T HE C RUSADES : NOT A WALK IN THE PARK

Review Of The Crusades What I Knew What I Want to Know What I Learned

A R ALLY C ALL … Come then, with all your people and give battle with all your strength, so that all this treasure shall not fall into the hands of the Turks…Therefore act while there is still time lest the kingdom of the Christians shall vanish from your sight and, what is more important, the Holy Land where Jesus was buried shall vanish. And in your coming you will find your reward in heaven, and if you do not come, God will punish you. -Pope Urban II The Muslim Empire was expanding into the Byzantine Empire Christians were getting very nervous!

Goals: Get that Holy Land! Religious Goal: Holy Land = Palestine, the land land where Jesus lived, preached, and died. Political Goal: Church wanted to re- unite the Western and Eastern Christian Empires (think Byzantine) into one big empire…oooo power! Economic Goal: Knights wanted some MONEY! Loot it! Steal it! BLING, BLING!

If God wills it, then lets do it!...I think? Pope Urban’s call to fight got people all riled up! Christian Crusaders fought long and hard and eventually won a TINY piece of land.

Not for Long… Saladin – a brilliant Muslim general takes back the city. He is very tolerant, lets Christians stay if they choose and kills no civilians.

I F AT FIRST YOU DON ’ T SUCCEED … SEND YOUR 12 YEAR OLD KIDS TO WAR ! Other Christian crusades are miserable failures! One Crusade began with 20,000 children. They were never heard of again.

E FFECTS OF THE C RUSADES Increased Trade ($): Crusaders came back with very cool stuff (spices, soap, fabrics, and IDEAS)  Also leads to bigger towns in Europe! P OPE LOSES SOME POWER : People lose faith in the Pope’s promise. After all, they lost! Bitter feelings: The bitter violence displayed by the Christians was not forgotten by the Muslims. (still a sore spot between the two belief systems)

Writing Assignment – Answer any ONE of these questions Describe the major economic, social and political effects of The First Crusade Describe the origins of the conflict including the spread of Islam after Muhammad's death In what way did the Crusades benefit people of all faiths?