Unit 1 - The Causes and Events of the First Crusade

when did constantine move the capital city of the roman empire from rome to constantinople

330

what was the two big changes made by constantine

moved the capital of the roman empire

accepted christianity as the official religion of the entire roman empire

since when had jerusalem been ruled as a christian city

326

when did the muslims take palestine

637 - at the battle of yarmuk they wiped out the byzantine christian forces as the byzantines were too weak to launch any offensive

when did the muslim caliph accept the surrender of jerusalem in person

638

what were the christians and jews in jerusalem allowed to do after muslims take over in 638

allowed to follow their own religion so long as they paid a special tax called the jizya

what were some of the restrictions placed on jews and christians in jerusalem after muslims take over in 638

had to wear distinctive clothes

no riding horses

no trying to convert or marry muslims

what was the result of the relative tolerance shown by the christians and jews in jerusalem after the muslims took over in 638

allowed a fairly small population of muslims to rule over a larger population of christians and jews

how did jerusalem still have a largely christian culture even after the muslims took over in 638

churches and holy sites still existed

customs were maintained

pilgrims still flooded from all over the christian world despite the relics being taken to constantinople

when was a border established between muslim-held lands and the byzantine empire

soon after 638 - occasional wars which were more to do with land than religion

why did the byzantines have no strong drive to interfere in syria and palestine

churches were not being persecuted and did not ask outside for help

greek byzantine church had no equivalent teaching of jihad that might have commanded them to make war against islam

muslims did no harm and brought trade to the city

who was the ruling muslim family in the 900s

abbasids - towards second half of century they were losing hold of their power which destabilised the muslim world

effect of the downfall of the abbasids in the 900s

allowed the byzantine armies to regain a foothold in northern syria by capturing the city of antioch in 969

When did the Fatimids break free from the abbasid control and take charge of of egypt and palestine including jerusalem

969

when did fatimid ruler caliph hakim suddenly end toleration of christianity

1009

how did fatimid ruler caliph hakim suddenly end toleration of christianity in 1009

ordered destruction of the church of the holy sepulchre

pilgrimages stopped

effect of fatimid ruler caliph hakim suddenly ending toleration of christianity

anger towards muslims in europe grew but no one felt strong enough or were concerned enough to raise an army

difference between hakim and his fatimid successors

his successors did all they could to restore relations with christians

how did the fatimids after hakim do all they could to restore relations with christians

invited byzantine architects to rebuild the church of the holy sepulchre

reopened the city to christian pilgrims

when did seljuk turks emerge to take advantage of the continued weakening of the abbasid power

middle of the eleventh century

when did the seljuk turks move into the area we now call iraq

1040s

by what year had the seljuk turks forced the abbasid family to let them rule all their lands on their behalf

1059

how many and in what year were christians from germany and flanders brutally butchered in a single attack by muslim tribesmen

5000 in 1064

effect of the 1064 attack on christians

it was not typical and many pilgrims continued to make their way to and from jerusalem

when was the battle of manzikert

August 1071

what was the battle of manzikert

seljuks tried to move into the eastern byzantine empire but the emperor tried to turn them away

seljuks crushed the byzantine army

what did the seljuks and other turks do after the battle of manzikert

began moving into unprotected byzantine territory in anatolia taking rich farmlands for themselves

seljuk leader sultan alp arslan turned his armies south and took syria, palestine and egypt

what is the greater jihad

• Personal, inner struggle to be a good Muslim and to improve spiritually

what is the lesser jihad

the outward struggle to defend Islam from threat

which 3 groups had taken territory from the byzantine empire in the 11th century

normans from west

pagan tribes called the pechenegs from north

seljuk turks from east

threats to the byzantine empire

normans took over much of southern italy

aggressive pechenegs began to raid down into the balkans

turks grew in power - tribal leader turghril bey became sultan in 1055

battle of manzikert 1071 - disaster for empire

romanos IV defeated and captured by seljuk turk leader alp arslan

impact of the defeat at manzikert

many byzantines living in asia minor relocated to constantinople which strained resources

turkish raids throughout asia minor

robert guiscard, norman leader, prepared to take advantage and attack

costly campaigns agianst the pechenegs continued

how did the relocation of byzantines to constantinople after the battle of manzikert strain resources

food supplies ran short from peasants being conscripted

taxes and inflation went up

problem with the relocation of many farmers from anatolia to constantinople following the defeat of manzikert

anatolia was where the majority of food came from

many migrants were farmers - they were not trained to work in the city

evidence of the extent of the inflation in constantinople following the migration of byzantines after the defeat at the battle of manzikert

