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{{Middle Ages}}

{{Middle Ages}}

[[Image:Crusader.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A returning [[Crusader]]]]

[[Image:Crusader.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A returning [[Crusader]]]]

The '''Crusades''' were a series of military conflicts fought between [[Europe]]an [[Christians]] and [[Arab]] [[Muslims]] to regain the [[Holy Land]].  Most often, the term "Crusades" refers to the campaigns in the Holy Land against Muslim forces sponsored by the [[Papacy]], of which there were four. There were other crusades in the Holy Land lead by private royal armies, as well as crusades against Islamic forces in southern [[Spain]], southern [[Italy]], and [[Sicily]].  Furthermore, the campaigns of [[Teutonic knight]]s against [[pagan]] strongholds in [[Eastern Europe]] are also sometimes called crusades.  Lastly, military action within Christendom lead against heretical and schismatic groups is also sometimes called a crusade.  The four papal-sponsored crusades aimed at securing the Holy Land lasted from A. D. 1097 to 1204.

The '''Crusades''' were a series of military conflicts fought between [[Europe]]an [[Christians]] and [[Arab]] [[Muslims]] to regain the [[Holy Land]].  Most often, the term "Crusades" refers to the campaigns in the Holy Land against Muslim forces sponsored by the [[Papacy]], of which there were four. There were other crusades in the Holy Land lead by private royal armies, as well as crusades against Islamic forces in southern [[Spain]], southern [[Italy]], and [[Sicily]].  Furthermore, the campaigns of [[Teutonic knight]]s against [[pagan]] strongholds in [[Eastern Europe]] are also sometimes called crusades.  Lastly, military action within Christendom lead against heretical and schismatic groups is also sometimes called a crusade.  The four papal-sponsored crusades aimed at securing the Holy Land occured between A. D. 1097 and 1204.

Of the four papal-sponsored crusades in the Holy Land, only the first and (to a lesser extent) third crusades were successful in terms of their military goals.  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. The fourth crusade resulted in a very damaged relationship between [[Orthodox Church|Greek]] and [[Roman Catholic|Latin]] Christendom.  [[Islam]]ic expansion into Europe would renew and remain a threat for centuries, with courageous crusading orders establishing strongholds on Mediterranean islands that often, against all odds, managed to prevent Christendom from suffering from Islamic conquest.  On the other hand, the crusades in southern [[Spain]], southern [[Italy]], and [[Sicily]] were militarily successful, eventually leading to the demise of Islamic power in the regions – powers which had established themselves since the first Islamic [[Jihad]]-conquests of the eighth and ninth centuries.  The Teutonic knights expanded Christian domains in Eastern Europe, and the much less frequent crusades within Christendom, such as the [[Albigensian Crusade]], achieved their goal of maintaining doctrinal unity.<ref>For such an analysis, see Brian Tierney and Sidney Painter, ''Western Europe in the Middle Ages 300–1475''. 6th ed. (McGraw-Hill 1998)</ref>

Of the four papal-sponsored crusades in the Holy Land, only the first and (to a lesser extent) third crusades were successful in terms of their military goals.  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. The fourth crusade resulted in a very damaged relationship between [[Orthodox Church|Greek]] and [[Roman Catholic|Latin]] Christendom.  [[Islam]]ic expansion into Europe would renew and remain a threat for centuries, with courageous crusading orders establishing strongholds on Mediterranean islands that often, against all odds, managed to prevent Christendom from suffering from Islamic conquest.  On the other hand, the crusades in southern [[Spain]] were militarily successful, eventually leading to the demise of Islamic power in the region in 1492 A.D. – a power which had existed there since the first Islamic [[Jihad]]-conquests of the eighth and ninth centuries.  The Teutonic knights expanded Christian domains in Eastern Europe, and the much less frequent crusades within Christendom, such as the [[Albigensian Crusade]], achieved their goal of maintaining doctrinal unity.<ref>For such an analysis, see Brian Tierney and Sidney Painter, ''Western Europe in the Middle Ages 300–1475''. 6th ed. (McGraw-Hill 1998)</ref>

