Medieval Military Movements: The Crusades

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The crusades are the medieval military expeditions that pope Urban || issued to the European to stop fighting against each other and reclaim Jerusalem or the 'holy land" from the Muslims. Jerusalem was important as the saviour Jesus Christ was born there. The crusade started in the late 1000s to the 1500s. Pope Urban || convinced people to join the crusade with the promises of having their sins forgiven. Others joined for hopes of power, territory and riches. The peasants joined to escape the hard, boring, medieval life seeking adventure. The first crusade consisted of peasants following Peter the Hermits call towards Constantinople. The peasants controlled by a hatred against unbelievers killed Jews on the way. The crusaders were not disciplined, trained so as being peasants they stole what they wanted and some were killed by angry Europeans. At Constantinople the crusaders joined forces with the Byzantine army to take the city of Nicaea. The group divided and the Europeans marched to Jerusalem. They …show more content…

The crusaders led by Prince Edward sailed to Acre to fight the Egyptians after the failure to capture Tunis by Louis IX in the eighth crusade. The Christians captured Nazareth and made the Egyptian sultan agree to a treaty that favoured the Christians. After the truce ended the sultan attacked Acre which ended the crusades. The crusades can be seen as war for religious devotion or a chance for political gain. It was about religious devotion as people fought under Pope Urban || promises for having your sins forgiven. It could also be for political gain as troops hoped to conquer lots of villages along the way to Jerusalem. The religious devotion was very important in the crusades as it gave them a goal to achieve such as saving the holy land from the Muslims. It kept the troops strong for the war filled journey to Jerusalem and the promises of having sins forgiven was a reward to die

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