Muslim faith was threatening Christianity

The church benefited a lot from the crusades. The church controlled most of the Mediterranean. It is believed that the church influenced the crusades because the Muslim faith was threatening Christianity. Being the second largest monotheistic religion at the time, the church most likely saw the Muslim faith to be threatening. The first crusade was invoked by Pope Urban II (1042-1099 A.D.) after the Council of Piacenza and the Council of Clermont. The council of Piacenza was a council where church laws and other clerical business was resolved, but most importantly the issue with Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus was presented to the council. Pope Urban II then created the Council of Clermont to discuss the matters further. Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus became an ally of the church when Urban II lifted his excommunication and ties between the east and west were somewhat friendly. Alexius I Comnenus asked the church for military support from the Seljuk Turks. The Seljuk Turks were a dynasty of Muslims that controlled most of the Middle East in the Abbasid Dynasty.

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. The influence also made many consider and even commit themselves to the crusade because they believed their soul’s salvation to be far more important than their mortal life. “The people were more concerned for the health of their souls than the honor of their earthly existence.”(13) 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.

Alfred J. Andrea. "Encyclopedia of the Crusades". Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2003

Corliss K. Slack. "Historical Dictionary of the Crusades". Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, 2003

To be Signed by the Cross

The social and economical factors that the crusades had upon the world at the time caused misfortune, but in some cases also provided a country with great wealth. Understanding these main points on what the existence of the crusades has created and destroyed helps one understand the worlds present day condition. Many of the world’s struggles that exist today predate much of modern history. Some of them were actually formed during the crusades such as west versus east conflicts.

To be signed by the cross, or to take upon the cross meant at the time to devote oneself to The Crusades and the pope. This was considered essential to crusading. Without devoting oneself to the church, it showed that one was not crusading for the correct reasons. The problem was to try and differentiate between those who were fighting for the church, and those that were fighting for self-gain. One could easily say their fighting in the name of god when they’re looting a village. Although David Nicolle argues “the idea that Crusading was a means of escape for poor knights seeking their fortunes overseas is largely a myth.” (18)

A crusader known as Guibert of Nogent described the First Crusade as “a new path of salvation which allowed laymen to earn redemption without changing their status and becoming monks.” (7) This was the common conception that the people had for The Crusades. At its time the Crusades were a means for religious salvation. If you took up a sword for the church you’d be accepted into heaven they’d say. The modern understanding of The Crusades is that they were intended solely on the recapture of Jerusalem. With The Crusades came the acceptance and understanding of a Holy War. By proposing The Crusades the church was almost testing the extent to which society found church doctrine to be acceptable. There is clear evidence that the church’s intentions were not just ecclesiastical, but political, cultural, and social as well.

Hussey, J.M., ed. "The Cambridge Medieval History 2nd ed. Vol. 4." New York: Cambridge University Press, 1966.

Norwich, John Julius. "A Short History of Byzantium." New York: Vintage, 1988.

Discouraging the Weak

Although Pope Urban II discouraged the old, the feeble, and all others unfit for military service to participate in the armed pilgrimage many of them did. Noncombatants can be known as women, children, persons of the clergy, and other unarmed people. This pilgrimage was advertised to the people to bring them closer to god, affirm their place in their faith’s community, and to serve as a penitential purpose. Some countries such as England announced that if one set out on three crusades and returned they would be granted a noble title. All of these advantages made many noncombatants follow the armies.

Women played a huge role in the crusades as well. They supplied soldiers with supplies by using their own funds and helped colonize the holy land. The crusades cost a fortune to participate in. It was easy for an armed knight to go from knight status to selling his armor to be infantrymen to selling his weapon to become a noncombatant pauper. The women that furnished a knight with his equipment were most likely very wealthy. Pope Urban II also declared that no women could set out on a crusade unless accompanied by brothers, husbands, or legal guardians. Arab historian Ibn al-Athir reported that in 1191 Frankish women donned armor and participated in crusading activities. Adultery was not uncommon in the camps of the crusading armies. During the siege of Antioch (1097-98) the army believed that they suffered terribly because of their sins and drove all the married and unmarried women from the camps.

Tyerman, Christopher. “The invention of the Crusades.” Toronto, Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, 1998

Walter Porges. Speculum: A Journal of Mediaeval Studies. “The Clergy, The Poor, and The Noncombatants On The First Crusade”. January 1946

Between Christians and Muslims

One of the most difficult tasks for a researcher in medieval history is to define the term Crusade. Crusade (with a capital “C”) can describe the military campaigns between Christians and Muslims in the Levant during the Abbasid Dynasty. To crusade in any other case can only mean a dedicated enthusiastic effort. In David Nicolle’s book, “Essential Histories: The Crusades”, he writes that “... the term Crusade has become synonymous with struggles against evil.”(84) The Crusades were not just events in history, but an entire time period. Throughout the duration of the Crusades, cities were built, kings were born, and new ideas were created. The Crusades influenced the time that they existed along with much of the future’s social, political, economical, scientific, military and religious achievements.