== Holy Land Crusades ==

== Holy Land Crusades ==

The Holy Land had been part of the [[Roman Empire]], and thus the [[Byzantine Empire]], until the Islamic conquests of the seventh and eighth centuries that forced the Byzantines out and saw the area gradually turn Islamic. Calm returned and Christians had generally been permitted to visit the sacred places in the Holy Land until 1071, when the [[Seljuk Turks]] assailed the Byzantines, defeating them at the [[Battle of Manzikert]], and conquered Jerusalem from the Egyptian Fatimids the same year.  They were not friendly to Christian pilgrims as the Fatimids had been, and soon pilgrims came under threat of robbery or even death as they were no longer welcome.  The Byzantine Emperor [[Alexius I]] asked for aid from the west both to the Popes and the Christian monarchs.  Nothing meaningful happened.  Alexius may have been hoping for money from the pope for the hiring of mercenaries. Instead, Urban II called upon the knights of Christendom to fight for the defense of the Christian East and the protection of pilgrims in a speech made at the [[Council of Clermont]] on November 27, 1095.  Urban demanded that all internal feuds within Christendom end, threatening [[excommunication]] for anyone who continued to bicker internally, and promising [[absolution]] and assurance of [[salvation]] to anyone who died in the crusade.  In a sense this matched the claims that Islam made in regard to Jihad since the inception of that religion.

The Holy Land had been part of the [[Roman Empire]], and thus the [[Byzantine Empire]], until the Islamic conquests of the seventh and eighth centuries that forced the Byzantines out and saw the area gradually turn Islamic. Calm returned and Christians had generally been permitted to visit the sacred places in the Holy Land until 1071, when the [[Seljuk Turks]] assailed the Byzantines, defeating them at the [[Battle of Manzikert]], and conquered Jerusalem from the Egyptian Fatimids the same year.  They were not friendly to Christian pilgrims, in contrast to how the Fatimids had been, and soon pilgrims came under threat of robbery or even death as they were no longer welcome.  The Byzantine Emperor [[Alexius I]] asked for aid from the west both to the Popes and the Christian monarchs.  Nothing meaningful happened.  Alexius may have been hoping for money from the pope for the hiring of mercenaries. Instead, Urban II called upon the knights of Christendom to fight for the defense of the Christian East and the protection of pilgrims in a speech made at the [[Council of Clermont]] on November 27, 1095.  Urban demanded that all internal feuds within Christendom end, threatening [[excommunication]] for anyone who continued to bicker internally, and promising [[absolution]] and assurance of [[salvation]] to anyone who died in the crusade.  In a sense this matched the claims that Islam made in regard to Jihad since the inception of that religion.

This time Europe listened.  Those who were there erupted in spontaneous cries of "God wills it!" - which would become the watchword of what we now know as the Crusades.

This time Europe listened.  Those who were there erupted in spontaneous cries of "Deus le vult!" ("God wills it!") - which would become the watchword of what we now know as the Crusades.

    

    

Nothing like this had previously been done, and the Pope himself had no military power so to speak and had to count on those who were in positions of power to supply it.  While the monarchs of Europe did not get directly involved, it was a series of prominent nobles who answered the call, among the most famous being:  Norman Duke Bohemund of Taranto, his nephew Tancred, Count Raymond of Toulouse, Duke Godfrey de Bouillon of Lorraine, Duke Hugh of Vermandois (brother of the King of France), Duke Robert of Normandy, and Count Robert of Flanders.  The spiritual leader who would accompany meet and accompany them was French Bishop Adhemar du Puy, who was appointed Papal legate.  All that was known at the start was that the forces to participate would meet together in [[Constantinople]].  Alexius had no idea what was being unleashed.

