The Crusades

The crusades were a series of military campaigns the Catholic church carried out between the 11th and 15th centuries against Muslims, pagans, and church opponents (Lock, 2006). Over the past few decades, historians have investigated the occurrence and motivations for the crusades. Some of the motivations for the crusades identified include the need to: capture Jerusalem, free and defend Christian territories, and protect Christians living in non-Christian territories. However, questions still arise on whether these were the motives of the religious and political leaders who called for the crusades or whether they also had particular hidden agendas (Lock, 2006). This article examines the evidence of the first crusade to determine whether it was meant to save Christianity or exploit them for personal gains. 

  

 the crusaders on a battleground 

 

The First Crusade (1096-1099)

 

 Pope Urban II

  Pope Urban II was the first religious and political leader to call for a crusade in Clermont, France. He cunningly crafted his rallying message for the crusade. He said that those who participated in the liberation of God’s Church from the hands of Muslims would be forgiven for their sins. He did this upon the request of Emperor Alexios I of Byzantine, who feared the advancing Seljuk Turks, who had taken over some of his southern territories and were approaching Constantinople. Pope Urban II quickly responded to this request for specific political reasons. He knew that the Byzantine empire was mainly dominated by the eastern church (the Orthodox Church). He saw Emperor Alexios I request as an opportunity he could not forgo to reach out to the Eastern church, which had differed significantly from the Western Church (Catholic Church) in the past. He believed that by helping the Byzantine empire and the Eastern Church, he would be able to unite both the Western and Eastern Churches under his leadership. 

Emperor Alexios I was also dishonest in his request for help against the advancing Seljuk Turks. He presented his problem with the Seljuk Turks so that the problem appeared grave, which was not the case (Mayer, The Mediterranean Region in 1095, 1988). In reality, he wanted help from the other western kingdoms to help him recover the territories he had lost in battles with the Seljuk Turks (Mayer, The Mediterranean Region in 1095, 1988). This is why he quickly demanded that all the territories recovered from the Seljuk Turks be given to him before he could agree to support the crusaders.

Moreover, most senior nobles indulging in the crusades were also dishonest in their motives. Most indulged in this course for honor, financial gains, and adventure. Examples of such men included Count Stephen of Blois, Prince Bohemond I of Taranto, and the crusaders who stayed in Jerusalem. 

Count Stephen of Blois would write letters to his wife, Adela of Blois, informing her of how he gained much wealth through gold, silver, and honors from his expedition (Phillips, 2015). These indicated his prime motive for indulging in the crusade. He was also quick to turn his men away from the purpose of the crusade, which was to advance forward and capture Jerusalem, upon learning that the Muslims were being reinforced by a large relief army (Phillips, 2015). 

 

 Prince Bohemond of Taranto. He felt betrayed by Alexios I during the crusade.

  Another case of self-interest was witnessed in Prince Bohemond I of Taranto. He refused to relinquish Antioch to Emperor Alexios I (Mayer, The Crusader States, 1099-1146, 1988). He claimed victory and the city. He argued that the failure of Emperor Alexios I to support the crusaders in the battle of Antioch had nullified the crusaders’ agreement with the emperor. Therefore, every battle won, together with the booty, belonged to the crusaders.

 

Finally, after the capture of Jerusalem, many crusaders returned home. A few remained in Jerusalem. Those remaining Crusaders had a plausible excuse that they were protecting the city. Apart from that, they made themselves the lords of Jerusalem and acquired holdings within the city (Riley-Smith, 2005). 

Conclusion

The crusades mainly exploited the peasants involved in or affected by it. Pope Urban II called for the crusades to enable him to increase his control over the Church; Emperor Alexios I used the crusades to recover lost Greek territories; Count Stephen of Blois and Prince Bohemond I of Taranto used the crusades to amass wealth, honor, and lands; and the crusaders used their victories to grab the wealth of people in the territories they conquered. In short, the religious and political classes exploited peasants by using them as armies for crusades to advance their interests. In contrast, some peasant crusaders exploited the natives of their conquered lands to amass wealth and acquire titles.

  

References

Lock, P. (2006). Routledge Companion to the Crusades. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge.

Mayer, H. E. (1988). The Crusader States, 1099–1146. In H. E. Mayer, The Crusades (pp. 60–61). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Mayer, H. E. (1988). The Mediterranean Region in 1095. In H. E. Mayer, The Crusades (pp. 6–7). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Phillips, J. (2015, May 5). The Crusades: A Complete History. Retrieved from History Today: http://www.historytoday.com/jonathan-phillips/crusades-complete-history

Riley-Smith, J. (2005). The Founding of the Settlements. In J. Riley-Smith, The Crusades: A Short History (Second Ed.) (Pp. 50–51). New Haven: Yale University Press.