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Crusades
Arabic:
hamla saliniyya
Christian military campaigns against the Muslim domination over, at first, Jerusalem and its holy places, and later the campaigns to win back Christian strongholds in the Middle East that were captured during the first crusade. The term "crusade" came to be used for Christian military actions also against non-Christian areas of Europe, but in this encyclopaedia only the first use of the term will be dealt with.
There were numerous crusades, of which 5 were started by the Pope (most important is the first crusade), while others were started by European kings. The crusading period lasted for about 200 year, starting in 1095 and effectively ending in 1291 with the fall of the Latin Kingdom Jerusalem.
BACKGROUND FOR THE FIRST CRUSADE
The official reason for the crusades is also the most important reason: the aim of liberating Jerusalem from the Seljuq Turkish control, so that the holy places in the city could be protected and pilgrimage to them allowed.
The Seljuq rulers had taken control over Jerusalem in 1070, and they soon appeared as bad protector of Christian interests in the area. Holy places were des neglected, some churches were turned into non-religious buildings or mosques, and many pilgrims were not allowed into town, while others were stolen from, scorned at and sometimes even killed.
But had all this happened a few centuries earlier, there might never have been any crusades, or at least, the crusade would never have been able to complete its mission. Europe was towards the end of the 11th century stronger than it had been for many hundred years: There was more wealth, a surplus of people and better military technology.
The ancient, primitive type of army had been replaced by knights and their laymen. This was an army that allowed a fewer number of people to conduct effective war, but it was also more exepensive to equip each kinght and warrior for warfare.
There population growth through the 11th century sent many young people, both rich and poor, out into a world where there were no preset lifepaths set for them. This provided the crusader movement with sufficient troops for conducting a war, many were those who wanted to participate in the crusades in search of adventure, wealth and new career.
Official reason on Christian side
There are several Middle-Eastern explanations, as well as European explanations for the crusades.
In the Middle East, the expantion of the Seljuq Turks had resulted in unstable political situations. Seljuq armies had conquered Syria and Palestina, and they even threatened the Christian Byzantine empire and its many Christian inhabitants.
Another central European factor was that pilgrimage had become more and more popular, where Jerusalem was the most prestigous destination, yet only for the most adventurous of Europeans. Through the 11th century tens of thousands of Europeans performed this pilgrimage. As the access to Jerusalem was stopped in the late 11th century, it was a heavy blow in the face of Christendom.
Over the decades leading up to the first crusade, the pope had become an increasingly important political factor for large parts of Europe. When the pope called for the crusade, it had an impact on sentiments and religious pride which no other European authority could have instigated.
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By: Tore Kjeilen
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