wheat increased by factor of 18 in the 1070s

when was there a byzantine army coup against the byzantine emperor romanos IV

1081

why did romanos IV focus on attacking the seljuk turks in the east

so that he did not have to split his army as much because the other two threats were from the west

who succeeded as ruler after the byzantine army coup of 1081

alexios I comnenus

problems with the succession of alexios I

depended on feudal nobility due to the fact he had no real right to be emperor

this meant he had to give positions to leading families in order to keep them loyal but they were not the right people

successes of the first decade of alexios I rule

maintained popularity with the byzantine population through simple living and non-extravagant court

military background and led successful campaigns

devout, orthodox man

example of successful campaign of alexios I

1084: defeated the normans and pushed them out of thessaly and macedonia

why did alexios not trust the byzantines

the circumstances of how he came to power - he led an army coup which was initiated by them betraying the emperor

who was the power behing the seljuk turks

malik shah - sultan of baghdad

example of alexios deal made with seljuk turks in order to focus on fighting pechenegs and normans

used turkish cheiftans including sulayman in 1081 to keep control of asia minor

did this because he didnt want to give any power to other byzantines because he didnt trust them

who was malik shah

son of alp arslan (leader of turks who defeated byzantines in 1071)

ruled from baghdad

wanted peace and security - didn't want to be threatened by local warlords

malik shahs motives for making peace with alexios

no threat of local muslim warlords becoming to powerful to threaten malik shah

alexios motives for making peace with malik shah

allowed him to focus on military threats from normans and pechenegs

disasters for alexios in 1090s

pechenges successfully attacked into thrace

turks controlling nicaea captured nikomedia - 50 miles from constantinople

attacks by chaka along the coastline - disrupted the food supply to constantinople

harshest winter ever in 1090-1 - lack of food and shelter

patriarch complained about alexios - god punishing them

1092: death of malik shah with no heir led to loss of main ally

when was the attempted coup against alexios

1094

what was the attempted coup on alexios 1094

nikephoros diogenes (son of romanos)

arrested and tortured

alexios purged gov due to mistrust and began relying on foreigners and newer families

why was there a decline in the byzantine empire army by 1050

previously, peasants who lived on the emperors land owed military service

but after 1000AD, a series of emperors sold this land to rich families

number of peasants owing military service declined

when did the normans takke over byzantine land in italy

1015

what was norman leader robert guiscard planning by 1081

full invasion of byzantine lands in the balkans

why did alexios have to reinforce his weakened army with mercenaries from the west

massive norman invasion into the balkans

who were the mercenaries from the west that alexios reinforced his army with

vikings from scandinavia

franks from northern france

anglo-saxons from england

what did alexios ask for in early 1095

help from christian of western europe (knights were renowned for their fighting skill)

he sent ambassadors to the leader of the latin church pope urban II

what had happened when alexios was fighting in the north and west of empire in 1080s

seljuk turks and other turkish warlords extended their power in anatolia

took important cities like antioch and nicaea (barely 60 miles from constantinople)

when was the death of malik shah

1092

effect of malik shah death

power vacuum which opened the way to rival warlords rushing to take all the land they could

by 1094: many important coastal towns fell to seljuk turks

alexios' nobles insisted he win these lands back - nobles opinion and support was crucial

when did the seljuk leader toghril beg capture baghdad

december 1055

which country did the turks try but fail to capture in 1077

egypt

explanations for why the western europeans took up the crusading movement

theoretical issues

practical motives

issue of religion and influence of the church

theoretical issues explaining why the western europeans took up the crusading movement

ideas of the 'just war' and 'peace and truce of god' movements

practical motives explaining why the western europeans took up the crusading movement

desires for the popes to bolster their power

wish to defeat the muslims threatening europe

need to preserve position of byzantine empire

issue of religion and influence of the church explaining why the western europeans took up the crusading movement

fear of hell

shortening time in purgatory through pilgrimage or crusade held wide appeal

right of pilgrimage to holy places

bible verse which demonstrates church justifying war

cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed - jeremiah 48:10

3 conditions that st augustine agreed under in which christians could wage war

must be proclaimed by a legitimate authority

must be in a just cause like defence

must show right intention - be restrained using the minimum violence

what did st augustine still maintain despite the conditions for a just war

was still sinful for any christian to fight even in these circumstances

what would a warrior need to do to compensate for war

would still need to pay for his sins with acts of penitence or hope for an indulgence

what changed after the roman empire collapsed and what role did charlemagne play in this

more difficult to believe that god was on their side since he had not saved them from defeat

men like charlemagne saw their wars of conquests as holy wars against pagan infidels - the victories were signs of divine favour so church gave its blessing

