During the Crusades, religious conflict between Christians and Muslims was fueled by a desire to control holy sites in the Middle East. Pope Urban II's speech at Clermont, France in 1095, is a prime example of the religious fervor that drove Christians to fight for control of Jerusalem. In his speech, Pope Urban II urged Christians to provide aid to their brethren in the East, who were being attacked by Turks and Arabs. He emphasized that the Turks and Arabs had killed and captured many Christians, destroyed their churches, and devastated their empire. According to Pope Urban II, it was the duty of all Christians, regardless of their social rank, to carry aid promptly to their fellow Christians and to destroy the Turks and Arabs from the lands
He was a charismatic man who gave powerful speeches which moved people to sell their homes, leave their lands, and follow him across a continent. Pope Urban II marketed and advertised this crusade by promising salvation to those who came along. 4) What key event in 1095 sparked Urban II and the Western church to assemble an "elite force of knights" to reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem? In 1095, the Byzantine Emperor, Alexius I, who was also the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church at that time, sent a call for help to Pope Urban II.
Why did Pope Urban II call the First Crusade in 1095 When Alexius I appealed for aid in the Council of Piacenza in March 1095, it wasn’t surprising that the First Crusade occurred only a few months afterwards, as it was considered by historians “premediate” and resulted from the long-existing opposition to many factors. Building up towards 1095, Christendom was perceived to be threatened both externally by heretical military expansions and internally by the destructive knightly class and the concern for Jerusalem, while Urban was resolute to maximise the papacy’s power, and his own success, through setting the Christian agenda. Since 9th Century, Christendom had been threatened religiously and militarily by heresies, providing Urban in 1095
Allen Cutler’s journal article delves in to the concept of military conflict and conversion to Christianity during the First Crusade. The author states that it was the intent of Pope Urban II who inherited his interest in crusading against Muslims from Pope Gregory VII, to Christianize Muslims, by words and example. There have been those who have argued Urban II had no interest in conversion, but Allen, counters their assumptions by presenting three document sources that imply that during Urban’s speech at Clermont he broached the subject of conversion, by referring to the Turks as “a race utterly alienated from God.” Allen surmises that Urban the implication is they were not “converted to Christianity” and therefore conversion was foremost on Pope Urban’s mind. The Pope also wanted to reinstall papal
By doing this the pope would also be able to refute the governmental of feudalism that when against his aim of unifying Europe to eventually become stable enough to expand the government. This would have brought them closer to being an established empire with a solid culture. Collectively these political drive for stability and power were the predominant motivations that Pope Urban the II had to support the Christian crusades, The desire for power was a motivation for the crusades to each their goals of full power in and out side of the Empire. Pope Urban the second was encountering an ordeal of the struggle of power with the Political officials of the Holy
In 1095 on November 27 in Clermont,France, Pope Urban the II called for a Crusade to help the Byzantines and free the city of Jerusalem. The official start date was set as August 15, 1096. This order little did he know would be the cause of a battle that turned into 9 war’s that last for nearly 200 years. This event in history clearly has a outcome that is way more negative than positive. Have you ever imagined being in the middle of a 200 year war people dropping like flies just because of an argument over one city?
Pope Urban II called upon all Christians into this war, calling those who don’t believe in God Heathens and providing reason to take control of Jerusalem again. Also assuring that the soldiers of this war will get an admission into Heaven. (Document 1) Christians, no matter the empire or region were being united by the Crusades through their love of Christ. (Document 2) French and German crusaders invaded a Jewish City, killing people for sanctification of the Lord. (Document 5)
This contributed to the shame of the event. Many inspired Christians “often pursued violence against other non-Christians”, they were brutal and left many for dead (Document #2, “The Crusades Assignment”). Crusaders were merciless and it was just shameful that they treated other religions this way. Along with violence their emotions they felt towards their actions were shameful. After reaching their goal, Jerusalem, they were filled with “mad with joy” and after killing many Muslims and Jews to get their they were also “full of happiness and weeping with joy” (Document #3, “The Crusades Assignment”).
