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The Crusades are considered by many Medieval Historians to be the Church’s uprising in influence for most of the world. From armed pilgrimages to forced conversions of countless masses the church’s influence grew in power. The Crusades were conducted by religious officials, kings, and glory seekers. The Crusades participants included mostly the poor, but the Crusades’ problems affected nearly everyone.

The Levant supplied crusaders with uneasy terrain and foreign weather conditions to those of the west. The Levant is home to many diverse cultures of the Middle East. Crusades occurred mainly around the Levant and northern Mediterranean area, but it is known that Crusades also took place in the Iberian Peninsula and the Latin East. This is ironic because one of the main functions of the Crusades was to reclaim the Holy Land for Christendom.

Defining the Crusades’ objective is extremely difficult. Reasons on why people Crusaded came from one’s financial, religious, and social concern. Some people’s greed outweighed their religious ambition and crusaded for the sole purpose of gaining wealth and social standing. Those who fought on the side of the Turks were fighting from they’re backyard and had a lot of motivation to protect their homeland. Some of those that crusaded for religious purposes were manipulated by religious figures, or even threatened. No matter what one’s reason was it had to be a very strong reason to make one travel far distances in Medieval times. Not only was a long voyage dangerous but also very expensive. Most crusading required sponsorship that came mostly from the wealthy. Even if a person didn’t have the money to crusade they would travel with the crusaders and utilize the resources of others. Such Noncombatants caused many problems in the camps of crusaders.

The Crusades occurred during the Abbasid Dynasty in the Levant. This Dynasty of Middle Eastern rule lasted from 750 to 1258 A.D. This period in medieval history was a time where the Church contained the most influence in Western Europe. This is the begging of a new era in the world where religion plays a huge part socially, economically, and politically. From this point on in history monotheistic religions become the source of the majorities influence.

The Crusades were made possible by the overwhelming influence that the church had over its followers. Those of the Church either followed higher officials or used the Crusades for their own manipulation. One thing you don’t see is any of the clergy go against the pope’s decision, which exemplifies the church’s power at this time.

For most of the free world the Crusades was an event that affected everyone. The Crusades brought diseases to areas, began east/west relationships, spread religion, and changed the worlds definition of what a Holy War was. The inhabitants of the Levant ere above all affected the most from the Crusades. The Crusades made a wound in the Middle East that will never heal.


Works Cited:
Alfred J. Andrea. "Encyclopedia of the Crusades". Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2003
Helen Nicholson. "The Crusades". Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004
Corliss K. Slack. "Historical Dictionary of the Crusades". Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, 2003