The First Crusade Flashcards
1
Q
When was the First Crusade called?
A
1095
2
Q
Who called the First Crusade?
A
Pope Urban ii
3
Q
Was there a papal bull for the First Crusade?
A
No
4
Q
Why was the First Crusade called?
(The situation in the East)
A
- Jerusalem was in Muslim hands (Had been since Yarmuk in 638)
- Churches were being destroyed and converted into barns (The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed by the mad-caliph al-Hakim in 1009)
- Alexios’ plea for help (Seljuks were “at the walls of Constantinople”, however this was exaggerated significantly)
5
Q
Why was the First Crusade called?
(Papal Ambition)
A
- To unite the churches (After the Great Schism of 1054)
- To increase papal authority over the East and the secular Lords (Would have control over thousands of men and many knights and Lords)
- To reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem
6
Q
Why was the First Crusade called?
(Religious Conviction)
A
- To re-direct the violence of the knightly class
- Christians in the East were being persecuted (In 1064, 5000 Christian pilgrims were massacred by Muslim tribesmen in one brutal attack)
- Very few examples of Christian persecution in the East, however, and it was likely just used as a way of recruiting larger numbers of Western Christians
- Was not a wholly religiously-motivated crusade
- Acts such as the Peace and Truce of God movements already limited Christian persecution in the West
7
Q
Why did people join the First Crusade?
(Economic Reasons)
A
- Potential land and loot to be gained
- Highly expensive to go on a crusade
- Bohemond of Taranto (Had not inherited his father’s land in Italy, and was attracted to the possibility of gaining land)
- Baldwin of Boulogne (Had remained in Edessa to consolidate it, and did not go to swear an oath to Alexios due to this)
8
Q
Why did people join the First Crusade?
(Social Reasons)
A
- Robert ii of Flanders (Had close ties to Constantinople, and felt obligated to help Alexios. However, he also knew how well Alexios rewarded those who helped him)
- Robert of Normandy (His brother, William, had raised a special tax in England for his journey, as he wanted him out of Europe)
- Stephen of Blois (Went on the crusade to please his deeply religious wife)
9
Q
Why did people join the First Crusade?
(Religious Reasons)
A
- Adhemar Le Puy (Was the papal legate on the crusade, so went as a representative of the church)
- Raymond of Toulouse (Was the oldest and wealthiest of the crusading knights, and sold his lands to fund his trip due to his deep religiosity)
- Godfrey of Bouillion (Took a group of monks as religious advisors)
10
Q
Why was the First Crusade successful?
(Christian Leadership)
A
- Bohemond held a tight defensive formation at Dorylaeum in 1097, against Kilij Arslan’s men
- Bohemomd bribed a guard at Antioch to let his army into the city, ending the stalemate in 1098
- Godfrey targeted weaker parts of Jersusalem’s defences with his siege engines
- Bohemond left the crusade in 1098, however
11
Q
Why was the First Crusade successful?
(Religious Motivation)
A
- Adhemar expelled the women from camp at Antioch, and forced the crusaders to pray. Soon after, a Genoese fleet arrived with wood and supplies
- The crusaders marched barefoot around the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
- Bohemond used religious imagery at Dorylaeum, shouting “Stand fast in Christ”, which helped to motivate the crusaders
- Some knights went for economic gain rather than religious reasons
12
Q
Why was the First Crusade successful?
(Muslim Disunity)
A
- Kilij Arslan was occupied fighting Danishmends in the North, leaving Nicaea fairly open for the crusading army in 1097
- Brothers Ridwan and Duqaq failed to ally to defend the city of Antioch
- The city of Jerusalem’s defences had been weakened by a Fatimid takeover in 1098
13
Q
Why was the First Crusade successful?
(Byzantine Aid)
A
- Alexios provided men and supplies to the crusaders, however it was never enough
- Alexios sent his experienced general, Tacticus, to aid the crusaders
- Alexios and Tacticus abandoned the crusade at Antioch, as they felt it was doomed
14
Q
Was the First Crusade successful?
(The papacy)
A
- Had demonstrated its authority, by having control over thousands of crusaders and knights
- Jerusalem had been reclaimed for the Christians
- Jerusalem had been appointed with a Latin patriach, Daimbert of Pisa
- It was not an entirely spiritual crusade, however, as many went for economic reasons
- Jerusalem had not become a papal state, however, and it was ruled by a king
15
Q
Was the First Crusade successful?
(The Byzantine Empire)
A
- Had regained some of the land lost to the Seljuk Turks, such as Nicaea
- Had not regained Antioch or Edessa, which were not returned by the crusaders
- Had extracted oaths from many of the crusaders, however, Baldwin and Bohemond had not gone to Constantinople to swear their oaths
- Alexios had failed to control the People’s Crusade, led by Peter the Hermit
