Crusades mega Knowt

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)

Who did Shi'ah muslims believe should rule?

Direct descendants of Mohamed, through his wife Fatima or son-in-law Ali

How did Sunnis believe government should be run?

According to the Muslim ideals of Sunna and Shari'a

Who died in 1092?

Malik Shah, Sultan of the Seljuk Empire

What happens in Jerusalem in 1098?

The Fatimids take the city from the Abbasids

What caused the division of the Seljuk empire?

The conflict between Ridwan of Aleppo and his brother, Duqaq of Damascus, which resulted in the death of Malik Shah's brother, ruler of Syria

Who was Kilij Arslan?

The Seljuk Sultan of Rum

When did the First Crusaders arrive at Nicaea?

6 May 1097

Why didn't Kilij Arslan stop the siege of Nicaea?

He was occupied elsewhere, a massive missed opportunity which may have stopped the crusade

Why did the Crusaders succeed in capturing Nicaea on the 18 June?

1) Kilij Arslan's delay in preventing the attack

2) Their use of blockades and siege weapons

3) Their use of Byzantine Ships to blockade the water entrance to the city

When was the attack at Dorylaeum?

1 July 1097

What event caused Kilij Arslan to retreat from Dorylaeum?

The arrival of Godfrey's forces, 5 hours after the attack began

What were the effects of Kilij Arslan's defeat at Dorylaeum?

1) The loss of his reputation as a militarily strong sultan

2) Byzantium had the opportunity to reoccupy much of the Rum region

3) The Turkish forces were temporarily wiped out, having lost 3,000 men

4) Crusaders were now accustomed to Muslim tactics

When did the Crusaders begin the Siege of Antioch?

October 1097

Who led the initial (unsuccessful) muslim response to Antioch in Dec 1097?

Duqaq and his atabeg Tughtegin

What happens at Antioch in Feb 1098?

Ridwan of Aleppo arrives with 12,000 men, but is defeated by Bohemond's use of a cavalry charge

Who was Kerbogha?

The Governor of Mosul

When does Kerbogha start his assault of Antioch?

9 June 1098

What had Kerbogha been trying to do for 3 weeks before Antioch?

Attempting to recapture Edessa

Why did the crusaders succeed in the Siege of Antioch?

1) Not all of Kerbogha's troops were loyal to him

2) Kerbogha spread his troops around the city, weakening his offensive

3) The Fatimids had offered a peace deal to the crusaders, meaning they didn't support Kerbogha's offensive

Who payed the Crusaders to ensure his city's protection on their way to Jerusalem?

The Emir of Homs

When did the First Crusaders arrive in Jerusalem?

June 1099

How did Zengi reduce the power of the Franks?

He captured their castles and their territory near Tripoli

What were threats to Zengi's power?

1) Damascene-Frankish alliance against Zengi (1140)

2) Artuquid Turks limited his power

3) Seljuk Turks (had influence in Anatolia and the North-West)

4) Franks launched attacks against him in 1130's

5) Byzantines attacked Shaizar in 1138, nearly capturing it

What left Edessa vulnerable to Zengi's attack in 1144?

Count Joscelin II had an alliance with the Artuquids, which meant he had to go support them in Nov 1144

How many Edessans died during the siege of Edessa in 1144?

15,000

When and how did Zengi die?

Sep 1146, assassinated by a slave

Who were Zengi's two sons, who inherited his land after his death?

Nur ad-Din (Aleppo) and Sayf al-Din Ghazi (Mosul)

Who did Nur ally against Antioch with in 1146?

The Seljuk Sultanate of Rum

Which battle, in June 1149, was a major victory for Nur against Antioch?

Battle of Inab

How did Nur consolidate power in Edessa?

Nov 1146, Edessa rebels against Islamic rule, but he forces them to surrender, killing 30,000 Edessans

When did Nur take Damascus?

April 1154

What significant battle occurred in Aug 1164?

Battle of Artah, the franks are defeated by Nur and Bohemond III of Antioch and Raymond III of Tripoli are captured

How many attacks on Egypt did the franks launch in the 1160s?

5

What did the treaty between the Franks and the Egyptian Vizier, Shawar, state the franks would do?

They wouldn't leave Egypt until Nur was defeated, in exchange for 400,000 dinars

Who was Nur al-Din's second in command?

Shirkuh, uncle of Saladin

When did Shirkuh enter Cairo, declaring himself Shawar's heir?

8 Jan 1169

When did Saladin become Vizier?

26 March 1169

How did Saladin consolidate his power in Egypt?

