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The crusades began with an odd start.  The peasantry, excited by the notion of a crusade, and stirred by the preaching of the layman [[Peter the Hermit]], embarked on a disorganized and poorly supplied “crusade”, which failed utterly, being rather unwelcome in the cities they stopped in on their journey, and being slaughtered by the first Islamic army they met.  This was an unofficial, impromptu affair involving the peasantry, and which was warned, and forbidden, by the Christian feudal lords and the papacy alike.  

The crusades began with an odd start.  The peasantry, excited by the notion of a crusade, and stirred by the preaching of the layman [[Peter the Hermit]], embarked on a disorganized and poorly supplied “crusade”, which failed utterly, being rather unwelcome in the cities they stopped in on their journey, and being slaughtered by the first Islamic army they met.  This was an unofficial, impromptu affair involving the peasantry, and which was warned, and forbidden, by the Christian feudal lords and the papacy alike.  

The [[First Crusade]], properly speaking, was lead by Feudal lords, mostly of [[Franks|Frankish]] origin.  Many of the knights left home never expecting to return, knowing virtually nothing about the [[Holy Land]], and trusting in God for victory.  The army consisted of almost 20,000 men, including a mass of [[squire]]s and other servants necessary to support a mounted knight.  Lacking sufficient supplies, they laid informal siege to [[Constantinople]] to obtain supplies, which they eventually obtained after giving oaths of service to Emperor Alexius.<ref name="RS">Riley-Smith, Jonathan.  ''The Crusades: a History.'' 2005: Yale University Press.  ISBN: 0300101287</ref>  After a hard march to the Holy Land, the army captured [[Nicaea]] in 1097, [[Antioch]] in 1099 and then [[Jerusalem]].  The Crusaders massacred many of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  Four feudal kingdoms were established, which would remain for nearly 100 years.  Crusading orders, consisting of [[paladin]]s, were also set up.

The [[First Crusade]], properly speaking, was lead by Feudal lords, mostly of [[Franks|Frankish]] origin.  Many of the knights left home never expecting to return, knowing virtually nothing about the [[Holy Land]], and trusting in God for victory.  The army consisted of almost 20,000 men, including a mass of [[squire]]s and other servants necessary to support a mounted knight.  Arriving at Constantinople the force, which eventually reached almost 50,000 total men, was not what the Byzantine Emperor [[Alexius]] had expected.  He had hoped for a few thousand well trained mercanaries to help him retake his lands from the Turks, and had little in common with the goal of 'freeing the Holy Land'.  An uneasy tension ensued from 1096 to 1097 as the forces gathered, but through a combination of firmness and diplomacy, Alexius avoided serious complications. In return for his assurance of assistance, he obtained oaths of allegiance from the Crusader leaders, and their promise that they would help recapture [[Nicaea]] from the Turks and return to him any other former possessions which they conquered.  Alexius then transported them across the Bosporus - being careful not to allow any large number of Crusader forces inside the walls of his capital at any given time.  He also provided them with food and with an escort of Byzantine troops to guide them towards their objectives (and incidentally to prevent Crusader plundering).<ref>Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979, Pg. 312-313</ref>

It should be noted that, in explaining why the crusaders ultimately failed, contemporary churchmen pointed out the sins of the crusaders.  However, they did not generally mean the sacking of cities with their criticism but rather their lack of adherence to holy day edicts by their traveling clergy.  Few contemporaries condemned the widespread violence against [[Jew]]s that occurred in Europe, such as the pogrom conducted along the length of the [[Rhine]] valley by the German nobleman [[Gottschalk]] and his army.  Such violence was commonplace, and Jews were considered acceptable targets since popular belief held that they were responsible for [[Jesus]]' [[crucifixion]].<ref name="RS"/>

After a hard march to the Holy Land, the army captured invested Nicaea in 1097.  By a combination of skillful fighting and skillfull diplomacy, Alexius arrnage for the surrender of the city to him after a successful Crusader-Byzantine assault on the outer walls.  The Crusaders were upset at Alexius' refusal to give them permission to sack the city.

The [[Second Crusade]] occurred in 1145 when [[Edessa]] was retaken by Islamic forces.  It was ultimately a failure, owing in part to the French king's insistence on betraying and attacking his only Muslim ally, [[Damascus]].  In 1187 the Muslims

The [[Second Crusade]] occurred in 1145 when [[Edessa]] was retaken by Islamic forces.  It was ultimately a failure, owing in part to the French king's insistence on betraying and attacking his only Muslim ally, [[Damascus]].  In 1187 the Muslims

captured Jerusalem under their leader [[Saladin]], which brought about a new call for a Crusade.

captured Jerusalem under their leader [[Saladin]], which brought about a new call for a Crusade.

