Transcript Slide 1 - bYTEBoss

The First Crusade
1096-1099
Rise of Islam
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Muhammed (570-632)
Unification of Arabs
Conquest of neighboring lands
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Middle East, n. Africa, Asia Minor
Incl. Antioch and Jerusalem, Alexandria
 Constantinople threatened, falls in 1453
 Pilgrims could visit holy sites, but had to pay taxes
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Spain: 711-1492
Guibert of Nogent’s account
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“Saint” story
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Must have a miracle
Note Urban’s miracle!
Pope Urban II not an official saint, but
beatified in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII
Sees events as signs of God’s providence
Mixes the gory and the pious without irony
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See p. 334
Call to Crusade: 1095
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Pope Urban worried about Muslims in Spain
Apocalyptic fears
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Retaking control of holy sites could quicken the end of the world
(327-28)
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Muslims control Holy Land (Palestine)
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Need a Christian resurgence first
Need a battle with the Antichrist (“Bring it on”)
Sites of Christian pilgrimage
Charged tax to visit sites
French more receptive
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Germans less obedient to pope
God favors the French
Violence, anti-Judaism at home
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Rhineland communities in France and
Germany
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Call issued
Responders: if we are going abroad to kill the
infidel, why not kill the infidel at home?
Attacked whole Jewish communities
Many committed suicide, killed children before
Crusaders could
 Remembered in Judaism as martyrs
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A holy war?
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“Cleanse the holiness of the city and the glory of the
tomb, which has been polluted by the thick crowd of
pagans,” Pope Urban II (327)
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Says previous wars in France/Europe were for greed and pride
This war is holier, for higher purposes
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Receive gift of martyrdom
Earn “present and future praise”
Soldiers received absolution as they set out
Later, contributors could receive an indulgence
Framed as a form of asceticism (330)
Worship and almsgiving part of the effort (331)
Winning battle like freeing Christ from the tomb (333)
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Retribution by God against Muslims
For next time
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Rise of papal authority
Gregorian reforms, 1070s
How did Pope Gregory claim his authority
over kings?
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Why?
Is he trying to correct abuses of power?