THE CRUSADES

Introduction

  During the Middle Ages, there were three main pilmigrages, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Rome. The pilgrims visited the Holy Sepulchre, Saint Jacob´s and Saint Peter´s tumbs. There, they prayed for indulgences and for the forgiveness of their sins. This tradition comes from times of Saint Helen Empress, wife of Emperor Constancio and mother of Emperor Constantino I. In 300 A.C, in Jerusalem she discovered the Jesus Cross ( Vera Cruz). Since then, the christians visited the Holy Places that were part of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 1000, a rumor spread all over the Christendom, "The world was going to end", this phenomenon was called the Millenarian Terror. Most people belived it was their last chance of conversion. It was essential to get indulgences peregrinating.

  Since the first century, the Christians could do it without crossing the Roman Empire´s borders but in 1071, all changed when the Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Turks and lost the Holy Land.

The Christendom tried to reconquered the Holy Places, calling of the Crusades.

The  Byzantine Emperor, Alejo I Conmeno, asked the Pope , Urbano II for help. The Emperor needed a big army to reconquer his lost territories.

   In 1095, on 27 th November, Urbano II proposed a Crusade in the Clermont´s Concilium , repeating the words of Roberto of  Reis " God want it "

There were four Crusades

The First Crusade ( 1097- 1099)

     Only nobles, knights with their own armies took part on it ( No Kings ). The Byzantine´s Military forces were their allied. This Crusade was succesful. They reconquered Nicea, Dorilea, Antioquía, Trípoli, Acre, Sidón y Jerusalem.

       The western crusaders didn´t give back the territories that they conquered to the Byzantine Empire . They put them, under the authority of the Roman Pope and made up Christian´s Kingdoms.

Military Orders were founded, such as Temple Order, to defend these territories.

                                                      

                                                       The Second Crusade ( 1147- 1149)

       Two kings took part in this Crusade, Conrado III of Germany, Louis VII of France and volunteers from all over the Christendom, knights, soldiers etc.

          The western crusaders thought the defeats of the Holy Land´s crusaders were their fault. The first ones didn´t want to join their forces with others, they didn´t want to join accept the same leader, attack the same places or obey the same orders. They were as divided as the the western kingdoms.

It was a terrible failure. They lost many crusader´s territories.

            The turks found a new leader, Saladino, who join its forces.

                                                       The Third Crusade ( 1189- 1199)

          Jerusalem fell to the Turks, leadered by Saladino. The Pope, Gregorio VII proposed the 3 rd Crusade. Three Kings took part Federico I Redbear of Germany, Felipe Augusto II of France, Richard the Lionheart of England.

            They reconquered Acre and some less important places at the coast, but they didn´t reach Jerusalem. 

                                                       The Fourth Crusade ( 1201- 1453)

             At that moment, only Antioquía, Trípoli and Acre remained. The Holy Land´s crusaders could resist but they weren´ t enough strong to reconquered new territories. The Pope Inocencio III proposed the 4 th crusade, no kings took part on it. Many nobles and knights and soldiers did it. Venetian used the crusaders to conquer and loot Constantinople, because the Byzantine Empire was a competitor in Mediterranean Sea´s trade.

                  In 1261, the Emperor Miguel VIII rebuilt it, but the relationships between the Byzantines and the crusaders were broken for ever.

                    In 1453, Constantinople fall to the Turks.

       

                                                      Conclusions

• The Christendom was divided in the Roman papisme and the Caesarpapisme.

       

• Western Europe was divided in Kingdoms, inner wars were spread all over the continent, that made difficult to mantein outer conflicts.    

• The crusader´s Kingdoms in Holy Land were also divided, without a unique leader or propose. 

• They were sor far from the rest of the Christendom. It was difficult to recibe help and support.

• The First Crusade was success because the crusaders gave up their differences, joined their forces and fought in order to reconquer Holy Land. It was the last time.

• Turks were a really strong enemy. They were better adapted tan the crusaders, to Holy Land´s enviroment. They could ask for help to Islamic tribes that live next to Middle East.

• They found a leader, Saladino, who unified all Turkish tribes. They followed the same objective, conquer the Eastern Empire. They didn´t stop until they got it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=91&v=7U9lVjZg-Kg