First Crusade 1096-1099 years later evolved into a new direction of foreign policy of the West European states.What affected the emergence of such a large-scale movement?What events took place during the years of the First Crusade?These and many other questions you will find answers in this article.
Europe end of XI century
During the years of the First Crusade, as you will learn later, there have been many changes.But what was the reason for this surge of people's activity, which is comparable in size only to the Great Migration?Let's look in more detail.
history of the First Crusade begins in the last five years of the eleventh century.Though he officially ended with the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, but the effects lasted for several centuries.
Why, in fact, it began.Later we consider separately the motives of the knights, the Byzantines and the situation of Muslims in the east during this period.In the meantime, is to talk about the situation in Western Europe.
After centuries of forced Christianization Hungarians and Scandinavians in the European states formed a stratum of professional soldiers.The peaceful occupation they were not to their liking.They only wanted to fight, so happy to go into mercenaries.But the proposal was very small.Such sentiments were in the lower layers of society.
nobles were also made, as members of the First Crusade.Table of campaigns is often studied in history class.After reading this article you will easily be guided in these matters.
So tops pursued their goal.The Kings led offensive against the Saracens in Spain and North Africa, to know tried to join the looting, but not always worked.Therefore
First Crusade, in short, has become an outlet where escaped most of the aggressive mood of the masses of Western Europe.
Let's now talk about the motives of each of the parties.
Goals Europeans
end of the eleventh century was a difficult period for Western Europe.As mentioned above, in the previous century, formed a powerful stratum of professional soldiers that nothing more could not and did not want to do.
noble knights and ordinary foot soldiers, beggars and priests, merchants and peasants - all participants in the First Crusade.Table beginning of their movement to the east are often given at home in school.You will be able to do it easily, based on the material in this article.
Thus, the participants of the first Crusades were a heterogeneous social weight.Immediately they went to help fellow Christians?Of course not.They were more busy with internal squabbles, power struggles in hundreds of lands and principalities.
Change solutions took place in two stages.In 1074 the Pope called on the peoples of Europe to help the Byzantine emperor.But no military aid was not followed.It began only a massive movement of pilgrims to the Middle East.
But soon there were rumors about the oppression of Christian pilgrims by Muslims.This caused a wave of indignation, but activism still not there.The last straw was the appeal of the new Pope Urban II, who no longer spoke about the help his brothers, but the personal benefit of all participants of the campaign: "For who are poor here will be the king in the land of promise."
period 1096 to 1099 for years.- During the First Crusade.Grade 6 in school studying them as part of the history of the Middle Ages.Let's continue to talk about the situation in the East at this time.
Motives
Byzantium Byzantine Empire was in a very interesting position during the first crusades.Until 1091 the country was the political and economic crisis.
State suffered an attack from three sides.From the north threatened Petchenegs prevalent in Southern Ukrainian steppes.From the south, running out the Seljuk Turks, who inflicted several defeats the army of the emperor.The Marmara Sea fleet dominated by Turkish pirates.
At that time Alex Comnenus engaged in diplomatic correspondence with the rulers of the West European states.He talks about the plight of the empire and asks for help.Over time, it became even closer to take shape and the Orthodox Catholic Church.This fact was very pleasant to the Pope, and was one of the factors that influenced the start of calls for a crusade.
But by the fall of 1092 the situation in the Byzantine Empire is greatly improved.Pechenegi defeated in alliance with the Slavs.Turks are more concerned about the infighting and cease to disturb the boundaries of the Christian state.Empire is entering a period of stability and gradual recovery.
But in the west of it and had no idea why the goal of the first Crusades, Europeans are fundamentally different from the motives of the Byzantines.Later it became a breeding ground for contention in the negotiations of the emperor and the Crusaders.
situation in the Muslim world
During the first crusades territory of the Islamic world was gripped by infighting.Almost at the same time, in the last decade of the eleventh century, the Seljuk rulers die, Abbasid and Fatimid.In the Middle East begins a civil war between Shiites and Sunnis to power.
