✅The First Crusade - Introduction

Question 1

When was the First Crusade

Answer 1

It was proclaimed on November 27, 1095

Question 2

When did the First Crusade end?

Answer 2

1099

Question 3

Who called for the Crusade and why?

Answer 3

Pope Urban II called for the Crusade in response to the Muslims capturing Jerusalem (the Holy Land) from the Christians

Question 4

What did Pope Urban call the Muslim?

Answer 4

He called the Muslims “demons of the blackest hearts” and “can hardly be called men” and that the Christians had to fight them because “God wills it” as they were “new soldiers of Christ”

Question 5

Why was Jerusalem important to Muslims?

Answer 5

Muslims believed Prophet Muhammad once visited the Holy Land and prayed, he was then taken up to Heaven and taught the secrets of prayer. ‘Dome of rock’ was built where he prayed

Question 6

What did Pope Urban and Countess Mathilda of Tuscany do to make fighting in the Crusade acceptable?

Answer 6

Created the ‘Just war/holy war’ theory

Question 7

What was the just war/holy war theory?

Answer 7

It was an idea developed from ‘penitential warfare’ that made it acceptable to break the 10th commandment of ‘thou shall not kill’

Question 8

Why did fighting in the Crusade have to be made acceptable?

Answer 8

I’m this time period it would have been seen as defying God to break one of the ten commandments. Almost everyone followed the papacy, you were seen as infidel or heretic if you didn’t

Question 9

Name three targets of the just war/holy war theory

Answer 9

1) for a good reason
2) if there is an official leader
3) good intentions

Question 10

What did Urban, through the just war/holy war theory offer those who took part?

Answer 10

Indulgence

Question 11

What is indulgence?

Answer 11

The belief you get rid of your sins if you go on a crusade - the journey is so difficult that it is enough for God to forgive you

Question 12

Urban strongly wanted Knights to take part, why was this?

Answer 12

Knights were are extremely violent, in order to limit violence Pope Urban wanted them to go on a crusade to reduce conflict in society

Question 13

Before the Crusade, how did Pope Urban try to limit private warfare between knights?

Answer 13

through movements

Question 14

What were these movements?

Answer 14

1) Peace of God: protection for certain people e.g women

2) Truce of God (second stage): stop all violence on certain days of the week, times of the year

Question 15

How did Pope’s help to improve the success of the Crusade? (3)

Answer 15

1: asking wealthy people to fund for the Crusade which provided financial support
2: issuing threats to excommunicate any crusader who would abandon the cause
3: ‘granting the cross’ which provided a powerful visual symbol for the Crusade

Question 16

How did Preachers improve the success of recruiters? (4)

Answer 16

1: picking the right day, it was traditional to arrive in a town or city at a holy time
2: using an outdoor location to maximise space for the audience
3: targeting wealthy Knights and noblemen to increase financial aid
4: performing miracles to make the audience feel energized e.g during a tour 235 cripples where reportedly restored

Question 17

What was the Byzantine Empire like in the 1090s?

Answer 17

They faced many threats from the Muslims and in 1078 the Muslims took my Nicaea (100km from the capital) and Alexius I began to negotiate with Abu’l Kasim over Nicaea, however, he was murdered and replaced by Kilij Arslan who refused negotiations. Alexius then appealed to Urban to get Nicaea back under his control

Question 18

What were the political problems (before the Crusade) that Urban faced from the German empire?

Answer 18

When Urban was elected pope in 1088 he was in a weak position. He had to fight to gain control from Henry IV of Germany, who had appointed his rival clemente III

Question 19

What were the political problems (before the Crusade) that Urban faced from the French empire?

Answer 19

In France Urban needed to show that he was in charge of the church, he enforced it’s rulers and appointed its officials. This was an important goal because King Philip I had gone against the church by committing adultery. Giving him Urban no choice but to excommunicate him in 1095

Question 20

In the 11th century what happened to Knights chivalric values?

Answer 20

Their values improved. The new values gave Knights a purpose and turned crusading into a duty

Question 21

What were the new chivalric values? (4)

Answer 21

1: fairplay e.g avoid cheating
2: nobility e.g obey the law
3: honour e.g keep one’s word
4: courtesy e.g manners

Question 22

What were the old chivalric values? (3)

Answer 22

1: winning wars
2: behaving courageously in battle
3: developing personal strength
(all these contributed to their aggression)

Question 23

How did these values spread to Knignts?

Answer 23

They were indoctrinated with these values through poetry read out or sung by troubadours

Question 24

What technology was 11th century Knignts introduced to? (2)

Answer 24

1: horses were equipped for the saddles that increase their security, they will also ‘shod’ which gave them the ability to travel across rough terrain
2: Knights were heavily armoured with swords and their defences became more complex