Nothing like this had previously been done, and the Pope himself had no military power so to speak and had to count on those who were in positions of power to supply it.  While the monarchs of Europe did not get directly involved, it was a series of prominent nobles who answered the call, among the most famous being:  the Norman Bohemund of Taranto, former claimant to the Duchy of Apulia, his nephew Tancred, Count Raymond of Toulouse, Duke Godfrey de Bouillon of Lorraine, Duke Hugh of Vermandois (brother of the King of France), Duke Robert of Normandy, and Count Robert of Flanders.  The spiritual leader who would accompany meet and accompany them was French Bishop Adhemar du Puy, who was appointed Papal legate.  All that was known at the start was that the forces to participate would meet together in [[Constantinople]].  Alexius had no idea what was being unleashed.

Others took matters into their own hands. The peasantry, 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, but to which they paid no heed.

Others took matters into their own hands. The peasantry, 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, but to which they paid no heed.

A smaller group of peasants led by Gottschalk took out their fervor on a more local target, Jews along their path.  Their actions were condemned by the Church and the local populace.<ref>The Age of Faith, Will Durant, 1950, Pg. 589</ref><ref name="RS">Riley-Smith, Jonathan.  ''The Crusades: a History.'' 2005: Yale University Press.  ISBN: 0300101287</ref>  A much larger threat against Jews took the form of a larger mob led by Count Emico of Leiningen, who was more organized and more brutal.  Already a man with a sullied reputation, he ignored the pleas of the Bishops in town after town to desist.  Apart from being hidden by the local populace when they heard Emico was coming, there was little the Jews could do.  Previously in Europe, local difficulties against Jewish communities would rise from time to time in various places, but would be isolated to that local area.  This started a phase not previously seen, a systematic effort to weed out and attack Jewish communities.

A smaller group of peasants led by Gottschalk took out their fervor on a more local target, the Jewish communities of Lotharingia.  Their actions were condemned by the Church and the local populace.<ref>The Age of Faith, Will Durant, 1950, Pg. 589</ref><ref name="RS">Riley-Smith, Jonathan.  ''The Crusades: a History.'' 2005: Yale University Press.  ISBN: 0300101287</ref>  A much larger threat against Jews took the form of a larger mob led by Count Emico of Leiningen, who was more organized and more brutal.  Already a man with a sullied reputation, he ignored the pleas of the Bishops in town after town to desist.  Apart from being hidden by the local populace when they heard Emico was coming, there was little the Jews could do.  Previously in Europe, local difficulties against Jewish communities would rise from time to time in various places, but would be isolated to that local area.  This started a phase not previously seen, a systematic effort to weed out and attack Jewish communities.

== The First Crusade ==

== The First Crusade ==

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.

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 Crusaders continued to the southeast in parallel columns, without any one commander in charge.  After fighting the inconclusive [[Battle of Dorylaeum]], they continued onward and took [[Edessa]] and then besieged [[Antioch]].  The city was surrounded for 8 months from October 21, 1097 to June 3, 1098.  Two relieving armies were driven off in the [[Battles of Harenc]] in December and February.  Due to poor arrangements for supplies, the Crusading army was actually close to starvation, but was saved by the fortuitous arrival of English and Pisan flotillas which seized two nearby ports and brought provisions.  Bickering among the Crusader leaders, especially [[Bohemund]] and [[Raymond]] was rampant.  The initiative of Bohemund led to the capture of Antioch just 2 days before a relieving army of 75,000 strong under Emir [[Kerboga]] would arrive.

