Crusade

Crusade

File:Crusades-de.svg Crusades map

The Crusades were a series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period, primarily against Muslim territories. The most commonly known Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1096 and 1291, which aimed to capture Jerusalem and other sacred sites from Islamic rule.

Background

The origins of the Crusades lie in the rise of the Seljuk Turks and their conquest of much of the Byzantine Empire's territory, including the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos appealed to Pope Urban II for military assistance, leading to the call for the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont in 1095.

Major Crusades

First Crusade (1096–1099)

The First Crusade was launched in 1096 and resulted in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. It established several Crusader states, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, and the County of Tripoli.

Second Crusade (1147–1150)

The Second Crusade was called in response to the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144. It was led by King Louis VII of France and Emperor Conrad III of Germany, but it ended in failure.

Third Crusade (1189–1192)

The Third Crusade was launched after the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187. It was led by Richard the Lionheart, Philip II of France, and Frederick I Barbarossa. Although it failed to recapture Jerusalem, it resulted in the Treaty of Jaffa, which allowed Christian pilgrims access to the city.

Fourth Crusade (1202–1204)

The Fourth Crusade was diverted from its original goal and resulted in the sack of Constantinople in 1204, leading to the establishment of the Latin Empire.

Later Crusades

Subsequent Crusades, including the Fifth Crusade, Sixth Crusade, and Seventh Crusade, were less successful and failed to achieve their objectives. The Eighth Crusade and the Ninth Crusade marked the end of the major Crusading efforts.

Impact

The Crusades had a profound impact on the history of both Europe and the Near East. They contributed to the end of feudalism, the rise of centralized monarchies, and the growth of trade and cultural exchanges between the East and West. They also left a legacy of religious tension and conflict.

Related Pages

• Holy Land
• Latin Church
• Byzantine Empire
• Seljuk Turks
• Pope Urban II
• Council of Clermont
• Kingdom of Jerusalem
• Saladin
• Richard the Lionheart
• Constantinople