There are different, sometimes directly opposite, opinions about what the consequences of the Crusades were. The positive and negative results of these campaigns have been the subject of analysis by historians, philosophers, writers and religious figures.
Scientific discussion
European thinkers became actively interested in the era of the Crusades in the XVIII century. Their assessments of this historical period were quite different. Some scholars, such as Choiseul Daicourt, saw only positive aspects in the crusades. They noted such results as the revival of European interest in science, the emergence of trade relations between East and West, the interpenetration of cultures.
There were also those who negatively assessed both the crusades themselves and their consequences. This view was held by the philosophers Rousseau and W alter. They considered the Crusades to be senseless bloodshed and argued that the revival of science and culture in Europe was due to other reasons. Representatives of this camp notedalso that the Christian invasion provoked a reciprocal exasperation in the Islamic world and became the cause of religious intolerance that lasted for many centuries.
This scientific discussion continues in our time. However, while estimates may differ, there is consensus on historical facts.
The rise of shipping and trade
In Palestine and Byzantium, the crusaders discovered many goods previously unknown to the inhabitants of Western Europe. Among them are food products such as apricots, lemons, sugar, rice; fabrics - silk, velvet, chintz; luxury items - jewelry, carpets, glassware, upholstered furniture. Europeans appreciated oriental goods and were not going to refuse them even after they had to leave the Middle East.
There is no doubt that the effects of the Crusades on the Mediterranean trade were the most favorable. Italian merchants were the first to appreciate the prospects that opened up. Genoa and Venice, made rich during the Crusades and especially after the fall of Byzantium, prospered for several more centuries.
Rise of financial institutions
Extremely interesting are the consequences of the crusades for European economic institutions. The need to safely move money over long distances led to the emergence of IOUs that could be taken on the road instead of gold. The Order of the Knights Templar was responsible for issuing and cashing such checks. It was the first inEurope, an organization that has assumed intermediary functions in financial transactions.
The Templars, with the permission of the Catholic Church, were also engaged in issuing loans. If earlier usury was prosecuted and therefore was quite a risky business, now the situation has changed. The Templars concentrated in their hands a huge capital, which allowed them to give loans even to the monarchs of Europe. Subsequently, the unwillingness of the French king to repay the debt became the reason for the liquidation of the order. But after the defeat of the Templars, the financial instruments they invented were borrowed by Italian bankers.
Consequences of the Crusades for the Church
For the Vatican, the results of the campaigns organized by it turned out to be rather contradictory. At the initial stage, the Pope managed to achieve the consolidation of the entire Christian world. The revenues of the Catholic Church also increased significantly during this time. The political role of the Pope has also increased.
But it was these changes, according to many historians, that caused the decline of the Catholic Church. Members of the clergy surrounded themselves with luxury items and increasingly interfered in political processes. This undermined the authority of the church. Ultimately, the protest mood led to the reformation.
The Crusades themselves have become the subject of theological disputes. The causes and consequences of these campaigns have been variously assessed by religious thinkers. Questions about the admissibility of trading with pagans, borrowing cultural and scientific knowledge from them caused heated discussions in the church environment.
Military innovations
The Crusades led to the improvement of battle tactics and some types of weapons. Significant progress has been made in the construction of fortresses and other fortifications. In the Middle East, Europeans first met with a crossbow. An important result was also the realization of the importance of supplying the armies that went on a long campaign. Although militarily the consequences of the Crusades were disastrous for Christians, the military art of Europe has advanced significantly.
Levantines
Not all participants in the Crusades returned to their homeland after their completion. Part of the settlers from Europe remained in Lebanon, Palestine and Turkey after the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. They were mostly descendants of crusaders and merchants from France and Italy. They retained the Catholic faith and became known as Levantines. In the Ottoman Empire, they received some privileges and were mainly engaged in trade, shipbuilding and crafts.
The current position of the Catholic Church
Today, the Vatican is rather cautious about the consequences of the Crusades. The positive and negative aspects of the events that took place then are no longer the subject of public religious discussion. Instead, the church prefers to speak of moral responsibility for its past actions.
In 2004, when Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was visiting the Vatican, Pope John PaulII apologized for the capture of the Byzantine capital by the crusaders. He condemned the use of weapons against brothers in faith, noting the tragic consequences of the crusades for the church. The Patriarch of Constantinople commented briefly but wisely on the words of the Pontiff. "The spirit of reconciliation is stronger than hatred," said Bartholomew.
