Latin Participation In Conflicts With Muslims (1071-99) Flashcards
What was the core motivation behind the Crusading ideal?
Spiritual motivation was at the core, with Urban II offering full remission of sins at the Council of Clermont in 1095, making participation a direct route to salvation.
How did Crusaders frame their journey?
Crusaders took on the status of armed pilgrims, wearing the sign of the cross and framing their journey as a penitential act. Many referred to themselves as peregrini.
What role did sanctified violence play in the Crusades?
Sanctified violence was key; the Church redefined warfare as a just and holy act, particularly when defending Eastern Christians or reclaiming Jerusalem.
How did Urban II portray Muslims in his speech?
Urban portrayed Muslims as inhuman enemies committing atrocities, further justifying violence against them as an act of divine justice.
What event renewed morale during the Crusades?
The discovery of the Holy Lance at Antioch in June 1098, supposedly revealed by a vision, renewed morale when starvation and siege threatened collapse.
What was the significance of hymns at Dorylaeum?
At Dorylaeum in 1097, Crusaders sang hymns while waiting for reinforcements, highlighting the powerful role of faith in maintaining unity and discipline under pressure.
What limitations existed regarding spiritual motivation among Crusaders?
Not all crusaders were spiritually motivated; for example, Bohemond seized Antioch for land and power, and doubts emerged over the authenticity of the Holy Lance.
What role did feudal obligations play in the Crusades?
Many Crusaders joined out of loyalty to their lords, family ties, or social pressure within feudal hierarchies, relying on existing networks of lordship and kinship.
Who were some powerful nobles targeted by Urban II?
Urban II targeted powerful nobles like Raymond IV of Toulouse, Bohemond of Taranto, and Godfrey of Bouillon, knowing they would bring large retinues and resources.
How did kinship links influence the Crusades?
Kinship links were strong; for example, Bohemond and Tancred (uncle and nephew) joined together, as did Godfrey and Baldwin of Boulogne (brothers), maintaining cohesion in battle.
What feudal values influenced Crusaders’ participation?
Feudal values like honour, loyalty, and noble expectation played a role; for instance, Stephen of Blois was encouraged by his wife Adela to maintain family prestige.
What was a limitation of feudal obligations in the Crusades?
Crusading was meant to be a voluntary act of penance; while feudal ties helped mobilise forces, the deeper motivation often came from the religious framing.
What economic motivations drove Crusaders?
The East was mythologised as a land of great wealth, with many believing it offered rich cities and opportunities for landownership.
What actions did Crusaders take to gain economic rewards?
Crusaders like Baldwin of Boulogne left the main army to take control of Edessa, becoming its first Latin ruler, while Bohemond established his own principality in Antioch.
What earlier successes influenced Crusaders’ economic motivations?
Earlier successes in Sicily and Toledo showed that fighting Muslims could bring significant material rewards, such as plunder used to build cathedrals.
How did economic hardships at home influence participation in the Crusades?
Economic hardships, like the famine in the mid-1090s, led some knights to see the Crusade as a way to escape poverty or social stagnation.
What was a limitation regarding the economic aspect of the Crusades?
Crusading was incredibly expensive, costing up to five times a knight’s annual income, leading many to mortgage land, and few actually profited.
