Batista, Cynthia/ Yanes,

Belén [CRUSADES]

During the time of Medieval England Western Europe attempted to unite the mankind in
Christian community under the leadership of the Pope. That ambition led to a constant
warfare that lasted two hundred years, from the 11th to the 13th century. The reasons and
background of these historical events could not be only explained by economic or territorial
purposes but also religious and political motivation.
In 1065, Turks took Jerusalem by force and killed three thousand Christians. From that
moment on commenced a chain of military expeditions, the Crusades, from Western
Europe to the East and Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The aim was
to liberate their Holy Lands from the influence of Muslims. When the first crusaders,
‘pilgrims’, set off, they wore large red cloth crosses. The term ‘crusades’ derived from the
latin word ‘crux`.
Islam presence in the Holy Land began with Arab conquest of Palestine in the seventh
century but later success and expansion of Muslim armies began to put pressure on the
Byzantine Empire. The first crusades were said to be for religious matters. Popes
proclaimed the expeditions and were supported by people, to whom absolution from sin
and eternal glory were promised. However, there were also those who wanted to gain land
and wealth in the East. They joined the crusades to conquer the lands with force and
violence and Knights were motivated by similar reasons.
The Crusaders invaded many of the cities on the Mediterranean coast establishing
churches loyal to Rome and builing a large number of fortified castles to protect the Holy
Land and territories.

There are not exact dates for the crusades but most historians consider the First Crusade
started with the sermon claimed by Pope Urban II at Clermont-Ferrand in November 1095.
The reasons were mainly religious, saving the Holy City and the tomb of Christ in
Jerusalem from the barbaric actions of Muslims.
Supported by the Byzantine Emperor and with the guiadance of Armenian Christians,
nobles and peasants marched across Europe to Constantinople. Once there, there were
built fifteen cathedral churches. In June 1099, the Crusaders began a five-week siege of
Jerusalem, which fell on July 15, 1099.
From 1147 to 1149, the Second Crusade took place, Bernard of Clairvaux tried to invade
Damascus in Syria. It ended in failure because the Muslims had regrouped and, led by
Salah al-Din, they retook Jerusalem in October 1187.
By the end of the Third Crusade that started in1189 and lasted three years, Cyprus was
gained by the Crusader forces and the coastal city of Acre as well. Salah al-Din enabled
access to Jerusalem to European pilgrims and welcomed Jewish people back to the city
too.
The Fourth Crusade set out in 1202 had a main destination, Egypt. The Crusaders went to
Constantinople to collect an enormous amount of money promised for their support.
Sacked in 1204, the city´s rich treasures were divided among the Venetians, the French,
and other Crusaders. The Latin Empire of Constantinople was established with the
emperor Baldwin of Flanders. In 1261 city returned to the Byzantines.
Successive crusades were sent to the Holy Land. The fifth crusade was in 1217 and
ended in 1221 and the sixth took place between 1228 and 1229. The Seventh and Eighth
Crusades, in 1248 and 1270, were promoted by Luis IV , who died in Tunisia. In 1271,
Sultan Baibars captured Montfort Castle and in 1291, the Crusader city of Acre fell, ending
the era of Latin Crusader kingdoms.
The Crusades failed as a result of Christian´s lack people to colonize. The Greek and
Roman churches hated each other and prevented united action. They never got control
 Batista, Cynthia/ Yanes,
Belén [CRUSADES]

over the Mediterranean Sea, having to take a long journey from France or Germany
through Bulgaria and the Roman Empire’s territory .

The crusades of the Middle Ages ended up with Europe’s defeat. From 2,000,000 to
6,000,000 people were killed over 200 years of death and destruction. Meanwhile, on the
other hand, the church increased its wealth and the power of the Papacy.