The Crusades Flashcards
1
Q
The Turkish threat as contributing to the launching of the first crusade
A
- battle of manzikurt in 1071 resulted in the death of the Byzantium emperor and established the Turks as a military threat. It also seemed that the Turks were moving west into Christian territory
- Turks continued westward, capturing Jerusalem from the fatamids in 1071 and were within striking distance of Constantinople by 1080
- captures Christian city of Antioch in 1085, however they did not kill the Christians
- alternatively, the threat is diminished as when alp Arslan dies civil wars break out between his sons and other Turkish leaders which halt the westward progress. They were also at war with the fatamids in Egypt. This internal conflict continues throughout the first crusade, diminishing the threat.
- new emperor alexius comnenus also took the throne in 1081 and established a strong military and reformed the Byzantium empire. He had a plan to push the Turks back. He increases taxation to hire mercenaries and defeats raising parties
2
Q
Appeal from alexius and contributing to the launch of the first crusade
A
- believed that urban ii supports first crusade because of letter from alexius
- council at piacenza in March 1095 alexius’ appeal for aid was brought by his representatives. They probably exaggerated the situation and mentioned Jerusalem in an attempt to entice urban.
- however, the letter was written in the earls 1090s, several year before urban calls the crusade
- the letter was also sent to the duke of Flanders, not the pope (comnenus didn’t want king’s for fear of appearing weak. Flanders has soldiers)
- alexius asked for only a few hundred trained knights, whilst the crusade was over 120,000 strong alltogether
- there is a suggestion that the letter was written after the first crusade to justify the crusade itself/ whilst others believe there was no letter at all
- the letter was not mentioned in urban ii speech calling the crusade
- erdmann insists that the letter is the main reason for the crusade
3
Q
Urban II’s aims as contributing to the launch of the first crusade
A
- intended to unite all of western christiandom
- investiture crisis saw pope Gregory vii and the HRE Henry IV as adversaries. Resulted in loss of power for the papacy and urban sought to reclaim this power and reputation
- council at Claremont saw urban citing Muslim atrocities and Christian slaughter as reasons. He urged the people to help their Christian brothers in the east. ‘God wills it’
- wanted to assert political and religious power in both the east and west
- wanted to extend influence of Rome over the Byzantine empire and Orthodox Church, and slow progress of Islam
- wanted to be head of all Christianity
- wants to become head of state of Jerusalem - evident in him not asking kings as they would claim the city
4
Q
Peace of god movement first crusade
A
- urban sought to create more land for the growing populace and to dispel conflict.
- he encouraged knights and nobles to go east and fight the infidel in Spain
- this assisted with the overpopulation of multiple sons and gave younger nobles the opportunity to own their own land
- this would also allow urban to better control the west
5
Q
Spanish Reconquista as contributing to the launch of the first crusade
A
- ’religious war’
- crusaders encouraged to dispel the moors from Spain. Led in part by Raymond of Toulouse
- Raymond gained great popularity from his success and would continue on to be a leader of the main crusade
- success of Reconquista appears to justify that the crusade is approved by god. It also provides the crusade with experienced combatants
6
Q
Reasons for the launch of the crusade in order of importance
A
- Popularity of religious war
- Turkish threat
- Urban’s aims
- Peace of god movement
- Appeal from alexius
7
Q
Escape in contributing to motivation o going o the first crusade
A
- people wanted to escape justice, hunger, poverty and disease
- escape as motivation for the crusade is evident in the peasant’s crusade
8
Q
Personal gain as a motivation for the first crusade
A
- land - nobles short of land eg peace of god movement. Includes people such as bohemond and tancred
- trade - Italians wanted to trade with Christian settlers as opposed to Muslims
- booty - east was full of opportunities to pillage
9
Q
Omens as a motivation for the crusade
A
•many believed they saw signs from god eg comets and disfigured babies
10
Q
Religious zeal as a motivation for the first crusade
A
- in the eleventh century religion was a useful tool. As exemplified by urban at Claremont. He stressed retaking the holy land from the pagans
- protect their Christian brothers , Christian duty.
