First crusade
First crusadeIn the middle of the Eleventh Century, the peace of the eastern Mediterranean seemed assured for many years to come, but little did the people know what was ahead. In this project, I will be discussing the events that lead up to the first in a long line of crusades. I will also be mentioning the lives of some of the crusaders through letters that they wrote.
The crusades were a time of confusion for most people, yet today we look back at them as a turning point. These Crusades were Christian military expeditions undertaken between the 11th and the 14th century to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims. The word crusade, which is taken from the Latin crux ("cross"), is a reference to the biblical order that Christians carry their cross. Crusaders wore a red cloth on their tunics to indicate that they had assumed the cross and were soldiers of Christ.
The causes of the Crusades were many and complex, but prevailing religious beliefs were clearly of major importance. Other reasons for joining the band of crusaders were:
a) Some went to escape bad times at home.
b) Some went because they were bored.
c) Some went to find out what opportunity there were in the East.
d) Some went to wash away their sins and ensure a place in
heaven.
e) Some went for adventure.
f) Some wanted a chance to gain some of the riches of the east.
g) Some here forced to go by their feudal lords.
The Crusaders continued an older tradition of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Now, however, they assumed two roles as pilgrims and warriors. Such an armed pilgrimage was regarded as a justifiable war, because it was fought to recapture the places sacred to that of the Christians.
Jerusalem had been under Muslim rule since the 7th century, but pilgrimages were not cut off until the 11th century (when the Seljuk Turks began to interfere with Christian pilgrims). For Christians, the very name of Jerusalem evoked visions of the end of time and of the heavenly city. To help rescue the Holy Land fulfilled the ideal of the Christian knight. The hope of eternal merit and the offer of indulgences motivated thousands to enroll in the cause.
Political considerations were also important. The Crusades were a response to appeals for help from the Byzantine Empire, threatened by the advance of the Seljuk Turks. The year 1071 had seen both the captures of Jerusalem and the decisive defeat of the Byzantine army at Miniskirt, creating fear of further Turkish victories.
The Crusades were equally a result of economic circumstances. The fabulous riches of the East lured many participants; a campaign abroad appealed as a mean of escaping from the pressures of feudal society, in which the younger sons in a family often lacked economic opportunities. On a larger scale, the major European...
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