Everything on Crusades

Crusades 1^st & 2^nd

Muslim Sunni Faith - 11th Century

• Largest denomination in Islam.
• Historical roots in the majority group who followed Abu Bakr, an effective leader, as Muhammad's successor.
• Believe they follow the 'sunnah' or 'custom' of the Prophet.
• 940 million.
• 90% of total Muslims.
• Located in most Muslim countries.
• Leaders’ 'imams'.
• Holy sites include Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
• Seljuk Turks were Sunni.
• Dominant apart from in Egypt.
• Leadership in Baghdad.

Muslim Shia Faith - 11th Century

• Followed Ali, the closest relative of Muhammed.
• 120 million.
• 10% of total Muslims.
• Dominant in Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt.
• Leaders 'mujahids'.
• Holy sites include Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Majaf, Karbala.

Islam Before the Crusades - Battle of Manzikert, 1

• Acts of aggression by Seljuks made the Byzantine Emperor respond: the Battle of Manzikert.
• Disastrous failure for the Byzantines.
• Seljuks took lands that included almost all of Asia Minor from the Byzantines, showed no sign of slowing towards the Byzantine capital Constantinople.
• Seljuks began to obstruct Christians on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The threat posed by the Seljuks caused Emperor Alexius to ask for help from the Pope; this resulted in the call to crusade in 1095.

A Bitter Rivalry...

Sunni:

• Dominant apart from in Egypt.
• BUT - Not just Sunni Muslims living in those territories. Often there were some Shi’as and also some Christians.

Shia:

• Controlled several areas later taken by the Crusaders such as Tyre and Acre.
• Had controlled Jerusalem until 1071 when it was taken by a Turkish general.
• Took it back in 1098 when the Turks were preoccupied with the arrival of the First Crusade.

Rivalry:

• Prepared to ally with the Crusaders against each other rather than form a united front against the Christians.

Crusader Advantage

• The situation in the East was of advantage to the Crusaders. They faced a disunited region where individual local elders could be overcome and were more concerned with fighting each other.
• Sunni leadership was distracted by troubles closer to home.
• Muslim leaders didn't recognise the Crusader army as one of conquest + consolidation - thought it was just another Byzantine raid.

Byzantium Before 1095

• Byzantium dominated the Mediterranean world in the early Middle Ages.
• Resisted rapid expansion of Islam from 630s onwards.
• Held off two determined and prolonged attempts to capture Constantinople by Muslim forces.

What was Byzantium?

• Greek-speaking Roman Empire.
• Capital - Constantinople.
• Was a continuation of the Roman Empire; Rome was capital of the West and fell to the barbarians. East survived as Byzantium.
• Greatest extent during 500s AD, although it revived in power and influence during the 10th-11th century.
• At death of Emperor Basil II in 1025 it was the premier poer of Europe + the Middle East.

But Half a Century Later...

• Byzantium lost control of Asia Minor to the Seljuk Turks (after Manzikert, 1071).
• Empire had to fight desperately to resist invasion from the Normans based in Southern Italy.

Why the Dramatic Reversal?

• Periods of misrule.
• Military breakdown.
• Nature of Turkish settlement in Asia Minor.
• Structural…