Transcript Crusade
Church Reform and the Crusades The Age of Faith • A new age of religious feeling beginning in the 900s • Problems in the Church – Some priests nearly illiterate, some popes were of questionable morals, some bishops more interested in roles as feudal lords – Three main problems • Many priests were married with families (against Church rulings) • Bishops sold positions within church (simony) • Kings appointing bishops Reform and Church Organization • Popes enforced Church laws against marriage and simony • Church restructured to resemble a kingdom, with pope as head • Pope formed Curia to develop canon law and act as a court • Used some money from tithes to provide social services, including hospitals New Religious Orders • Early 1200s, friars began travelling to preach to the poor • New orders were formed – Dominicans, Franciscans, Benedictines • Women joined orders – Worked to help the sick and poor Cathedrals – Cities of God Larger churches; built in cities Decorated richly New style of architecture arose – Gothic Unlike earlier churches which were heavy and dark, Gothic cathedrals reached upward (to heaven) with huge stained-glass windows • Meant to inspire the worshiper with the magnificence of God • • • • The Crusades • 1093 – Muslim Turks threatening to attack the Holy Land • Pope Urban II calls for a holy war, or Crusade, to gain control of the Holy Land • Over the next 300 years, numerous Crusades were launched Goals of the Crusades • Economic, social, political, and religious goals – Stop Muslim attacks on Constantinople – Reclaim the Holy Land and reunite Eastern and Western Christendom – Get rid of knights who were constantly fighting each other, which threatened peace in the kingdoms – Younger sons, who couldn’t inherit their fathers’ lands, sought land, a position in society, or adventure – Merchants hoped to gain key trade routes to India, Southeast Asia, and China from Muslim traders First Crusade • Huge turnout of volunteers – Pope said those who died on a Crusade were assured of a place in heaven • 1097, three armies of Crusaders gathered outside Constantinople – Not prepared – didn’t know the climate, geography, or culture of the Holy Land – No particular strategy to capture Jerusalem – Nobles fought among themselves • An army of 12,000 (only 1/4th of original size captured Jerusalem in 1099 Second Crusade • • • • 1144 – Muslim Turks recapture Holy Land Second Crusade launched to retake it Crusaders were defeated Jerusalem fell to Muslim leader, Saladin Third Crusade • Third Crusade to capture Jerusalem was led by Richard the Lion-Hearted , king of England • Like Saladin, he was a brilliant warrior • After many battles, both agreed to a truce – Jerusalem remained under Muslim control – Saladin promised that unarmed Christian pilgrims could freely visit the city’s holy places The Crusading Spirit Dwindles • 1204 – Fourth Crusade fails; instead knights looted city of Constantinople • 1200s – four more crusades all fail to recapture Holy Land • Religious spirit of Crusades faded • The Children’s Crusade – 1212 – 50,000 unarmed children set out to conquer Jerusalem – Most died of starvation, drowning, cold, or were sold into slavery A Spanish Crusade • Muslims, called Moors, controlled most of Spain until the 1100s • The Reconquista was a long effort by the Spanish to drive the Muslims out of Spain • Finally accomplished in 1492 by Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish monarchs The Inquisition • Purpose was to unify Spain under Christianity and increase the power of Ferdinand and Isabella • Inquisition was a court held by Church to get rid of heretics, people who held beliefs that differed from Church teachings • Many Jews and Muslims converted to Christianity • Suspected heretics were tortured; if they confessed, they were burned at the stake • 1492 – all practicing Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain Effects of the Crusades • Trade expanded between Europe and Southeast Asia – Included spices, fruit, and cloth – Benefitted both Christians and Muslims • Failure of Crusades lessened power of popes • Weakened feudal nobility and increased power of kings • Thousands of knights and others died • Left a legacy of hatred between Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land • Led to increased persecution of Jews in Europe