Why was the First Crusade a success?
- Created by: gemmahill28
- Created on: 19-01-16 11:18
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- Why was the First Crusade a success?
- Muslim Disunity
- death of Malik Shah and his chief advisor
- Nov 1092
- Seljuk Empire fell into chaos
- wars over who was the rightful heir to the empire
- disputes amongst the family over who should control the different areas of the empire
- Sultanate of Rum
- Syria
- Palestine
- local warlords built power bases in the areas subject to dispute
- Ridwan and Duqaq's civil war
- both responded to Yahgi Siyan's request for men
- sent separate uncoordinated armies
- weak army, easily broken up
- Fakhr al-Mulk Radwan of Aleppo
- Abu Nasr Shams al-Muluk Duqaq of Damascus
- Kilji Arslan assumed the crusaders posed no threat
- due to failure of the first wave (Peoples Crusade)
- semi-independent Muslim rulers
- allowed crusaders to pass through
- dissuaded to fight the crusaders due to their known cannibalism at Ma'arat
- traded food and supplies for the cash given to the crusaders by Alexios
- allowed crusaders to pass through
- Kerbogha's army at Antioch
- made up of men from many different groups of Muslims
- very uncontrollable
- different groups were controlled by people who didn't trust Kerbogha
- most group leaders didn't want Kerbogha to have more power than he did already
- unreliable and would be quick to abandon Kerbogha
- a traitor inside the walls of Antioch helped the crusaders gain access
- made up of men from many different groups of Muslims
- Jerusalem
- power struggles amongst Muslims over who should control Jerusalem
- controlled by Fatimid Egyptians
- lead by al-Afdal Shahanshah
- Jerusalem had just been the site of a Muslim civil war
- under Muslim control since 639
- death of Malik Shah and his chief advisor
- Byzantine Support
- Alexios gave crusades invaluable intelligence
- informed crusaders on the likely military formations o the Seljuks
- told crusaders how to ambush the Seljuks
- Alexios rewarded his allies with cash after the capture of Nicaea
- gave the crusaders guides and supplies until Antioch
- provided men to aid the defeat of Kilji Arslan at Nicaea
- transported crusaders across the Bosphorus
- Tacticus accompanied the crusade as Alexio's representative
- Alexios gave crusades invaluable intelligence
- Leadership and Tactics
- Bohemond made contact with an Armenian tower commander
- Firuz was prepared to betray the city to the Christians
- Siege of Antioch
- Needed strategic planning
- Oct 1097
- seized satellite settlements for logistical supply
- crusader armies positioned in front of the city's 5 gates
- Godfrey dismantled a siege tower and moved east to threaten a new section of the wall
- Defeating Kerbogha
- rapid deployment of crusaders
- archers advanced first to break down the Seljuk line
- closely ordered battle groups
- Jerusalem
- food had been brought from Rama
- rapidly reached Jerusalem from Antioch
- prevented al-Afdal from forming an army against the crusaders
- crusaders sent foraging parties into Samaria to obtain wood and other materials
- built siege towers around the walls of Jerusalem
- Genoese ships arrived in support of the crusaders
- Bohemond made contact with an Armenian tower commander
- Religious Fervour
- at Dorylaeum the crusaders shouted 'stand fast together, trusting in Christ and the Holy Cross'
- religious sigificance
- Antioch was known as 'the cradle of Christianity'
- Jerusalem
- city built around the Holy Sepulchre
- Holy Sepulchre was the site at which Jesus rose from his tomb after his crucifixion
- stormed Antioch screaming 'God wills it!'
- discovery of the Holy Lance
- indication of God's renewed support
- spurred crusaders to confront Kerbogha
- June 1098
- Peter Bartholomew had visions of the lance then later uncovered it in the Cathedral of St. Peter
- Adhemar of Le Puy
- Papal Legate
- carried out purgative rituals to combat sinners
- well respected
- would have become ruler of Jerusalem
- Muslim Disunity
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