Shiite Fatimid state, which was located on the territory of modern Egypt, hoped to get support in the face of the Crusaders.Alexius Comnenus, Byzantine emperor, also advised the European knights to enter into an alliance with them against the Seljuk Sunni.
fact the south of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, part of Armenia were in the hands of the Turks.In what is now Syria and Lebanon, a number of independent city-states.But Egypt and the south of Palestine in the hands of the Fatimids.
This internal strife prevented the Muslims to present a united force against the Crusaders.In this regard, the warring sides were equal, as Europeans, too, could not agree.
These feuds were on hand only the emperor of Byzantium, who was able, though cunning, but to regain some of the lost lands.
Christians in the Middle East
members of the First Crusade firmly believed that they are not only to win the "tomb of the Lord", but also to protect fellow Christians from the infidel Saracens.Especially this point is well shown in the movie "Kingdom of Heaven".
But Catholic priests in Western Europe is largely wrong.In fact the situation in the Middle East was the radically opposite.
in Muslim countries Christians and Jews were oppressed rare, as the Koran forbids forced to convert to the "true" faith of the people of the Scriptures.They simply considered misguided.Therefore, the Islamic cities of the eastern Mediterranean non-Muslims to pay a tax to the state and all.
harassment began after the "disinterested" help of the fraternal peoples.When the Turks and the Arabs saw that the Europeans do, they began to expel Christians from the cities, for fear that they help fellow believers inside.
Thus, the purpose of the first Crusades corrected sharply after hitting European soldiers in the promised land.They saw with their own eyes the peaceful attitude of the locals, as well as prosperity, wealth and the presence of no man's land.After that, the Crusaders are mainly guided only by greed.
Events peasant campaign
members first crusades were people from the most diverse sectors of society.Therefore, in the article we will talk about the three actual movements of the masses, who are called in the history of the first campaign.
just a few months before Pope Urban II officially launched the First Crusade, from many European lands popped huge "army of beggars."He led them Peter the Hermit, a monk from Amiens.He lit the people the idea of wealth and satiety in the new Länder.
Started First Crusade in Western Europe coincided with the first rich harvest after years of drought.But the bulk of the poor was not seen as whole families come in the way of early spring.They believed that the "Christian brothers" to help them with food.This practice did exist, but for the few pilgrims.
Here was a hungry crowd composed of men, women, children and the elderly.They gradually embittered and started to loot villages, which get in the way.They rebuffed local organized forces.Beggars participants in the First Crusade formed the bulk of the victims, as they do not have weapons, strength for the battles and fighting skills.
With great difficulty this rabble reached Constantinople, having lost about fifteen thousand people, a quarter of the original amount.In the capital, they staged riots that forced the Byzantine emperor send them to Asia Minor.
There's peasant army met armed groups Seljuks.
result of the First Crusade to poverty has been disappointing.Researchers estimate that period, about ten thousand young men and women were sold into slavery.More than fifty thousand elderly people, children and middle-aged people fell from disease and sabers regular armies.
Judging from the sources to the Byzantine Christian city came only about a hundred people from sixty thousand.
German campaign
next stream was movement in the German and French soil, which has organized a small knight, nicknamed Beggar Gauthier.
motives which prompted ten-trained army on the march, were simply unique.They fully comply with thinking and outlook of European burghers of the time.
Pope Urban II called to arms to defend Christianity from other faiths, as well as to recapture the Holy Sepulchre.But these knights heard only the first part of the appeal.The Germans decided that we should not go to the other end of the world, because here they are prosperous and have to defend the faith.
Therefore, ten thousand armed Germans and the French just went on "hunting" doing Jewish pogroms.It is noteworthy that they are moved to the northwest, in the opposite side of Jerusalem.
Though the Catholic Church and tried to condemn such behavior, but the obvious measures are not taken.The Jews tried to organize the defense of themselves or hired soldiers for protection.But nothing helped.A few years continued forcible conversion to Christianity of the Gentiles.Those who refused, waiting for imminent death.
Thus, the result of the First Crusade to the European Jews became disastrous.But such actions only increased the hatred of the Knights of the Jews and the Muslims to them.Semitic communities from different countries are beginning to flock thousand gold coins to help the Muslims of Africa and the Middle East, who opposed the Crusaders.
Nobles in the First Crusade
greatest success in the years of the First Crusade reached the army under the leadership of the nobility.Although they did not make a whole, but they had a lot of well-trained soldiers, men at arms, crossbowmen and horsemen.
