Motivations for Crusade

The need for the concept of "just war"

Problem: How to justify breaking the Ten Commandments since doing so would result in eternity in hell

Solution: with help of Matilda of Tuscany, the development of idea of penitential warfare

1 multiple choice option

What made the crusades "just"

1. Good reason - Christians had right to reclaim Holy Land since home to Jesus + once part of Roman Empire

2. Good intention - crusaders would be like pilgrims travelling for love of Christ

3. An official leader - proclaimed by the pope, God's representative on earth

The impact of the papal reform movement

1. Pope Gregory VII wanted to reform the Catholic Church and encourage the idea of copying life of Christ

2. Encouraged by a movement started at Abbey of Cluny - greater focus on sins and need for penance

3. Rise in popularity of going on pilgrimages to visit holy relics for remission of sins

The guarantees of plenary indulgence

1. Urban in 1096 offered remission (forgiveness) of sins by going on crusade - extreme pilgrimage for knights who killed lots

2. Eugenius III in 1145 offered plenary indulgences - cancellation of all the punishment due for sins committed during a person's life - no purgatory

The importance of Jerusalem

1. Location of key biblical events - Calvary (where Jesus was crucified) + Holy Sepulchre (where Jesus was resurrected)

2. Pilgrimage destination since early 4th century - 7,000 Germans visited in 1060s

Jerusalem's situation before the First Crusade

1. Nothing significant had changed since 638 when Muslims took control of the city.

2. Seljuk invasion of Muslim world = destabilised region, making it harder for pilgrims to visit sites

3. Egyptian Fatimids had taken Jerusalem from Seljuks not long before arrival of First Crusade

The role of Jerusalem in causing the crusades

First Crusade: Urban II said Muslims were polluting Jerusalem with their presence + ultimate destination for crusading pilgrims.

Second Crusade: Bernard of Clairvaux said loss of Edessa was threat to Jerusalem

Third Crusade: Loss of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187 shocked a pope so much he died

The role of popes

1. Issuing threats to keep crusaders committed - Paschal II threatened to excommunicate anyone who quit First Crusade

2. Writing letters - Quantum Praedecessores by Eugenius III in 1145 + Audita Tremendi by Gregory VIII in 1187

3. Developing propaganda - Urban II's encouragement of 'taking the cross' at public ceremonies + Alexander III's letter to be read in churches across Europe

4. Raising funds - mentioned in papal letters + Clement III asked for funds to pay for Third Crusade

Methods used by preachers to recruit crusaders

1. Organised public gatherings where men took the cross, called an invitatio

2. Chose meaningful days such as saint's days

3. Gathered in outdoor spaces with big images of Muslims attacking Jerusalem

4. Maximised the quality of audience, for example having kings present (Louis VII at Vezelay in 1146)

5. Created a pious mood by encouraging fasting

6. Encouraged miracles (Bernard of Clairvaux cured cripples)

Reasons why Alexios I asked for help

1. Byzantine Empire surrounded by Seljuk Turks (including Nicaea in 1078 + Antioch in 1084 + whole of Asia Minor by 1090)

2. Alexios failed to resolve crisis through diplomacy: Muslim pirate attacks in 1094 + aggression of Kilij Arslan from 1092)

3. He wanted soldiers to take back control of his lost lands, NOT to recapture Jerusalem.

4. Sent envoys to church council at Piacenza in 1095.

The challenge posed to Urban by German King Henry IV

1. Lack of support from German King Henry IV - had fallen out with previous Pope Gregory VII as part of Investiture Contest - backed Antipope Clement III

2. By 1095: Urban had taken back control of Italian cities from Clement

3. By 1094: Henry submitted to him + allowed Henry IV's wife Praxedis to divorce him

The challenge posed to Urban by French King Philip I

1. Philip had committed adultery by abandoning his queen and marrying someone else's wife.

2. Urban excommunicated Philip at Council of Clermont when First Crusade called

Reasons why Urban wanted to strengthen his position

1. Wanted to increase his secular power by giving himself authority over kings

2. Many western bishops paid little attention to the pope while Eastern Orthodox Church didn't recognise him at all.

Reasons for growing violence and disorder in France

1. No purpose for highly trained warrior class who instead fought each other.

2. French society/politics highly fragmented meaning constant wars between counts/nobles.

3. Resulted in Peace of God and Truce of God movements to harness/control/limit this violence.

The defence of the crusader states

1. Loss at Battle of Field of Blood in 1119 triggered Venetian expedition in 1122

2. Loss of Edessa in 1144 to Zengi triggered Eugenius' appeal in 1146

3. Loss at Battle of Hattin + relic of True Cross triggered Gregory VIII's letter

HOWEVER 7 papal requests were ignored between 1157-1184

Reasons for the power of knights

1. Technology- horses, high saddle = secure position to fight from

2. Equipment: swords + lance cavalry charge + heavily armoured

4. Experience of fighting - Bohemond of Taranto's experience fighting Byzantines

5. Weakness of enemy tactics - Seljuks not good at fighting armoured soldiers

Impact of chivalric values on crusading

1. Shift from knightly values of simply being brave/violent/conquering to chivalric values focused on loyalty to your lord, development of military skills, behaving courteously

2. Resulted in court poetry emphasising crusading as way to live according to chivalric values - symbolised by figure of Richard I in Third Crusade

Military orders + pilgrims

1. Constant threat to pilgrims trying to visit Holy Land - 300 pilgrims killed in 1120 during Muslim raids from Ascalon

2. Knights Templar founded in 1120 to protect pilgrims - recognised by pope in 1129.

3. Hospitaller movement - ran Order of St John's Hospital in Jerusalem, with beds for 2,000 pilgrims in 1185

HOWEVER never more than 500 members each

Settlement and acquisition of wealth

1. Urban described Holy Land as "land of milk and honey".

2. Mentions of booty/looting in chronicles of First Crusade.

3. Opportunity to escape dominance of wealthier relatives

First Crusade leaders motivated by land

1. Bohemond of Taranto - made himself prince of Antioch despite this being against oath he made to Alexios

2. Baldwin of Boulogne - limited inheritance opportunities in France, took control of Edessa

3. Tancred of Hauteville - nephew of Bohemond, even fewer opps

4. Raymond of Toulouse - took his third wife with him suggesting desire to stay

Evidence against land being primary motive

1. Seen genuinely as a pilgrimage, not a permanent move- only around 300 stayed after First Crusade

2. It cost money to crusade - those returning were poor

3. Popes/kings had to introduce specific taxes to pay for crusades (Saladin Tithe in 1188)