The First Crusade in 1096 was widely celebrated as a huge success, in that it captured Jerusalem from the Turks. The term ‘crusade’ can be defined as a campaign for religious, social or political change and was used by Pope Urban II in his speech at Clermont in 1095, whereby he called for all Christians to go to war with the Muslim ‘pagans’ in order to reclaim the Holy Land. This indicates that the immediate aim of the First Crusade was to recapture Jerusalem and to fight the Muslims. Thus the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 can be seen as a huge triumph. However, modern historians have suggested that the First Crusade was motivated by other factors: It can be suggested that Pope Urban called for the Crusade, as he that it would bring …show more content…
Although Alexius was able to convince Hugh of Vermandois, one leader of the Crusade, to agree to the treaty rather easily, it took more to convince some of the other more influential and powerful leaders. For example, the Duke of Lorraine, Godfrey, initially refused despite pressure imposed on him by Alexius, who restricted the availability of supplies for Godfrey’s troops. In addition to this, Alexius desperately blockaded the Lorrainer’s in Pera and eventually persuaded Godfrey to sign the treaty. Although Alexius was able to find a compromise with most leaders, one leader proved to be more troublesome than others, Bohemond. Bohemond, eager to make a career in the East, refused to sign the treaty with Emperor Alexius and as the Crusade developed this problem worsened. Bohemond’s troops gained control of Antioch on the 28th June 1098 and Bohemond claimed the city as his own. The significance of this was immense, his refusal to hand possession of Antioch to Alexius led to the development of a war that lasted until Bohemond’s death in 1111. In addition to this, Bohemond identified the Byzantine Empire heretical, thus suggesting a degree of religious intolerance and further diminishing the possibility of religious unity and harmony. Therefore, Pope Urban’s aim of uniting the Latin and Greek Churches was unsuccessful. Bohemond, owing no loyalty to the Byzantine Emperor, seized an opportunity to create a Latin state in the East, meaning that tension between the two forces was greater than ever. In addition to this, Alexius’ actions throughout the Crusade suggest that Alexius had aimed for more than the liberation of Jerusalem