1) He placed family members in key positions (his father became treasurer)

2) He created a military corp purely for his own protection

How did Saladin ensure his legitimacy in Egypt?

Sep 1171, He appointed the Abbasid Caliph in Damascus (whom he held his authority from) as the Fatimid Caliph in Cairo

When did Nur ad-Din die?

15th May 1174

How did Saladin take Damascus?

Oct 1174, he marches in peacefully, declares himself ruler, and married Nur's widow in 1176

Why was Saladin unable to conquer Mosul?

He got ill, so had to make permanent peace with them, but he is accepted as overlord in Feb 1186

What did Saladin do in 1180 and 1185?

Signed truces with Franks which gave him time to consolidate power in Syria

What city was captured by Saladin to entice Guy to march his troops toward Hattin?

Tiberias, Jul 1187

When was the Battle of Hattin?

4 July 1187

What was Balian of Nablus forced to do to defend Jerusalem in 1187?

He knighted every nobleman over 16

When did Jerusalem fall to Saladin?

2 Oct 1187

Why did many of Saladin's Emirs withdraw their support after Jerusalem?

They wanted to return home and Saladin's consolidation of power was very expensive

How much was Saladin spending during his consolidation of power?

20,000 dinars a day

What was a significant blow to Saladin?

The Muslim defeat at Acre, July 1191

The eight princes who led the First Crusade

1. Germans: Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Baldwin of Boulogne

2. Northern French: Hugh of Vermandois, Robert of Normandy (son of William), Robert of Flanders, Stephen of Blois

3. Southern French: Raymond of Toulouse

4. Italian Normans: Bohemond of Taranto and his brother Tancred of Hauteville

The aim of the eight princes

Aim: Capturing Jerusalem

1. Those who achieved it: Godfrey of Bouillon, Robert of Normandy, Robert of Flanders, Raymond of Toulouse

2. Those who did something else: Baldwin of Boulogne (abandoned crusade after becoming Count of Edessa); Hugh of Vermandois (abandoned crusade after capture of Antioch); Stephen of Blois (deserted due to difficulties at Antioch); Bohemond of Taranto (abandoned crusade after becoming Prince of Antioch)

Issues that divided the eight princes

1. Attitude towards the pope: Raymond fully backed Urban vs Godfrey who had attacked Rome in 1080s

2. Attitude towards Alexios: Bohemond had been at war with Alexios vs Robert of Flanders whose father backed Alexios militarily

3. Attitude to taking power: Bohemond wanted land vs Raymond wanted glory by being in command

Early divisions of the eight princes

1. They arrived at different times at the border of the Byzantine Empire in 1096

2. The decision or not to swear oath to Alexios - Godfrey etc took it seriously, Bohemond took it but ignored it to become prince of Antioch, Raymond swore a weaker oath, Baldwin avoided taking it at all

The significance of the siege of Nicaea

First time the eight princes had to work together - blockaded the Askanian lake + laid siege to fortress

The role of the Council of Princes

1. Provided a forum to reach decisions collectively

2. Ensured communication between different waves of crusaders (e.g. at Dorylaeum)

How Baldwin became Count of Edessa

1. Wanted his own territory so abandoned main crusade army.

2. Travelled east to be adopted by Edessa's ruler Toros in 1098.

3. Toros murdered, meaning Baldwin became count

The effects of Baldwin acquiring Edessa

1. Baldwin of Boulogne + his army quit the First Crusade

2. Baldwin funded his brother's army with 50,000 bezants

3. Kerbogha tried to retake Edessa before heading to Antioch - gave crusaders time to break into Antioch

The key features of the siege of Antioch.

Antioch protected by Seljuk Yaghi Siyan - siege dragged on for 7.5 months

1. Boosted Bohemond's status (victory at Lake of Antioch + negotiations with Firouz)

2. Damaged morale - famine in December forcing crusaders to forage for food

3. Leaders abandoned the crusade - Tatikios + Stephen of Blois

How Bohemond of Taranto defeated Kerbogha

Kerbogha arrived with 35k troops. Bohemond had 200 knights + few thousand troops.

