The history of mankind is, unfortunately, not always a world of discoveries and achievements, but often a chain of a myriad of wars. These include the crusades that took place from the 11th to the 13th centuries. This article will help you understand the reasons and reasons, as well as trace the chronology. It is accompanied by a table compiled on the theme of the Crusades, containing the most important dates, names and events.
Defining the concepts of "crusade" and "crusader"
The crusade is an armed offensive of the Christian army to the Muslim East, which lasted a total of about 200 years (1096-1270) and was expressed in at least eight organized performances of troops from Western European countries. In a later period, this was the name of any military campaign with the aim of converting to Christianity and expanding the influence of the medieval Catholic Church.
Crusader is a participant in such a campaign. On the right shoulder he had a stripe in the form of a Catholic cross. The same image was applied to the helmet and flags.
Reasons, occasions, goals of hikes
The military demonstrations were organized by the Catholic Church. The formal reason was the fight against Muslims in order to liberateHoly Sepulcher located in the Holy Land (Palestine). In the modern sense, this territory includes such states as Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Gaza Strip, Jordan and a number of others.
No one doubted the success. At that time, it was believed that anyone who became a crusader would receive the forgiveness of all sins. Therefore, joining these ranks was popular with both knights and urban residents, peasants. The latter, in exchange for participation in the crusade, received liberation from serfdom. In addition, for European kings, the crusade was an opportunity to get rid of powerful feudal lords, whose power grew as their holdings increased. We althy merchants and townspeople saw economic opportunity in military conquest. And the very highest clergy, led by the popes, considered the crusades as a way to strengthen the power of the church.
Beginning and end of the Crusader era
1 The crusade began on August 15, 1096, when a disorganized crowd of 50,000 peasants and the urban poor set off on a campaign without supplies or training. Basically, they were engaged in looting (because they considered themselves the soldiers of God, who own everything in this world) and attacked the Jews (who were considered the descendants of the murderers of Christ). But within a year this army was destroyed by the Hungarians who met along the way, and then by the Turks. Following the crowd of the poor, well-trained knights went on a crusade. Already by 1099 they reached Jerusalem, capturing the city and killing a large number of inhabitants. These events andthe formation of a territory called the Kingdom of Jerusalem ended the active period of the first campaign. Further conquests (until 1101) were aimed at strengthening the conquered borders.
The last crusade (eighth) began on June 18, 1270 with the landing of the army of the French ruler Louis IX in Tunisia. However, this performance ended unsuccessfully: even before the start of the battles, the king died of a pestilence, which forced the crusaders to return home. During this period, the influence of Christianity in Palestine was minimal, and Muslims, on the contrary, strengthened their positions. As a result, they captured the city of Acre, which put an end to the era of the Crusades.
1-4th crusades (table)
| Years of the Crusades | Leaders and/or main events | Results | |
| 1 Crusade | 1096-1101 |
Duke Gottfried of Bouillon, Duke Robert of Normandy and others. The capture of the cities of Nicaea, Edessa, Jerusalem and others. |
Proclamation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem |
| 2nd Crusade | 1147-1148 | King Louis VII of France, King Conrad III of Germany | The defeat of the crusaders, the surrender of Jerusalem to the army of the Egyptian ruler Salah ad-Din |
| 3rd Crusade | 1189-1192 |
King of Germany and Emperor of the Roman Empire Frederick IBarbarossa, French king Philip II and English king Richard I the Lionheart The capture of the port city of Acre on June 11, 1191 |
Conclusion of an agreement with Salah ad-Din by Richard I (unfavorable for Christians) |
| 4th Crusade | 1202-1204 | The capture and sack of the Byzantine city of Constantinople on April 13, 1204 | Division of Byzantine lands |
5th-8th crusades (table)
| Years of the Crusades | Leaders and major events | Results | |
| 5th Crusade | 1217-1221 |
Duke Leopold VI of Austria, King Andrew II of Hungary and others. Trip to Palestine and Egypt. |
Failure of offensive in Egypt and talks on Jerusalem due to lack of unity in leadership |
| 6th Crusade | 1228-1229 |
German King and Emperor of the Roman Empire Frederick II Staufen Jerusalem taken on March 18, 1229 |
The capture of Jerusalem by an agreement with the Egyptian Sultan In 1244 the city again passed into the hands of Muslims |
| 7th Crusade | 1248-1254 |
French King Louis IX Saint Trip to Egypt |
The defeat of the crusaders, the capture of the kingfollowed by a ransom and return home |
| 8th Crusade | 1270 |
Saint Louis IX June 18, 1270 - landing in Tunisia. |
The campaign was curtailed due to an epidemic of pestilence and the death of the king |
Results
How successful the numerous crusades were, the table shows clearly. Among historians, there is no unequivocal opinion on how these events influenced the life of Western European peoples.
Some experts believe that the Crusades opened the way to the East, establishing new economic and cultural ties. Others point out that it could have been done more successfully peacefully. Especially since the last crusade ended in an outright defeat.
One way or another, significant changes have taken place in Western Europe itself: the strengthening of the influence of the popes, as well as the power of kings; the impoverishment of the nobility and the rise of urban communities; the emergence of a class of free farmers from former serfs who gained freedom through participation in the crusades.
