There are various, sometimes directly opposing opinions about the consequences of the Crusades. The positive and negative results of these campaigns have been the subject of analysis by historians, philosophers, writers and religious figures.
Scientific discussion
European thinkers became actively interested in the era of the Crusades in the XVIII century. Their estimates of this historical period were quite different. Some scholars, such as Choiseul Daicourt, saw exclusively positive aspects in the Crusades. They noted such results as the revival of European interest in science, the emergence of trade ties between East and West, the interpenetration of cultures.
There were those who negatively evaluated both the Crusades themselves and their consequences. This point of view was held by the philosophers Rousseau and Walter. They considered the Crusades to be pointless bloodshed and argued that the revival of science and culture in Europe was due to other reasons. Representatives of this camp also noted that the invasion of Christians caused a retaliation of the Islamic world and caused many centuries of religious intolerance.
This scientific discussion continues in our time. Nevertheless, although estimates may differ, consensus has been reached on historical facts.
The rise of shipping and trade
In Palestine and Byzantium, the crusaders discovered many goods previously unknown to the inhabitants of Western Europe. Among them are foods such as apricots, lemons, sugar, rice; fabrics - silk, velvet, chintz; luxury goods - jewelry, carpets, glassware, upholstered furniture. Europeans appreciated oriental goods and did not intend to refuse them even after they had to leave the Middle East.
There is no doubt that the effects of the Crusades on Mediterranean trade were most favorable. The first opened prospects were appreciated by Italian merchants. Genoa and Venice, having grown rich during the Crusades, and especially after the fall of Byzantium, flourished for several centuries.
The emergence of financial institutions
The effects of the Crusades on European economic institutions are extremely interesting. The need to safely move money over long distances led to the appearance of debt receipts that could be taken with you on the road instead of gold. The issuance and cashing of such checks was handled by the Order of the Knights Templar. This was the first organization in Europe to take over intermediary functions in financial transactions.
The Templars, with the permission of the Catholic Church, were engaged in the issuance of loans. If earlier usury was persecuted and therefore was a rather risky business, now the situation has changed. The Templars concentrated huge capital in their hands, which allowed them to give loans even to the monarchs of Europe. Subsequently, the reluctance of the French king to repay the debt became the reason for the liquidation of the order. But after the defeat of the Templars, the financial instruments invented by them were borrowed by Italian bankers.
Consequences of the Crusades for the Church
For the Vatican, the results of the campaigns organized by him were quite contradictory. At the initial stage, the Pope managed to consolidate the entire Christian world. The income of the Catholic Church at that time also increased significantly. The political role of the Pope also intensified.
But it is precisely these changes, according to many historians, that caused the decline of the Catholic Church. Representatives of the clergy surrounded themselves with luxury goods and increasingly intervened in political processes. This undermined the authority of the church. Ultimately, protest sentiment led to a reformation.
The subject of theological controversy was the Crusades themselves. The causes and consequences of these campaigns were evaluated differently by religious thinkers. Questions about the acceptability of trade with pagans, the borrowing of cultural and scientific knowledge from them aroused heated debate in the church community.
Military Innovation
The Crusades led to the improvement of battle tactics and certain types of weapons. Significant progress has been made in the construction of fortresses and other fortifications. In the Middle East, Europeans first met with a crossbow. An important outcome was also the awareness of the importance of supplying armies that set off on a long campaign. Although militarily the consequences of the Crusades were disastrous for Christians, the military art of Europe has advanced significantly.
Levantines
Not all participants in the crusades returned to their homeland after their completion. Some migrants from Europe remained in Lebanon, Palestine and Turkey after the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. These were mainly descendants of the crusaders and merchants from France and Italy. They preserved the Catholic faith and began to be called Levantines. In the Ottoman Empire, they received some privileges and were mainly engaged in trade, shipbuilding and crafts.
The current position of the Catholic Church
Nowadays, the Vatican is pretty cautious about the consequences of the Crusades. The positive and negative sides of the events that occurred then are no longer the subject of public religious discussion. Instead, the church prefers to speak of moral responsibility for its past actions.
In 2004, when Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was visiting the Vatican, Pope John Paul II apologized for the capture of the capital of Byzantium by the crusaders. He condemned the use of weapons against brothers in faith, noting the tragic consequences of the crusades for the church . Briefly but wisely commented on the words of the Pontiff, the Patriarch of Constantinople. "The spirit of reconciliation is stronger than hatred," said Bartholomew.