1. Morale boost after discovery of Holy Lance

2. Bohemond's leadership: broke his army into 7 divisions; tricked Kerbogha into thinking it wasn't a major battle; kept troops back as backup

Reasons for delay after the capture of Antioch

1. Bohemond refused to hand back Antioch to Alexios according to the oath.

2. Raymond of Toulouse refused to accept Bohemond's leadership

3. The pope's representative Adhemar of Le Puy died leaving the Princes Council leaderless

Reasons why Godfrey of Bouillon emerged as leader

1. Raymond of Toulouse lost support of crusaders after attack on Arqah.

2. Raymond then gave up when he heard Baghdad caliph was on his way.

3. Tancred of Hauteville + Robert of Normandy switched support to Godfrey

Reasons why crusaders were able to take Jerusalem

Siege lasted 5 weeks, rather than 7.5 months at Antioch

1. Flexible approach to using different strategies to attack Jerusalem - including siege towers

2. Personal leadership of Godfrey boosted morale

3. Only the most experienced crusaders had made it to Jerusalem

The motives of the leaders of the Second Crusade

1. French King Louis VII - to fulfil his dead brother's vow to go to Jerusalem + to do penance for burning a church at Vitry

2. German King Conrad III - to assert his dominance over other German princes like Welf VI

The good start of the Second Crusade

Conrad III and Louis VII coordinated their journeys to the Byzantine Empire - followed same route across Hungary

The relationship between Conrad, Louis and Manuel

1. Level of military support - First Crusade had Tatikios to guide them.

2. Amount of supplies/provisions - Manuel could shut down markets + raise prices for essential goods

3. Risk of Manuel working with Turks - Manuel had a treaty with Turks so could share secrets with them

4. Potential delay - Manuel could hold up the progress of the crusaders if he wanted

The relationship between Conrad, Louis and Manuel

1. Conrad + Manuel: initially good as they both hated Roger of Sicily, but worsened due to fights breaking out between their soldiers.

2. Louis + Manuel: difficult because Louis had originally wanted to go on crusade with Roger of Sicily, Manuel's enemy

The crossing of Asia Minor

1. Conrad's army ran out of supplies + were attacked by Turks at Dorylaeum= many went home. Conrad then got sick and arrived late to Holy Land

2. Louis' army ran out of supplies + Manuel's guides told Turks where to attack --> Templars then took charge

3. Manuel's promised fleet not big enough to transport crusader armies

Reasons why they gave up on Edessa

Didn't consult with crusader state leaders so didn't know that Edessa had been totally destroyed, first by Zengi then by Nur ad-Din

The Antioch Plan

1. Plan proposed by Raymond of Antioch to attack Nur ad-Din's bases at Aleppo + Shaizar

2. Rejected because Louis was committed to going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem + annoyed that Eleanor, his wife and Raymond's niece, was trying to manipulate him

The significance of the Council of Acre

Attended by Louis, Conrad's barons, Queen Melisende.

Three options: Edessa, Ascalon or Damascus.

Damascus chosen because it was the immediate threat due to rise of Nur ad-Din

The siege of Damascus

Started well after capture of the Damascus river but failed after a change to strategy cut the crusaders off from water and food.

The failure of German contingent

1. Had to fight Emperor Andronicus before getting to Asia Minor.

2. Ran out of food/supplies as they crossed Asia Minor (like First/Second Crusades)

3. Frederick died - soldiers went home

The three issues dividing Philip II and Richard I

1. Richard ended his engagement to Alice, Philip's sister, but only after Philip had vowed to go on crusade

2. Disagreement over who should be king of Jerusalem - Philip backed his cousin Conrad of Montferrat vs Richard backed Guy of Lusignan -> resulted in delay as negotiations took place over who to take charge

3. European politics: Philip left the Holy Land early to conspire against Richard with his brother John

Reasons why Richard attacked Sicily/Cyprus

1. Sicily: to collect dowry payment for his sister --> got 40,000 gold ounces after attack on Messina.

2. Cyprus: ships went missing, ended up fighting Isaac, the island's ruler, Richard invaded then sold island to Templars for 100,000 bezants

The end of the siege of Acre

1. Arrival of fresh troops/supplies with Philip + Richard

2. Construction of siege weapons

Impact of the end of the siege

1. Major morale boost after 2 year siege ended

2. Philip went home leaving Richard in sole command

Evidence of Richard's leadership

1. Organised 70 mile march down coastline to Jaffa - kept soldiers/supplies safe and secure.

2. Defeated Saladin's troops at the Battle of Arsuf

Reasons why Richard didn't attack Jerusalem

1. Listened to advice of Templars/Hospitallers - deal with Saladin THEN take Jersualem.

2. Delay over who should be made King of Jerusalem - Guy made king of Cyprus, Conrad assassinated, then Henry of Champagne

3. Had to wait for Henry's troops after securing coastline.

4. Richard wanted to attack Egypt, Saladin's main base, but French refused and threatened to attack Jerusalem alone.