The Crusaders continued to the southeast in parallel columns, without any one commander in charge.  After fighting the inconclusive [[Battle of Dorylaeum]], the army split in half. Tancred and Baldwin, brother of Godfrey of Lorraine and future King of Jerusalem, went east took the Armenian fortress-city of [[Edessa]] - an action that destroyed the support of many local Armenian Christians for the Crusade, and weakened it's internal bonds, as Balwin and Tancred's men clashed over posession of the city, with Baldwin emerging triumphant. The main boy of the army continued onward and besieged [[Antioch]].  The city was surrounded for 8 months from October 21, 1097 to June 3, 1098.  Two relieving armies were driven off in the [[Battles of Harenc]] in December and February.  Due to poor arrangements for supplies, the Crusading army was actually close to starvation, but was saved by the fortuitous arrival of English and Pisan flotillas which seized two nearby ports and brought provisions.  Bickering among the Crusader leaders, especially [[Bohemund]] and [[Raymond]] was rampant.  The initiative of Bohemund led to the capture of Antioch just 2 days before a relieving army of 75,000 strong under the atabeg of Mosul, [[Kerboga]] would arrived, delayed itself after a fruitless three-week long attempt to dislodge Baldwin from Edessa.

Now it was the Crusaders turn to be trapped inside the city as Kerboga sieged Antioch from June 5, to June 28, 1098.  The Crusaders were cut off from supplies and again near starvation.  A Byzantine army was coming to take the city as agreed, but hearing that the Crusaders were doomed, turned back to Constantinople.  It was then the 'Holy Lance' was discovered; the weapon said to have pierced Jesus' side.  While few historians or theologians believe this miraculous discovery was valid, it energized the Crusader army at just the time they needed it.  The [[Battle of the Orontes]] was fought on June 28 where 15,000 Crusaders left Antioch to battle and drove off the entire Moslem army and broke the siege.

Now it was the Crusaders turn to be trapped inside the city as Kerboga sieged Antioch from June 5, to June 28, 1098.  The Crusaders were cut off from supplies and again near starvation.  A Byzantine army was coming to take the city as agreed, but hearing that the Crusaders were doomed, turned back to Constantinople.  It was then the 'Holy Lance' was discovered; the weapon said to have pierced Jesus' side.  While few historians or theologians believe this miraculous discovery was valid, it energized the Crusader army at just the time they needed it.  The [[Battle of the Orontes]] was fought on June 28 where 15,000 Crusaders left Antioch to battle and drove off the entire Moslem army and broke the siege, helped in part by the decision of several of the local emirs serving under Kerbogha to abandon him during the battle, fearing that he coveted their territory.

Due to internal bickering, many of the Crusaders did not continue on to [[Jerusalem]].  The force that arrived in June 1099 was only about 12,000 strong, far fewer than the army of defenders.  They sieged the city from June 9 to July 18.  Realizing they didn't have enough men to keep out supplies and starve the defenders, they boldly attacked.  Overrunning the city, many of the inhabitants were massacred, including other Christians.  A relieving force of 50,000 strong arrived in August to fight the Crusaders, but were routed at the [[Battle of Ascalon]].  The military aspects of the First Crusade had ended.

Due to internal bickering, many of the Crusaders did not continue on to [[Jerusalem]].  The force that arrived in June 1099 was only about 12,000 strong, far fewer than the army of defenders.  They sieged the city from June 9 to July 18.  Realizing they didn't have enough men to keep out supplies and starve the defenders, they boldly attacked.  Overrunning the city, many of the inhabitants were massacred, including other Christians.  A relieving force of 50,000 strong arrived in August to fight the Crusaders, but were routed at the [[Battle of Ascalon]].  The military aspects of the First Crusade had ended.

Four feudal kingdoms were established, which would remain for nearly 100 years.  Crusading orders, consisting of [[paladin]]s, were also set up.

Four feudal kingdoms were established, which would remain for nearly 100 years.  Several Military Orders, consisting of [[paladin]]s, were also set up within the next few years, focussing mainly around the protection of the welfare of pilgrims and the defense of Christendom within the framework of an orgainsation that was both spiritual and martial in nature. The best known of these orders were the Knights of the Temple, or [[Templars]], and the Knights of the Hostpital of St. John, or [[Hospitallers]]. The Hospitallers still exist today in the form of the Order of Malta and St. John's Ambulance.  

== The Second Crusade ==

== The Second Crusade ==