Crusades

🌍 Study Guide: The Crusades & European Context:

🏰 Early Middle Ages (500–1000 CE)

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe faced:

• Political fragmentation – many small kingdoms, no central power

• Low population

• Decline in trade

• Low literacy and cultural stagnation

• Frequent outside attacks, especially by:

  • Vikings (from the north)

  • Magyars (from the east)

  • Muslims (from the south)

🌾 European Revival (After 1000 CE)

🔧 Agricultural Innovations:

• Carruca – heavy iron plow, better for northern soils

• New horse collar – made it easier for horses to pull plows

• Shift from oxen to horses – faster and more efficient

• Three-field crop rotation – improved food production

➡ Result:

• More food → Population growth

• Food surplus → trade & wealth

• Growth of towns and cities

• Rise of specialized workers (craftsmen, merchants, etc.)

👑 Social & Political Changes:

• Primogeniture – the eldest son inherits everything; the younger sons are left without land

• Fewer internal wars due to growing unity and peace

➡ Result:

• A surplus of trained fighting men with no wars at home

• Idle knights looking for purpose and land

✝ The Crusades (1095–1204 and beyond)

📌 Definition:

A series of religious wars initiated by European Christians to retake the Holy Land (especially Jerusalem) from Muslim control.

🧠 Causes:

• Religious motivation – reclaim sacred land for Christianity

• Papal encouragement – Pope Urban II calls for the First Crusade in 1095

• Knights seek glory, land, wealth, especially landless younger sons (due to primogeniture)

• Desire to redirect violence away from Europe

• Promise of salvation – Crusaders were told they would be forgiven of their sins

⚔ Effects:

• Temporary Christian control of Jerusalem

• Increased contact with Muslim and Byzantine worlds (cultural exchange, trade)

• Revival of classical knowledge in Europe

• Long-term religious tension between Christians and Muslims

• Strengthening of monarchs and weakening of feudal lords

• Growth of the merchant class due to new trade routes

✅ Key Terms to Know

• Carruca – heavy iron plow

• Horse collar – allowed horses to pull heavy loads

• Three-field system – rotating crops over three fields to boost food output

• Primogeniture – an inheritance system favoring the eldest son

• Crusade – a Christian holy war, especially aimed at retaking Jerusalem