The Crusades occurred during the Abbasid Dynasty in the Levant. The Levant was the area surrounding the Fertile Crescent, and what are now the countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. This Dynasty of Middle Eastern rule lasted from 750 to 1258 A.D. The Abbasid Dynasty was a time when the Church contained the most influence in Western Europe. This is the beginning of a new era in the world where religion plays a huge part socially, economically, and politically. Ones status in society is decided just from the religion they follow. From this point on in history monotheistic religions become the source of the majorities influence.

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.

Maalouf, Amin. "The Crusades through Arab Eyes." Translated by Jon Rothschild. New York: Schoken Books, 1984.

Nicolle, David. "Essential Histories: The Crusades." Michigan: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2001.

People’s Crusade

The First Crusade (1096-1102) was conducted in three waves and was intended by the church to help the Byzantine emperor Alexius against Turkish forces. This main objective of the church was masked by the pious idea of a “holy war” to retake Jerusalem. The First Crusade was considered the only successful crusade in the Levant. Although successful the First Crusade had many problems such as the lack of supplies, noncombatants following crusading armies, and the undisciplined army itself. The three waves of the First Crusade were the People’s Crusade of 1096, the Crusade of the Great Lords, and the Crusade of 1101. In that order were the waves dispersed.

The social and economical factors that the crusades had upon the world at the time caused misfortune, but in some cases also provided a country with great wealth. Understanding these main points on what the existence of the crusades has created and destroyed helps one understand the worlds present day condition.

Many of the world’s struggles that exist today predate much of modern history. Some of them were actually formed during the crusades such as west versus east conflicts. These scars that the world still bears from the crusades and other such calamities shows just how history can be affected. Much of the violence and animosity that was displayed in the Middle East during the crusades is again, seen in our time.

Hussey, J.M., ed. "The Cambridge Medieval History 2nd ed. Vol. 4." New York: Cambridge University Press, 1966.

Norwich, John Julius. "A Short History of Byzantium." New York: Vintage, 1988.

Maalouf, Amin. "The Crusades through Arab Eyes." Translated by Jon Rothschild. New York: Schoken Books, 1984.

Nicolle, David. "Esential Histories: The Crusades." Michigan: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2001.

Overwhelming 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. The influence also made many consider and even commit themselves to the crusade because they believed their soul’s salvation to be far more important than their mortal life. “The people were more concerned for the health of their souls than the honor of their earthly existence.”(13) 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 12th century renaissance was greatly impacted by Islamic civilization. Western Europeans brought back to Europe religious relics, paintings, illuminated manuscripts, exotic goods, and architectural ideas which all help develop the renaissance. The inhabitants of the Levant area above all were affected the most from the Crusades. These scars that the world still bears from the crusades and other such calamities shows just how history can be affected. Much of the violence and animosity that was displayed in the Middle East during the crusades is again, seen in our time. The Crusades made a wound in the Middle East that will never heal.

Alfred J. Andrea. "Encyclopedia of the Crusades". Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2003

Corliss K. Slack. "Historical Dictionary of the Crusades". Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, 2003

Story

“Its your choice” said Dan to his professor, “should we wait out the weather, or trek on to the dig site?”

Dr. Bob, who’s the leading professor in archeology at Michigan Tech University, paid little attention to Dan.

“Well!” said Dan
“Well what!?” Dr. Bob retorted, “are you afraid of this spittle you call rain? This should clear up in no time. Besides I don’t care whether you like the weather or not.”

While Dr. Bob’s other student, Jenny, was listening to this conversation she saw in plain sight, off to her right, an altar.

“Dr. Bob, Dr. Bob!” she exclaimed, “Look over there, off the track!”
“Aha!” shouted Dr. Bob with glee, “an altar from the 4th century.”

The group of archeologists whose principle task was to write an observation on the indigenous people of South America suddenly stumbled upon an ancient sacrificial site of the Aztec people.

“Dan,” said Dr. Bob, “cite in the notes where all the stationary objects are.”
“I put on the stationery that there are only two skulls.” said Dan.
“You’re a buffoon,” replied Dr. Bob, “there’s another one too, do you know the effect your mistake could of had on this project. They’re paying for us to be here to find something significant about the Aztec people. Remember, a lot of their money depends on our research getting done early.”
“Kind of like what my principal in high school used to say,” said Jenny, “if your on time your late.”

Dan finally got done with all of the notes he was taking and went over to the altar and asked “so what is this thing anyways?”

“It was an altar,” said Dr. Bob “by which young Aztec warriors would sacrifice small rodents to Huitzilopochtli as a rite of passage to be accepted into manhood.”

“Look the altar is loose,” said Jenny, “you wouldn’t want to lose this fair antique.”