Why did people go on the First Crusade?

ROBERT OF FLANDERS- Family had a history of pilgrimages

GODFREY OF BOUILLON- very religious

RAYMOND OF TOULOUSE- wanted remission for his sins

ADHEMAR - first bishop to sign up he represented Urban II

People wanted to rpove their devotion to the Christian faith and have sins reconcilled.

Knights killed people but this was a sin in the Christian faith so they were in a dilemma. However the papacy claimed it was 'just war' to kill muslim enimies and non-christians as it would cleanse their souls. They were named 'Milites Christi'- the knights of Christ.

Gregory VII created this and as a result TANCRED went on the first crusde- sanctified violence.

Urban II targetted powerful Lords as they would take servants and knights with them. Knights may have made a pact to protect their Lords and so had to participate.

Although the crusade was voluntary people would have elt pressured to take part.

RAYMOND OF TOULOUSE took many knights with him as did ROBERT OF FLANDERS and STEPHEN OF BLOIS. FULK I OF ANJOU sisnt go but put pressure on his knights to participate.

There was a eries of droughts which would have enouraged peasents to go perhaps ad the East was known as the rich land of 'milk and honey' and a paradise.

Young knights sons may have gone as it was the oldest son who inherited all land and money and so they would have had to get their own land.

HOWEVER- there is not alot of evidence suggestion this was a main contributor and the crusade itself was estimated at 5 times the annual income of a knight (Jonathon Riley Smith) and so you would have to raise funds to participate in the first place.

BOHEMOND- Was looking for land and wealth