11: The Crusades

Question 1

What were the crusades?

3 significant crusades

Answer 1

Series of religious wars started between Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of Holy Sites sacred to both groups. 8 major expeditions from 1096 and 1291

Question 2

A cause for shame?

Primary Source

Answer 2

Raymond of Aguilers on fall of Jerusalem 1099:
Was an educated clerk who was a chronicler of the Crusades
“Piles of heads hands and feet were to be seen in the streets of the city”. In temple of soloman the crusaders rided deep in blood was ‘glorious’.

Question 3

Islam in Mediterrenean
/cause of crusades
- quote from historian.

Answer 3

• Abassid empire 8-10th c
• Christopher Brooke: “By the tenth century Western Christendom was accustomed to being the poor neighbour of great empires and higher civilisations”
• Except for Iberia, Western Christendom was intact
• Early 8th C: Islam took Iberia from Visigoths until early 11th c
• 11th C: Sunni Turks take over Abassid Caliphate of Baghdad posing threat to Byzantine empire.
• 1095: Council of Clermont: Pope Urban II lauches first Crusade.

Question 4

Quote from historian about european Christendom compared to external empires

Answer 4

Christopher Brooke: “By the tenth century Western Christendom was accustomed to being the poor neighbour of great empires and higher civilisations”

Question 5

Key events of The Crusader East

Answer 5

1st Wave: Summer 1096: Massacre in Asia Minor

• French and ‘Germans’ and Normans all team up
• Take Jerusalem in 1099 under King Baldwin I
• 1100-1187: Kingdom of Jerusalem
• Using Papal bull Pope Innocent III launched 4th crusade. Led to sack of Constantinople which was a Christian city at the heart of the Byzantine empire. Was seen as a turning point in medieval history. When they ran out of food, they lacked discipline and leadership and began to sack Christian and Jewish settlements.
• Pope Innocents crusade failed as he also had intentions of reuniting East and Western Church but this ultimately drove them apart for centuries

Question 6

Modern evidence for fail of 4th crusade

Answer 6

Pope John Paul II wrote in 2001: that it was tragic that assailants set out to save Christians turned on them. Seen as apology which was accepted by Greek Orthodox church, only after 800 years…

Question 7

Historiography:

3 ppl / quote

Answer 7

• 1965: Mayer argued that the Jihad, from the beginning was a war of aggression and the following crusades / Christian war was just as it was defensive
• Housey 2001: Islamic and Christian relations have never been as tense and theres fear from islam that modern Christendom is trying to do more crusades
• Bush said ‘this crusade will take a while’
• Islamic state spokeperson refered to themselves as the defenders against crusades/Rome.

Question 8

Approaches of the Crusades

traditional and new

Answer 8

traditional: Narratives, military history, power struggles, , Crusader ethics
Modern: Social History (inc letters), Islamic perspectives and sources. Reviosionism on Crusader motives (not so much for religious freedom but self interest)

Question 9

NOT CRUSADES BUT:

General themes of medieval history 1200-1500

Answer 9

Emergence of European States and nations as opposed to fuedal realms. Crisis in Kingship, Increased opportunity for lower classes, Increased revolt for lower classes. Increased questioning of medieval reasoning etc.

Question 10

Primary Source for crusades?

Answer 10

Ekkehard of Aura World Chronicle start of 12th c.
- Rhineland massacre of the Jews. documented this massace and was strong supporter of the Papacy. Looked to give legitimte authority
- Good source info for who took part in the first crusade.
‘triumph over enemies of the cross’
etc…