charlemagne crowned as holy roman emperor by pope

why did the peace and truce of god come about

instigated by the catholic church with hope of reducing the level of violence among nobles

what were the two worrying events approaching the new millenium

expected to be an apocalyptic event

raids of the vikings and their settlement in northern france

who pronounced the pax dei

pronounced by the pope

what did the pax dei state

those who could not defend themselves such as peasants, clergy, women and children were not to be attacked in war

what as the punishment for breaking the pax dei

excommunication - however this was rare because penalty was to be removed if the offenders paid for what they had taken or provided some kind of reparation

what was the truce of god

it was initially a temporary ban on fighting which guaranteed the safety of all churches, monks, pilgrims and merchants

forbade hostilities during advent, lent, thursdays, fridays, saturdays and sundays

what did the church council of arles regularise the agreements of the truce of god to

left a mere 80 days available for fighting each year in 1041

must be against non-christians and not in europe

what was the purpose of the agreement made by the church council of arles in 1041

to limit the extent of conflict IN WESTERN EUROPE NOT OVERALL

to make it acceptable if redirected to other regions such as the middle east

simony definition

buying or selling of ecclesiastical offices, sacraments, grace, benefices, or other sacred things

what issues were most pression for the church to reform in the 11th century

clerical celibacy and simony

what was the idea of libertas that the reformers spoke of

church should be completely free from external influence that might fail to provide for the people of god

how did gregory VII increase piety amongst lay people in the 11th century

promoted a wave of church building - network of parish churches, encouraged holy lifestyle

better priests as he promoted better education

ensured clerical celibacy, encourage holy lifestyle

what was the investiture contest

1075: pope gregory VII declared that the claim of henry to being able to appoint popes was wrong and that only the pope can appoint church leaders

led to the pope excommunicating emperor henry IV and henry IV deposing the pope and establishing new pope

when did Henry IV appoint a separate pope and attack rome with his armies

1080

why was there a potential for a crusade in the 1070s?

gregory learnt of seljuk invasion of byzantine land and announced he would lead christian army to drive them back

had to be abandoned due to the investiture contest

what was the paradox that the reformers faced in the 11th century

if the reform movement was to survive and restore order to western society, it needed armed support from kings and lords

it was the kings and lords that they were hoping to restrain from inflicting violence on eachother

what role did matilda countess of tuscany play in the justification of the churchs involvement in wars

used by gregory VII and urban II to further justify the churchs direction of wars as she used her own armies to defend the papacy against attack from german empire

evidence from 1066 of how the church tried to exploit the war-like culture against the enemies of the church

pope blessed the armies of duke of normandy before they invaded england as he believed williams enemy king harold had broken a holy vow

evidence from 1073 of how the church tried to exploit the war-like culture against the enemies of the church

gregory VII encouraged a violent french lord to try to re-conquer spain from muslims

evidence from 1074 of how the church tried to exploit the war-like culture against the enemies of the church

gregory VII offered the lead an army against the muslim seljuk turks who invaded the byzantine lands

the plan came to nothing as gregory was still struggling against the german empire

evidence from 1076 of how the church tried to exploit the war-like culture against the enemies of the church

gregory VII promised that the sins of another group of normans would be forgiven for fighting to take sicily from the muslims

evidence from 1081 of how the church tried to exploit the war-like culture against the enemies of the church

gregory VII offered spiritual rewards to armies such as those of matilda of tuscany who fought for him against the german emperor

gregory's successes in his aims

clerical purification

clerical quality improved

temporary success in increasing power of papacy

henry IV humiliated

gregory's failures in his aims

too abrasive, over-reaching through excommunicating henry again

strong resistance

conflict resumed

gregory ousted and replaced

when did urban II become pope

12 march 1088 in an italian coastal town

why did urban II choose this name

urban I had been good at repairing relationships - shows his aims

why was urban II keen to improve relations with the byzantine empire in 1088 after the great schism

saw that the best way to secure his own position was to become the unifier of the church and restore relations with eastern christians

what made the repairing of the relationship between the byzantines and the pope possible

alexios viewed urban as a better ally than clement - wanting more allies due to decline in position as emperor of byzantines

many living in southern italy had greek links and wanted to see an improvement in relations with the emperor

what did urban do to boost the relationship between byzantines and the pope in 1088

ended the excommunication of alexios

what improvement in urbans position led to him calling a council at piacenza in march 1095

supporters of henry IV who had installed clement III, began to defect, with his son conrad and wife denouncing the emperor

centred around treatment of henrys wifewho had escaped and publicly made confession before church council at piacenza