The [[Third Crusade]] (1189-92) is famous for the battles between [[Richard I|Richard the Lionheart]] and [[Saladin]], highlighted by the deep respect the two enemies had for each other, and the sense of [[chivalry|chivalric]] honor of King Richard.  The crusade also involved the king of France (who returned home after an argument with Richard at Acre) and the Holy Roman Emperor (who drowned en route).  The crusade had the limited success of obtaining a truce between Richard and Saladin that promised to allow Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem.   

The [[Third Crusade]] (1189-92) is famous for the battles between [[Richard I|Richard the Lionheart]] and [[Saladin]], highlighted by the deep respect the two enemies had for each other, and the sense of [[chivalry|chivalric]] honor of King Richard.  The crusade also involved the king of France (who returned home after an argument with Richard at Acre) and the Holy Roman Emperor (who drowned en route).  The crusade had the limited success of obtaining a truce between Richard and Saladin that promised to allow Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem.   

The [[Fourth Crusade]], begun by [[Innocent III]] in 1202, intended to retake the Holy Land but was soon subverted by [[Venetian]]s who used the forces to sack the Christian city of [[Zara]]. Innocent excommunicated the Venetians and crusaders.  Eventually the crusaders arrived in [[Constantinople]], but due to strife which arose between them and the [[Byzantines]], rather than proceed to the Holy Land the crusaders instead sacked Constantinople and other parts of [[Asia Minor]] effectively establishing the Latin Empire of Constantinople in [[Greece]] and Asia Minor .  Both Zara and Constantinople were Christian cities, and the ultimate effect was a severely damaged relationship between Greek and Latin Christendom.

The [[Fourth Crusade]], begun by [[Innocent III]] in 1202, intended to retake the Holy Land but was soon subverted by [[Venetian]]s who used the forces to sack the Christian city of [[Zara]]. Innocent excommunicated the Venetians and crusaders.  Eventually the crusaders arrived in [[Constantinople]], but due to strife which arose between them and the [[Byzantines]], rather than proceed to the Holy Land the crusaders instead sacked Constantinople and other parts of [[Asia Minor]] effectively establishing the Latin Empire of Constantinople in [[Greece]] and Asia Minor .  Both Zara and Constantinople were Christian cities, and the ultimate effect was a severely damaged relationship between Greek and Latin Christendom.

This was effectively the last crusade sponsored by the papacy; later crusades were sponsored by individuals.

This was effectively the last crusade sponsored by the papacy; later crusades were sponsored by individuals.

The [[Fifth Crusade]] and the [[Crusade of St. Louis]] both nearly succeeded in regaining Jerusalem by way of attacking Egypt and failed only through the greed of men like [[Robert of Artois]].

The [[Fifth Crusade]] and the [[Crusade of St. Louis]] both nearly succeeded in regaining Jerusalem by way of attacking Egypt and failed only through the greed of men like [[Robert of Artois]].

Legends tell of a so-called [[Childrens Crusades|Children's Crusade]], where a mass of peasant children, enthused at the notion of a holy war, embarked to the Holy Land, only to be captured by greedy Genovese merchant men and sold into slavery before ever leaving Europe.  Historians, though divided, generally consider this event to be a fiction.

Legends tell of a so-called [[Childrens Crusades|Children's Crusade]], where a mass of peasant children, enthused at the notion of a holy war, embarked to the Holy Land, only to be captured by greedy Genovese merchant men and sold into slavery before ever leaving Europe.  Historians, though divided, generally consider this event to be a fiction.

Thus, though Jerusalem was held for nearly a century and other strongholds in the Near East would remain in Christian possession much longer, the crusades in the Holy Land ultimately failed to establish permanent Christian kingdoms. Islamic expansion into Europe, while temporarily stalled, would renew and remain a threat for centuries with the disintegration of the [[Byzantine Empire]] and culminate with the campaigns of [[Suleiman the Magnificent]] in the sixteenth century.

Thus, though Jerusalem was held for nearly a century and other strongholds in the Near East would remain in Christian possession much longer, the crusades in the Holy Land ultimately failed to establish permanent Christian kingdoms. It should be noted that, in explaining why the crusaders ultimately failed, contemporary churchmen pointed out the sins of the crusaders. Islamic expansion into Europe, while temporarily stalled, would renew and remain a threat for centuries with the disintegration of the [[Byzantine Empire]] and culminate with the campaigns of [[Suleiman the Magnificent]] in the sixteenth century.

==References==

==References==