- urban promised remission of sins for those who crusaded - HUGELY important
11
Q
Spanish Reconquista as a motivation for the first crusade
A
- Christian success on Iberian peninsula gave crusaders confidence of success. Seen as ‘just’ war.
- Raymond of Toulouse was also leading and he was popular
12
Q
The peasant’s/people’s/pauper’s crusade
A
- after Claremont urban set date of crusade for August 1096 so as to raise supplies, funds and organise armies.
- peter the Hermit began to preach shortly after and enthralled religious zeal to many peasants who were also desperate to escape and wanted resmission of sins.
- the pilgrims journey east in March to Constantinople with some trouble in Belgrade first. Undisciplined and large in number, the peasants caused problems in Hungary in which some Hungarians were killed. Also at Nis as peter loses authority. Pogroms also occurred with violence against Jews in places such as speyer and worms (emicho - defeated by Hungarians)
- peasants crusade fails because of lack of discipline and poor leadership (emicho, peter)
13
Q
End of the peasants crusade
A
- against advice of alexius, peasants crusade did not wait at Constantinople and crossed the Bosporus into Asia Minor
- crusaders had little good and no water and began to pillage and loot.
- peter returned to Constantinople to appeal to alexius and the peasants had dividdd into 2 groups (germans/French)
- germans were defeated after a siege at xerigordon after raiding Nicaea and the French were ambushed and slaughtered at civetot. Peasants crusade is numbered at max of 60,000
- peter remained at Constantinople
14
Q
Leaders and significant crusaders of the first crusade
A
- adhemar of le puy - bishop appointed by urban
- peter the hermit - leader of peasants crusade
- count emicho - slaughtered Jews in Germany
- Godfrey of bouillon - brother of Baldwin and eustace
- bohemond of Taranto
- tancred de hauteville - bohemond’s cousin
- Raymond of Toulouse - led Spanish Reconquista. Had largest contingent.
- Hugh of France
- Stephen of blois
15
Q
Beginning the first crusade p1 - oath, Nicaea, dorylaeum
A
- alexius was concerned the crusaders would not return captured land and made them take oath of allegiance that was largely ignored
- first event was capture of Nicaea by the byzantines who reclaimed for alexius. This added to the deteriorating relationship
- at dorylaeum bohemond led a brave defence to victory. This forced the Turks to leave the road to Antioch open
- the crusading army split after dorylaeum - Baldwin went to edessa, main crusading army went to Antioch
16
Q
First crusade p2 - Antioch
A
- after split of army from dorylaeum, the crusaders besieged Antioch until June 1098.
- kerboga of Mosul, heating this, leads a relief army.
- bohemond convinced a man named firouz to open the gates and the crusaders flooded in, massacring every turk
- crusaders then besieged by kaboga outside the walls and the Turks still in the citadel, but with religious zeal at finding the presumed holy lance, the crusaders launched an attack on the army, which broke and ran
17
Q
First crusade p3 - Jerusalem
A
- bohemond claimed Antioch as his own which divided the crusaders as the goal was supposed to be Jerusalem. He was allowed to keep it whilst Raymond led the army on to Jerusalem
- crusaders massacred and ate inhabitants of marrad numan which caused other locals to be conciliatory.
- crusaders arrived at Jerusalem on 7th June 1099
- gates were shut and a penitential march followed. Siege engines were eventually built and Godfrey breached the defence in the 15th.
- the crusaders pillaged and slaughtered, including Jews and Christians
- Raymond was offered city who refused after which it was offered to Godfrey, who accepted the title of advocate of the holy sepulchre
- urban ii had died by this point
18
Q
Was the first crusade a success?
A
Yes - succeeded in capturing Jerusalem and established the two estates of edessa and Antioch
