslims who had taken Jerusalem away from the Christians • 1096 the First Crusade was launched as a Holy War

5. Who Joined the Fight? • A small number of Frankish (West Germanic) knights • Many pilgrims joined the Crusades because they didn’t have to pay taxes while they were on a pilgrimage • Pope Urban II convinced his fighters that if they died in battle they would go immediately to heaven • People who thought they might get rich from all the wealth in Jerusalem • People who had committed a terrible sin and hoped to be forgiven by fighting in a Holy War • True Christians who wanted to reclaim Jerusalem for Christianity

6. The First Crusade • In 1097 about 10,000 troops arrived in Constantinople to begin the trek to the Holy Land • The 1st target was the city of Nicea – conquered no problem • The 2nd target was the city of Antioch – took 7 months to conquer • Final target was Jerusalem – attack began in summer 1099

7. The First Crusade • Jerusalem was not easy to capture – the city had high walls and the Crusaders were short on supplies • Once the Crusaders breached the walls, they cut down everyone in sight until the streets were “ankle deep in blood” • It’s estimated that 70,000 people were massacred within the city & the Crusaders took whatever treasure they could find

8. The First Crusade • The Kingdom of Jerusalem was created • Godfrey of Bouillon was elected by the other Crusaders as the first king • The capture of Jerusalem did not end the Crusades; the Christians had little political control over the region • The Second Crusade began in 1147

9. The Second Crusade • Took place between 1147 & 1149 • Instigated by Pope Eugene III to rid the Holy Land of all Muslims • Large armies came from England, Germany & France to fight • King Conrad III of Germany and Louis VII of France joined in too • The main goal was the take back the County of Edessa from the Muslims and provide support for Jerusalem

10. The Second Crusade • They first attacked the Muslim city of Damascus • The Turkish army easily defeated the forces of Conrad III & Louis VII • One major reason was a lack of communication between the kings • The Second Crusade was a spectacular failure • This made it difficult to convince others in Europe to join in future Crusades

11. The Third Crusade (1189-1192) • Egypt & Syria were united after 1171 by the Sunni Muslim warrior Saladin • Third Crusade was known as the “King’s Crusade” – it was an attempt by European leaders to recapture the Holy Land from Saladin • The campaign was relatively successful, but failed to capture Jerusalem

12. King’s Crusade Richard the Lionheart Philip II of France Frederick Barbarossa

13. The Book of Saladin • “’Tell your people,’ Salah al-Din told him, ‘that we shall not treat them as your forebears treated us when they first took this city. As a child, I was told of what Godfrey and Tancredi did to our people. Remind these frightened Christians of what Believers and Jews suffered ninety years ago. The heads of our children were displayed on pikes. Old men and women of all ages were tortured and burnt. These streets were washed in blood, Balian. Some of the emirs would like to wash them again, but this time in your blood. They remind me that we all believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’”

14. Kingdom of Jerusalem

15. The Third Crusade (1189-1192) • Saladin failed to beat Richard’s forces • In September 1192, they decided on a truce • Their treaty granted Muslim control to Jerusalem, but allowed Christian pilgrims and merchants to visit the city

16. Cool Story Bro • The holiest site in Christiandom, the church of Holy Sepulchre, is protected by two Muslim families who have been keepers of the key since 1187 when Saladin ended the Kingdom of Jerusalem

17. The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) • Started by Pope Innocent III • The Venetians promised to contribute warships and food to the crusaders • The 4th Crusade began with the sack of a Roman Catholic town in 1202 – Zara • When the Pope found out, he excommunicated all the crusaders

18. The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) • The excommunicated crusaders decided to attack Constantinople • They managed to capture the city in spring of 1203 • Alexius III fled the city and Alexius IV was made king • The city was damaged when Alexius IV refused to pay the crusaders and they set fire to a mosque • Alexius IV was deposed & murdered • The crusaders destroyed whole libraries and collections of art; the Venetians saved some & sent it to Venice

19. The Fifth Crusade (1218-1221) • The Christians identified Egypt as the centre for Muslim strength • If they could capture Egypt they would be able to take back the Holy Land • The crusaders successfully laid siege to the city of Damietta • The peace treaty would have given the Christians control of Jerusalem – the crusaders wanted to accept the treaty & go home but the church forced them to continue fighting • The Egyptian army crushed the European forces & they had to give up control of Damietta • The 5th Crusade was a horrible failure – many men lost & nothing gained

20. The Sixth Crusade (1228-1229) • Led by German Emperor Frederick II • No fighting; Frederick spoke Arabic so negotiated instead • 1229 – He signed a 10-year peace treaty with Saladin’s nephew that gave Jerusalem back to the Christians, along with Bethlehem & Nazareth • Frederick’s Crusade had more gains than any Crusade since the 1st

21. The Seventh & Eight Crusades • Spearheaded by Louis IX of France (Popes are no longer calling the shots) • Wanted to free the Holy Land from the Turks • Main target was Egypt’s key towns – brought 35,000 troops & 100 ships • Flooding of the Nile hampered their efforts to attack Cairo • Louis IX won, but his troops contracted the plague & many died • They were forced to retreat; Egyptian troops attacked the weakened army & captured Louis IX • Louis IX was eventually released after paying ransom and made some gains through negotiations, alliances & diplomacy

22. The Seventh & Eight Crusades • Louis IX tried again in 1270 • Focused his efforts on North Africa because he thought it would be easy to convert those regions to Christianity • Wrong – the locals resisted & harassed his troops • Louis IX and his men mostly died from dysentery & plague • The crusaders who remained tried to go to Syria, but a storm took out many of their supplies & ships forcing them to return home

23. What Europe gained from the Crusades

24. What was the lasting impact? • The Crusades had very little lasting impact on the east • The Crusades reduced the number of knights in Europe, which allowed the monarchs to have better control over their territories • The Crusades helped the economic growth of the port cities Genoa, Pisa & Venice • The success of the 1st Crusade created a sense of optimism & rebirth throughout Europe (which was emerging from the Dark Ages) • The Crusades destroyed relations between the west and the Byzantine Empire, which contributed to its destruction