The history of mankind is, unfortunately, not always a world of discoveries and achievements, but often a chain of myriad wars. These include the Crusades, committed from the XI to XIII century. To understand the reasons and reasons, as well as to trace the chronology, this article will help you. It is accompanied by a table compiled on the theme of the Crusades, containing the most important dates, names and events.
Definition of the concepts of “crusade” and “crusader”
The crusade is an armed offensive of the Christian army in the Muslim East, which lasted a total of about 200 years (1096-1270) and was expressed in no less than eight organized actions by troops from Western European countries. In a later period, this was the name of any military campaign with the aim of converting to Christianity and expanding the influence of the medieval Catholic Church.
The crusader is a participant in such a campaign. On the right shoulder was a patch in the form of a Catholic cross. The same image was applied to the helmet and flags.
Reasons, reasons, purpose of hiking
Military actions were organized by the Catholic Church. The formal reason was the fight against Muslims in order to free the Holy Sepulcher located in the Holy Land (Palestine). In the modern sense, this territory includes such states as Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Gaza Strip, Jordan and several others.
No one doubted the success. At that time, it was believed that everyone who would become a crusader would receive the remission of all sins. Therefore, joining these ranks was popular with both knights and urban residents, peasants. The latter, in exchange for participating in the crusade, received liberation from serfdom. In addition, for the European kings, the crusade was an opportunity to get rid of powerful feudal lords, whose power grew as their possessions increased. Wealthy merchants and townspeople saw economic opportunities in military conquests. And the highest clergy, led by the popes, considered the Crusades as a way to strengthen the power of the church.
The beginning and end of the crusader era
The 1st Crusade began on August 15, 1096, when an unorganized 50,000-strong crowd of peasants and urban poor went on a campaign without supplies and preparations. They mainly engaged in looting (since they considered themselves to be warriors of God, to whom everything in this world belongs) and attacked the Jews (who were considered descendants of the murderers of Christ). But during the year this army was destroyed by the Hungarians who met along the way, and then the Turks. Following the crowd of the poor, well-trained knights set off on a crusade. By 1099, they reached Jerusalem, capturing the city and killing a large number of inhabitants. With these events and the formation of a territory called the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the active period of the first campaign was completed. Further conquests (until 1101) were aimed at strengthening the conquered borders.
The last crusade (eighth) began on June 18, 1270 with the landing of the army of the French ruler Louis IX in Tunisia. However, this performance ended unsuccessfully: even before the start of the battle, the king died of a pestilence, which forced the crusaders to return home. During this period, the influence of Christianity in Palestine was minimal, and Muslims, on the contrary, strengthened their positions. As a result, they seized the city of Acre, which put an end to the era of the Crusades.
1st to 4th Crusades (table)
| Years of the Crusades | Leaders and / or major events | Summary |
1 crusade | 1096-1101 | Duke Gottfried of Bouillon, Duke Robert of Normandy, etc. The capture of the cities of Nicaea, Edessa, Jerusalem, etc. | Proclamation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem |
2nd crusade | 1147-1148 | King of France Louis VII, King of Germany Conrad III | The defeat of the crusaders, the surrender of Jerusalem to the army of the Egyptian ruler Salah ad-Din |
3rd crusade | 1189-1192 | King of Germany and Emperor of the Roman Empire Frederick I Barbarossa, French King Philip II and English King Richard I the Lionheart The capture of the port city of Acre on June 11, 1191 | Conclusion by Richard I of an agreement with Salah ad-Din (disadvantageous for Christians) |
4th Crusade | 1202-1204 | The capture and plunder of the Byzantine city of Constantinople on April 13, 1204 | Separation of Byzantine lands |
5-8th Crusades (table)
| Years of the Crusades | Leaders and main events | Summary |
5th Crusade | 1217-1221 | Duke of Austria Leopold VI, King of Hungary Andras II and others. Trekking to Palestine and Egypt. | The failure of the offensive in Egypt and the negotiations on Jerusalem due to a lack of unity in leadership |
6th Crusade | 1228-1229 | German King and Emperor of the Roman Empire Frederick II Staufen March 18, 1229 Jerusalem taken | The capture of Jerusalem by agreement with the Egyptian Sultan In 1244, the city again passed into the hands of Muslims |
7th Crusade | 1248-1254 | French King Louis IX Saint Campaign in Egypt | The defeat of the crusaders, the capture of the king, followed by ransom and return home |
8th Crusade | 1270 | Louis IX Saint June 18, 1270 - landing in Tunisia. | Folding Campaign Due to Pestilence and King's Death |
Summary
How successful were the numerous crusades, the table demonstrates. There is no unequivocal opinion among historians how these events affected the life of Western European peoples.
Some experts believe that the Crusades paved the way for the East, establishing new economic and cultural ties. Others say that this could be done even more successfully by peaceful means. Moreover, the last crusade ended with a frank defeat.
One way or another, in Western Europe itself there have been significant changes: increased influence of the popes, as well as the power of kings; the impoverishment of the nobles and the exaltation of urban communities; the emergence of a class of free farmers from former serfs, who received freedom through participation in the Crusades.