Unlike helpless peasant army, they could repel the regular Turkish and Arab troops.
nobles put forward units of different sizes with their possessions, gradually flowing into stretching several thousand carts.Thus, according to various estimates, to Constantinople came from fifty to one hundred thousand soldiers.
But the movement began only after the destruction of the peasant army and Jewish pogroms in Europe.Notable people did not want to lose the rich harvest.In a way, in contrast to the poverty, they went with provisions, weapons and other necessary items.Each unit was an independent fighting unit.
reasons for the First Crusade to these gentlemen were obvious."Lackland becomes the owner of the house servants and fabulous wealth in the Kingdom of Jerusalem."
All events that occurred in the Middle East since 1096 for 1099 can be divided into several periods.The border between them will be the most significant of the siege, which involved participants in the First Crusade.
table of these events are often given at home in history lessons in the sixth grade.Let's look at them in detail, to help students.
course of events in the years 1096-1099
fact itself crusade began only after armies from Constantinople.They enlisted the support of the European nobility of the Byzantine emperor.In return, they promised to pass it all the captured land once belonging to the Byzantine Empire.
first test of strength was the curse of the Turkish siege of the city of Nicaea.It began in 1097.The assault was unsuccessful, because the army of the Crusaders was unable to continue the offensive after the victory over the Turkish sultan.Obloga lasted several months.
Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus rightly suspected leaders chivalrous army of wanting to violate the treaty.Therefore, at the critical moment, when it was clear that the city will fall in the coming days, he sent to his truce citizens.Last negotiated the surrender of the city is the Byzantine troops, in order to avoid looting crusaders.
And so it happened.Reluctantly, the Knights had to keep the oath and move on.The next item was the Antioch.The city, which was half way to Jerusalem.
The siege lasted from October 1097 by June 1098.Bohemond of Tarentum, Norman prince of southern Italy, managed to bribe an officer of the besieged city.He promised to pull the ladder on one section of the wall and to help in the capture of the fortress.
for such services for the European Army after the capture of Bohemond demanded transfer of Antioch in his possession.In part to convince others of the Knights it turned out, only in the case of threatening defeat much thought.On the way, the Turkish army has thousands Kerbogi.
After the capture of the fortress in the city were massacred almost all the inhabitants.A few days after the capture of Antioch by the Crusaders, it was once again under siege.Came the Turkish troops.Siege tolerated by Europeans difficult, since there are very few provisions.
Bohemond decided to give open battle to the Turks.But before that, he was cunning (according to many researchers) raised the morale of the army.One morning, it was told about the vision, which happened to a peasant.According to him, within the walls of Antioch, near one of the churches, it was buried the spear that killed Christ.Indeed, it dug up.
Army, "led by the hand of the Lord," were able to defeat the soldiers Kerbogi.
next stage was Jerusalem.He managed to capture only at the cost of thousands of lives.We had to fill a moat around the city to come to the fort walls.After the capture of the city, according to the chronicles, it began the massacre, and after the robbery.According to the chronicler, in Jerusalem a few days destroyed more than seventy thousand citizens.
Thus, the results of the first crusade has been mixed and divided the history of the Middle East and Europe for the periods "before him" and "after."
Consequences campaign
can call following the results of the First Crusade.
Firstly, it is the only time when they were fully achieved the objectives set initially.
Secondly, met with Eastern culture, having received property, land, servants, many of the soldiers did not want to return home.They settled down and gradually took over the culture of the local people.
But the main event that took place during the years of the First Crusade was the establishment of four new Christian states.They were scattered all over the Levant (the region, which included the south of modern Turkey and the Middle East), governed by different feudal lords, and lasted about a century.
So, the first was formed county of Edessa.Actually, the name it has been named the capital.He founded his Bois de Baldwin, one of three brothers - Lorraine Knights.It is separated from the army of the Crusaders back in 1098, on the way to Antioch, and went to the east.There he won this territory, and created their own state, which lasted nearly half a century.
In the same year, and formed the principality of Antioch.Its founder and became the ruler of Bohemond of Tarentum, which we mentioned earlier.State lasted one hundred and seventy years.
