Revision Topic Sheet 6a: The First Crusade Part I Flashcards
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How was Muslim land politically fragmented?
- The relationship between the Byzantines and the Egyptian Fatamids was altered when the Turcoman clans invaded under the leadership of the Seljuks
- Alp Arslan and Malik Shah created the Great Seljuk Sultanate by pushing back the Shi’ite Fatamids
- One Seljuk leader named Sulaiman established the sultanate of Rum in Anatolia
- When Malik Shah died in 1072, his brother Tukush attempted to seize his throne, but was killed by nephew Berkyanuk, but his sons Duqaq and Ridwan inherited the throne which divided the territories
- Kilij Arslan, son of Sulaiman, made the sultanate of Rum an independent power
Why was the crusader vow important?
The crusaders being given a cloth cross symbolised their vow to serve on the First Crusade, giving them the title of pilgrims, exempting them from taxes and debts and allowed them to have their possessions protected by the church.
What was the People’s Crusade?
An early crusade led by Peter the Hermit who preached the idea of pilgrimage with visions of the Holy Sepulchre. Historian S. Runciman explained this by describing how the increasing population put pressure on the land, especially after a famine occurred in 1095. He also explained that Peter envisioned a ‘New Jerusalem’ - believed he would find the land of milk and honey described in the Bible.
What happened on the People’s Crusade?
Despite advice from Alexios Komnenos saying to wait for more prepared forces to arrive, Peter the Hermit marched on Constantinople after his crusade reached it in 1096. In Anatolia, the army split into French and German factions, leading to the German army being surrounded by Kilij Arslan’s army and forced to either die or convert to Islam on October 7th 1096 after attempting to capture the castle of Xenigordon. The French army then marched from Nicea after raiding around it to attack Kilij Arslan but were ambushed at the village of Dracon 2 weeks later on October 21st 1096.
Why did the People’s Crusade fail?
It left unprepared and poorly-organised, leading to many of its followers dying from starvation or conflicts over food before even reaching the Middle East.
Who were the leaders of the official crusade?
- Raymond IV of St Gilles and Count of Toulouse - attracted by the idea of remission for his sins
- Godfrey of Bouillon - wanted to conquer new land as his duchy didn’t satisfy his ambition for conquering
- Bohemond, son of Robert Guiscard - wanted to extend his power after inheriting very little land
(minor leaders): - Hugh Vermandois, Duke Robert of Normandy & Count Robert of Flanders and Count Stephen of Blois
Why did Alexios make the Crusader leaders swear oaths?
After Hugh Vermandois’ army became the first to reach Constantinople, Alexios became suspicious of the large crusading armies which could threaten the city, leading to him extracting oaths from the leaders that all territory gained would be given to the Byzantine Empire, with the lack of food making it almost mandatory to agree to these oaths, even for Godfrey and Raymond who initially objected to these oaths.
How did Alexios gain control of Nicea?
Kilij Arslan was defeated when he attacked his neighbour Danishmend on his way to reach the besieged Nicea, allowing for the Crusader army to capture the city as it was the first city they reached, allowing them to become ready to march on Jerusalem by June 1097. as Alexios gained control of the city.
When was Dorylaeum captured?
In October 1097, Danishmend and his Turkish forces were defeated at Dorylaeum, opening up the road to Antioch.
What initial events made the capture of Antioch easier?
The Seljuk ruler of Antioch, Yaghi-Siyan, was caught unprepared and without allies from other Seljuk rulers, leading to the decision to siege Antioch despite the army size of 40,000. Also, in December 1097 the defending Turkish armies of Duqaq of Damascus and Ridwan of Aleppo were defeated, gradually diminishing the Muslim defences. Later, in June 1098 Antioch was captured when a traitor opened the gates, making the capture of the city much easier.
What led to the discovery of the ‘Holy Lance’?
A coalition led by Kerbogha of Mosul with other forces led by Duqaq, leading to a decrease in morale until Peter Barthmolomew supposedly had a vision of the Holy Lance, making the Crusaders see this as a sign from God and leading to them marching out to face the Muslim armies and cause them to flee in panic, which could have also been caused by the Muslim leaders’ refusal to obey Kerbogha out of jealousy.
What problems did the Crusaders face after their victory at Antioch and how were they solved?
An epidemic broke out which killed Crusader leader Adhemar of Le Puy on August 1st 1098, causing problems over the fate of Antioch and who should lead the crusade. Bohemond claimed Antioch and broke his oath to Alexios, leading to opposition from Raymond of St Gilles. Although, the majority of crusader supported him as Alexios wasn’t able to mount an expedition to press his claim or give any assistance during the siege of Nicea, instead taking the city from them secretly. Subsequently Bohemond focused on building up Antioch instead of marching on Jerusalem and in January 1099 Raymond of St Gilles was elected as the overall Crusade leader as he led the Crusade south into Fatamid territory.
How much resistance did the Crusaders encounter from the Fatamids during the attack on Jerusalem?
Initially, the emirs were either too weak or too unwilling to oppose the Crusaders. Although, after reaching Jerusalem on June 7th 1099 the Crusaders were well defended against by Fatamid governor Iftikhar-ad-Dawla. He rounded up all the livestock from the countryside, poisoned all wells outside the city and removed all Christians from Jerusalem to remove potential traitors. Despite this and also suffering from food and water shortages, a chance landing at Jaffa by 6 Christian ships provided sufficient materials to siege the city with.
What were the visions of Peter Desiderus and why were they significant in regard to the Crusade’s success?
On June 12th 1099 a hermit named Peter Desiderus ordered the Crusaders to attack the city in a vision, which proved difficult due to the defence after capturing the outer walls and the insufficient sieging materials, but the aforementioned landing at Jaffa helped remedy this. Later, on July 6th he envisioned the city of Jerusalem falling in 9 days if the Crusaders were to prepare for an attack by going on a fast and walking around the city barefoot. This came true as an attack led on July 13th led to Jerusalem’s capture on July 15th, supposedly proving the vision correct. These visions were significant for providing morale as they made the Crusaders believe God was on their side and that they were destined to succeed on the Crusade.
Why was Jerusalem captured?
The Christian strengths were in superior unity in battle, superior military tactics and weapons, support of the Byzantine Empire which provided food and guides and a zealous belief in their cause strengthened by the discovery of the Holy Lance. Historian J Riley Smith highlighted the disunity of the Muslims caused by the Sunni/Shi’ite split, especially when the Sunni rulers of Damascus, Aleppo and Mosul didn’t intervene when the Crusaders invaded the Shi’ite province of Pakistan. under Fatamid rule. He also highlighted the Muslim demoralisation caused by the rumours about the Crusaders, such as that they were cannibals. This contrasts with the morale of the Crusaders who were prepared to endure great hardships to reach success.
