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Definition:
The term crusades can be used to refer to any military operations launched during the
middle ages by the Catholic Church and Catholic political leaders against non-Catholic
powers or heretical movements. Most crusades, however, were directed at Muslim states in
the Middle East, with the first starting in 1096 and the last in 1270. The term itself
is derived from the Latin cruciata, which means "cross-marked," i.e. cruce
signati, those who wear the insignia of scarlet crosses.
The first true crusade was launched by pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095 when he gave a dramatic speech urging good Christians to swarm towards Jerusalem and once again make it safe for Christian pilgrims by taking it away from the evil Muslims. At this time, the Seljuk Turk forces had overrun most of the Near East and defeated Byzantine armies, finally coming to a halt outside the gates of Constantinople, the capital of Eastern Christianity.
This first crusade also happened to be the most successful of them all. The army of the First Crusade left in 1096 and captured Jerusalem in 1099. Both along the route and in Jerusalem, the slaughter of Jews and Muslims was horrifying. Cities were devastated, women were raped, and both adults and children were killed without mercy. The captured lands were divided into new principalities.
Although there were a number of distinct campaigns launched, it can be said that a "crusading spirit" swept across much of Europe. Joining a Crusade was not simply a matter of participating in military conquest, but it was a form of religious devotion, particularly among those seeking forgiveness for their sins. Church authorities used the Crusades as part of the penance which people had to do in order to repay spiritual wrongdoing.
Another factor was the proliferation of younger sons. Traditionally in European noble families, the eldest son would inherit all of the lands - thus, younger sons would get absolutely nothing. Their growing numbers posed a threat to social stability because these young men had nothing to lose and everything to gain - but redirecting their enthusiasm towards foreign lands proved to be a good means for releasing that energy. Not only were many killed and did many expend their energy, but they were able to capture new lands which could be colonized and controlled.
Some people claimed to experience visions of God, ordering them to lead a Crusade to the Holy Land. These usually ended in failure because the visionary was typically a person without any political or military experience. One sad example of this was the Children's Crusade of 1212 which was lead by a shepherd boy named Thomas. This boy claimed that God had told him that children would take Jerusalem from the Muslims because they would have special protection from harm - most, however, died during the grueling trek or were captured by Mediterranean pirates and sold into slavery.
The Second Crusade was launched in response to the capture of Edessa by Muslim forces in 1144, but the massive army under the leadership of the French king and German emperor was readily defeated. The Third Crusade was later launched as a result of the Muslim recapture of Jerusalem in 1187, but that too was unsuccessful. The Fourth Crusade was instigated by Venetian leaders who saw it as a means to increase their own power and influence, diverting the crusading army from the Muslim foes to their allies in Constantinople. The great city was mercilessly sacked in 1204, leading to even more enmity between Eastern and Western Christians.
The Fifth Crusade was, again, a failure - but the Sixth Crusade achieved some small measure of success. Both the Seventh and Eighth Crusades were, once again, complete failures - and after 1270 there were no more crusades into the Muslim held territories in the Middle East.
The results of the Crusades are almost too numerous to list. The Christian stance on military service changed radically, the veneration of relics increased radically, and the power of the papacy increased even more dramatically. Of wider importance was the increased demand for trade goods - Europeans developed a tremendous appetite for cloth, spices, jewels and more from the Muslims and lands even further east, spurring an increased interest in exploration.
The extensive contact with Muslims also lead to a less materialistic trade in ideas: philosophy, science, mathematics, education, and medicine. Much of this was originally of European origin, ideas which the Muslims had preserved from the Greeks. Some of it was also later developments of the Muslims themselves. Together, all of this lead to faster social developments in Europe, even allowing them to surpass the Muslim countries.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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