The Crusades

THE CRUSADES

“Deus vult” (God Wills It)

WORLD HISTORY TEKS

•(4)(F) explain how the Crusades, the Black
Death, and the Hundred Years' War
contributed to the end of medieval Europe

BELL RINGER

• Opinion: many religious people can become extreme for their cause.

Some may start forcing their children and followers to believe or do
something extreme because it can clean you from your sins. For
example, some Catholics believe in whipping yourself when you
committed a sin. Some more extreme Muslims believe in committing a
radical action to achieve peace in heaven. Do you believe these actions
are appropriate? Do you believe it is ok for a religious leader to
encourage it?

WHAT WERE THE CRUSADES?

•A “Holy War” between
European Christians and Muslim
Turks.

THE CITY IN QUESTION: JERUSALEM

• Three major religious groups were claiming Jerusalem as their Holy City based

on their religious history and significance.

• To the Christians: Jerusalem was the place where Jesus Christ was crucified and

ascended to heaven.

• To the Muslims: Jerusalem was the place where their Prophet Muhammad ascended

to heaven.

• To the Jews: Jerusalem was where their Kings David and Solomon rules and where the

great Temple had stood.

THE SPARK THAT STARTED IT ALL

• Followers of all three religions would come and go to visit Jerusalem.

The Arabs in control at the time would allow it. All was peaceful and
good.

• Then, a group of Muslims known as the Seljuk Turks (Ottomans), took

control of Jerusalem and closed the city to Jewish and Christians;
barred them from visiting.

• A new war and conflict was upon the Middle East and Europe! This

will give start to the Crusades! Holy War!

• Christians (Catholics and Eastern Orthodox) vs. Muslim Seljuk Turks

CHECKPOINT 1

•Who was responsible for provoking
the start of the Crusades after they
shut down any visitation rights to
Jerusalem?

•Muslim Seljuk Turks

IMPORTANT PRE-CRUSADES

EVENTS

• The Seljuk Turks were on a mission to conquer and take over other

lands. They set their eyes to the Byzantine Empire (the eastern part of
the former Roman Empire).

• Already, Pope Gregory VII of the Roman Catholic Church (west), was

trying to reunite with the eastern part (the Byzantines but it did not
happen).

• The Byzantine Emperor, Alexius, plead for help to the Catholics (under

Pope Urban II) against the Seljuk Turks.

CHECKPOINT 2

• Who gave the famous speech that

rallied people to go fight against the
Muslim Seljuk Turks, to retake the Holy
Land, and because, “God wills it!”

•Pope Urban II

ABOUT 9 CRUSADES

THE GOAL

•The goal of the
Christian soldiers were
to recover Jerusalem
and the entire Holy
Land!

1ST CRUSADE (1092-1095)

•No strategy, unprepared troops.
•Just go to Jerusalem and take it!
•Recruited some Peter Hermits
(untrained peasants who
wanted to fight)
• Got killed immediately

•Christians take Jerusalem.

2ND CRUSADE

(1147-1149)

•Muslim leader Saladin
takes control of
Jerusalem
•Intense fighting to
retake from both
sides.

3RD CRUSADE

•Muslim leader Saladin
takes control of
Jerusalem

•Intense fighting to
retake from both
sides.

4TH CRUSADE (1202-1204)

•Attacked Constantinople
•Stole everything from the beautiful
Byzantine Empire
•Burned libraries, destroyed Churches
•The west took it

CHILDREN’S CRUSADE 1212

• Thousands of French and German children try

to reach Jerusalem

• Believed God would help them because they

were children

• Many died of hunger and some froze to death

• When they reached the Mediterranean sea,

they expected the water to part for them (like
God did for Moses and the Hebrews) but it
didn’t happen

IN THE END

• The Christians lost and the Muslim Turks won and took over the Byzantine

Empire.

• Weakened leaders (Popes and Nobles)

• Kings became stronger

• Bitter relationship between Christians, Jews, and the Muslims

• Trade was stimulated between the Middle East and Europe

• Europeans learned from the Muslims (like science and astronomy)

• Culture mixed, customs adopted (Crossed each other)

EXIT TICKET

• The Crusades began in 1095 when the Pope called upon

Christians to recapture the “Holy Land” (Jerusalem) from
Muslim control. What was an unexpected result of the
Crusades?

A.

It ended a long period of trade between Europe and the Middle East

B.

Contact with the culture of the East brought about a decline in
European art, music, and literature

C.

The Pope was unseated from power over the Catholic Church

D.

Europeans learned of new products and ideas through their contract
with Islamic culture