Causes of the First Crusade
- Created by: holly231
- Created on: 02-09-18 18:55
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- Causes of the first crusade
- Christian disunity
- In 1054, there was the Great Schism. This was a divide between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches
- The Byzantine Empire was Greek Orthodox
- The Germans and the Normans were Roman Catholic, as was their pope
- Papal threats
- The Papacy had been in disagreement with the German Emperor since Pope Gregory VII over who had the authority to appoint bishops
- In the Investiture Contest, there was a pope in Rome and Pope Urban II in Clermont
- The Papacy had been in disagreement with the German Emperor since Pope Gregory VII over who had the authority to appoint bishops
- Fighting in Europe
- The knights of Europe were violent and would fight often
- There was a system where dominance was established from battles in war
- The Church sought to reform this fighting and bring about piety to Europe
- The church reform movement
- The knights of Europe were violent and would fight often
- Economic benefits
- Many found land and wealth in the Outremer and the crusader states
- However it is unlikely that this was the main reason for the first crusade
- Many crusaders were the first born sons or even had land themselves
- It cost a lot of money to go on the crusades, which took time and were a significant threat
- There were many better ways than this to get money
- Most crusaders sold all their worldly goods to go on the crusade, leaving them worse off than before
- However it is unlikely that this was the main reason for the first crusade
- There was a system of primogeniture in place so only the first born son would inherit land
- However it is unlikely that this was the main reason for the first crusade
- Many crusaders were the first born sons or even had land themselves
- It cost a lot of money to go on the crusades, which took time and were a significant threat
- There were many better ways than this to get money
- Most crusaders sold all their worldly goods to go on the crusade, leaving them worse off than before
- However it is unlikely that this was the main reason for the first crusade
- Many found land and wealth in the Outremer and the crusader states
- Significance of Jerusalem
- Jerusalem was a site of pilgrimage for Christians
- Catholics believed that worshiping at significant places or in front of relics would get them closer to God and heaven
- People were terribly afraid of going to hell
- The church was the authority over people's lives and pushed this opinion
- Jesus was said to have been crucified in Jerusalem
- Jerusalem was one of 5 patriarchs, along with Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome
- It was also the holy city for Jews as the sight of the former kingdom of Solomon
- Muslims also saw Jerusalem as of great significance
- Jerusalem was somewhat between the Islamic and Christian worlds
- However, Jerusalem had been in Muslim hands for over 400 years. What had changed now to make this an issue?
- This was not the first time a crusade had been suggested; Pope Gregory VII had suggested one, but it never began due to the divisions in Christianity and his conflict with the German Emperor
- Jerusalem was a site of pilgrimage for Christians
- The church reform movement
- Religion
- People were terrified of the devil
- Before the Prince's Crusade, there was a Peasant Crusade of poor people who had been inspired to take up the cross. It failed, but nonetheless showed piety was a significant factor in the first crusade
- Many crusaders walked the final mile to Jerusalem without any worldly goods, as though on a religious pilgrimage
- In his speech at Clermont, Pope Urban II had called people to sign somewhat of a religious oath, in making them 'take up the cloth'. His words spread quickly amongst the Franks
- Muslim Threat
- Leading up to the First Crusade, the Muslim threat had been increasing significantly
- Constantinople was now the final city before the Muslim world
- This was a threat to Emperor Alexios, who then called for help
- The Byzantine Empire had been diminishing and it was now under great threat from the Persians, Normans, and Turks
- This was a threat to Emperor Alexios, who then called for help
- Christian disunity
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