The Crusades were a violent series of battles that Christians fought against Muslims in order to gain back the holy land, Jerusalem. The Christians felt threatened by the intimidating rule of the Islamic Empire, and their response was the first Crusade. These attacks continued and grew unsuccessful throughout many years, and are often due to the intense bond between Christians and God, however there are other influences, like wealth and power. Some argue also that the actions committed during these events were not necessarily “barbaric”, considering the historical time period. The Crusades should be remembered as a series of attacks with a variety of motives and influences that were violent and barbaric.
In that time there was a struggle between the Catholics, Jews, and Muslims over Jerusalem, the birth place of their religions. The crusades started to take Jerusalem back from the Muslims. But in the long-term effect of the crusades it increased the unwillingness to follow religion. Because of a lack of unwillingness, it fueled the fighting that went on during and
Up to approximately seven major Crusades, the Muslims and Christians went through bloody days, and many attacks on each other. After many years of victories and misplacements, the Holy Land was claimed by the Muslims. It is perceptible that the Crusades were caused primarily by religious devotion because Jerusalem had a Holy significance, They wanted to signify their loyalty and cause of their God, and to guarantee
The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages, spanning over 200 years, that began in 1095 and lasted until the fall of Tripoli in 1291. The Crusades started as a direct result of Pope Urban ii's speech at Clermont in 1095, where, due to his religiously based outlook on life, he characterized Muslims as violent and immoral and depicted the Crusaders as righteous defenders of Christianity. Pope Urban ii's speech perfectly represents the European's attitude towards the Muslim groups they were attacking; however, these attitudes were modified to fit various other ethnic groups, such as Jewish and Eastern Christians. The Crusaders associated many Jewish groups with negative aspects such as
The Crusade Wars were holy quests to gain the Holy Land, Jerusalem. It is recognized as a series of religiously sanctioned military crusade wars in Europe. Christianity was the dominant religion of power and wealth. Pope Urban II, initiated the first crusade by responding to a request from the Emperor of Constantinople for military help. Those who took to the crusade would be released of their debts and paying taxes.
The speech of Urban II at Clermont in 1095 was the special moment, when he promised and guaranteed that any person who will join to the campaign would get Holy land and place in heaven. At that time believe in God and Holy land was very popular, so Urban II mostly affected on moral of the people. The effect was stunning; people from all parts of Western Europe started to think that moving to Jerusalem is their duty. Actually the main purpose of Urban II was to unite all Christians in Europe and to achieve his aim completely he reminded people that their lands are poor, while Muslims live in Holy lands under good conditions. Citizens were now strongly motivated and ready to invade irreligious opponents.
The Crusades Even though, Crusader States in the Holy Land were unsustainable because of political instability. Long term problems were caused by Western presence in the Outremer1 and the political situation in Europe throughout the period. In Europe, the form of political dissension among the leaders of the various crusades caused everything to fall. They were many causes to the Crusades unsustainability like, ongoing tension between the Normans and the Byzantine Empire2 which culminated in the Norman defeat at Durazzo in 1107. The other main arguments include the lack of support for Jerusalem, as well as the lack of manpower, the debatable lack of strong leadership, and to a certain extent the arrogance of the Crusaders.
Pope Urban II’s speech at Clermont in 1095 was a call to crusade given outdoors to the nobles, commoners and church leaders of the Western European Christians (the Franks). The people were moved by this speech and it changed history, launching the first crusade to capture Jerusalem from the Muslim Turks. After hearing Pope Urban II’s speech, thousands of Western European Christians were moved to embark on the dangerous journey and fight in the crusade. I believe the main reasons they were moved and persuaded to fight was; 1) they felt it was their Christian duty, 2) Pope Urban promised them absolution for their sins and 3) they felt compelled to defend Christianity, their holy land and the Eastern Christians.