What Was the Cause of the Crusade?

The Crusades, a series of wars fought between 1096 and 1291 by European Christians against Muslims from Turkey and Persia, were waged to claim ownership of Jerusalem, considered a sacred city by both the Christian and Muslim religions.

Turkish Massacre

In 1065 the Turks conquered Jerusalem and massacred 3,000 Christians, who traditionally considered the city a safe destination for a pilgrimage. Word of the attack spread across Europe and angered Christians.

Peter the Hermit

Pope Urban II commissioned Peter the Hermit of Picardy, France, to gain public support for a conquest throughout Italy and France. Peter played a significant role in turning pilgrims into warriors.

Turkish Threat

Turkish armies were encroaching upon the Christian city of Constantinople at a rapid pace, and the Greek emperor, Alexius Comnenus, petitioned the Pope for aid. Constantinople became a rallying point for the crusaders, particularly because it housed Christian relics.

The Council of Clermont

In 1095 Pope Urban II held a summit in Clermont, France, detailing the Turkish threat and claiming it was the religious duty of Christians to reclaim their sacred lands. The first crusade began a year later.

Holy Sepulcher

The Holy Sepulcher, or alleged ancient burial grounds of Jesus of Nazareth, was the primary target of Christian crusaders. Pope Urban II promised they would be "recompensed a hundred-fold, and possess life eternal" for their sacrifices.

Results

In total, there were nine crusades. Despite a few successful Christian invasions from Western Europe, by 1302 the holy land was back in the hands of the Malmuk Turks. The modern historian Sir Steven Runciman has summed up the Crusades as "nothing more than a long act of intolerance in the name of God."

References

• Middle-Ages.org
• the-orb.net