Effects of the Crusades

Effects of the Crusades

The Effects of the Crusades

 

The Crusades were a series of wars between Christians and Muslims during the Middle Ages.  In 1095 A.D., Pope Urban II, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, called on all Christians in Europe to unite and fight a holy Crusade or war against the Muslim rulers of Palestine.  The Pope wanted to free Palestine from Muslim control.  Western European Christians sought to gain control of Palestine, the land where Jesus lived, died, and according to Christians, was resurrected. While Christian Crusaders never achieved more than temporary control of Jerusalem, the Crusades had many lasting effects on Western European societies.  These effects profoundly changed the lives of Western Europeans

Pope Urban’s Speech

"…Your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of Romania [the Byzantine Empire]. . . . They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that . . . race from the lands of our friends…All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the [Muslims}, shall have immediate remission of sins."

Multiple Choice

Based on the text and on the image, how powerfull would you say the Pope was.

• Like Thanos... he could alone snap his fingers and erase all Turks and Arabs.

• Less powerfull than kings and the nobility. He did not ask these to join the fight.

• More powerful than kings and nobility. He asked these to join the fight.

• He had power, but not good arguments to convince his listeners.

Open Ended

What arguments does the Pope Urban II use to persuade his listeners?

Open Ended

Who ultimately won the Crusades?

One of the many effects of the Crusades was that the pope and the kings of Western Europe became more powerful. In addition, Europeans began to trade with the Middle East. Trade increased as Western Europeans began to buy products like sugar, lemons, and spices. Naturally, increased trade led to increased cultural diffusion. Crusaders and traders learned about Arab art, architecture, medicine, and mathematics. Since the Arabs were very advanced in science and mathematics, Western European knowledge increased. Finally, after traveling to the Middle East, may Western Europeans began to see their small villages as uninteresting and even boring. Many Western Europeans began to seek adventure. Exploration increased.

Open Ended

Some historians refer to the Crusades as the most successful failure in Western European history. Why were the Crusades failures and yet successes?