The Crusades

[Perikles]

Guide to the crusades

Most definitely WIP, any additions are welcome! Corrections are not.... Any one with a better knowledge than me feel free to correct me, because I am sure you will find some mistakes!

Introduction

As a person who did not really understand the crusades, I thought I would start this guide so I and others could.

The First Crusade

After the Turks attacked the Byzantines, Pope Urban II called for all Christians to take up arms against the Muslims, in 1095. By 1099 the crusaders had captured Jerusalem and set up many Crusader States in the area around what is now Israel, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The First Crusade succeeded in establishing the "Crusader States" of Edessa, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Tripoli in Palestine and Syria. These were garrisoned by the 'order' such as the Templars, Hospitillars etc.

Images
Map of Crusader States in 1100

The Second Crusade

In 1147, after a few years of peace, the Turks conquered the town of Edessa prompting the Christians to call a second crusade. This crusade was a failure and had no notable victories, actually hindering the survival of the Crusader States by attacking Damascus. Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany the leaders of the crusade returned home in 1149.

The Fall of Jerusalem

In 1178, King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem began to build a massive fortress on the River Jordan, just one days ride from Damascus. Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and much of the Middle East, greatly feared this new fortress and offered to pay baldwin large amounts of money if he stopped the construction. Baldwin refused and continued to build. At the beginning of 1179 several skirmishes took place, although not decisive, they forced Baldwin to go to Jerusalem to regroup. Saladin saw his opportunity and laid siege to the uncompleted fortress, that only had one ring of walls, whereas it should have been concentric. After just 5 days the fortress fell, and the defenders numbering around 1500 were slaughtered or enslaved.
The Battle of Hattin was yet another decisive victory for Saladin and it stripped Jerusalem of nearly all it's defenders. The kingdom had been deeply weakened by this loss and after a series of defeats Jerusalem fell to Saladin in 1187.

The Third Crusade

After the capture of Jerusalem by the Muslims, Pope Gregory VIII called for a crusade to recapture it. Many European countries participated including several of Europe's most important leaders: Philip II of France, Richard I of England (Richard Couer de Lion) and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor (Barbarosa). Frederick drowned in Cilicia in 1190, leaving the French and English in charge, an uneasy alliance. The French left in 1191 after the Crusaders had recaptured Acre from the Muslims. After defeating the Muslims at the battle of Arsuf they came in sight of Jerusalem. But Richard made a truce with Saladin, Sultan of Egypt, and returned home.

The Fourth Crusade

In 1202 Pope Innocent III called for another crusade to recapture the Holy city of Jerusalem. The plan was to invade the Holy land through Egypt, but the Venetians, under Doge Enrico Dandolo, took over the crusade and diverted it to Constantinople where they hoped to place a Byzantine exile on the throne. The city was then sacked after it's failure.

The Fifth Crusade

This Crusade originated from Hungary, Austria, and Bavaria and managed to capture the city of Damietta in Egypt in 1219, which was no mean feat. After the early sucesses of this Crusade they were stopped and destroyed after a foolhardy attack on Cairo.

The Sixth Crusade

Emperor Frederick II of the HRE sailed for Syria in 1228, even though he had been excommunicated by the Pope Gregory IX. Through diplomacy he achieved the 'capture' of Sidon, Jaffa, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem, except the Dome of the Rock, which is sacred to Muslims. The truce which had taken place expired in 1239 and Jerusalem was re-taken by the Mamluks in 1244.

The Seventh Crusade

Even though Jerusalem had been re-taken by the Muslims, there was no immediate rush for a Crusade as most European powers were busy dealing with other wars. However the French under Louis IX declared in 1245 that they intended to go to the Middle East. After 3 years of collecting money and building an army they set sail from Southeren France. After visiting Cyprus the army of 20,000 landed at Damietta on the Nile, which was taken on the 6 June. Louis wanted to use Egypt as a base to re-take the Holy Lands, due to it's location, wealth and abundance of crop. After a series of battles with no side gaining an advantage louis ran out of money in 1254 and returned home.

The Eighth Crusade

Louis IX launched another crusade in 1270, this time the target was Tunis, which could be used as a base to attack Egypt. Louis stayed in Tunis for 2 months before dying (August 25), so Charles the King of Naples then took command of the crusade. The siege of Tunis was abandoned on the 30 October with a truce between the Sultan and the Crusaders. In the pact the Crusaders gained the right to free trade with Tunis.

The Ninth Crusade

Prince Edward of England, after trying to join the Eighth Crusade but been too late, sailed onwards to the Holy land. The remnants of that crusade then joined him and they reinforced the remaining Crusader States. The Crusaders managed to destroy the Muslim fleet that tried to take Cyprus and the muslims were pushed back. When news arrived of Henry III's death in England, Edward returned home to be crowned. A truce was called during this period.

Aftermath of Crusades

In 1291, the Sultan besieged Acre, hoping to re-take the last Crusader settlement in the Holy Land. When the city fell, they killed 60,000 of the population and enslaved the rest. With the fall of Acre the crusades came to an end, about 200 years after the first had been called. However it is debatable if the Crusades are still on going today....


Notes

Historians argue which crusade actually came first. The one which was formed after the proclomation of Urban II would be considered the "First Crusade", but there had been countless other crusades prior this period, which were undertook by the Byzantine Emperors.
For the sake of my sanity and yours I have created this guide so it conforms to the most widely used way.


Associated Images
Crac des Chevaliers Fortress


Reference
BBC Timewatch Website
Wikipedia Crusades Articles

Thanks
Thanks go to these honourable people for helping:

the Black Prince
therussian

[Perikles]

Updated

[hellheaven1987]

How about the Crusade lead by Saint Louis?

[Perikles]

He led the Seventh Crusade and then the Eighth Crusade. Remember this is WIP! If anyone would like to make any suggestions post here/PM me.

[therussian]

Er, some historians would argue which crusade was first. Technically, the one which was formed after the proclomation of Urban II would be considered the "First Crusade", but there had been countless other crusades prior this period, which were undertook by the Byzantine Emperors. THe first was Heraclius, and he was able to succesfully retake the Levant and hold it. Then came Nicophorus Phocas, the White Death of the Saracens (one of my favourite generals), inn the 10th century, who crushed the Arab armies. Unfortunately, his succesor John Tzimices, while still being a superb Emperor, could not hold the Levant completely, and Basil II Bulgaroctonus paid little attention to this area of the Empire, do to the Bulgar wars threatening the Balkans.

[Perikles]

Er, some historians would argue which crusade was first. Technically, the one which was formed after the proclomation of Urban II would be considered the "First Crusade", but there had been countless other crusades prior this period, which were undertook by the Byzantine Emperors. THe first was Heraclius, and he was able to succesfully retake the Levant and hold it. Then came Nicophorus Phocas, the White Death of the Saracens (one of my favourite generals), inn the 10th century, who crushed the Arab armies. Unfortunately, his succesor John Tzimices, while still being a superb Emperor, could not hold the Levant completely, and Basil II Bulgaroctonus paid little attention to this area of the Empire, do to the Bulgar wars threatening the Balkans.

Don't make my life difficult!
I am going to use the set up I have used, because it is the most widely accepted. But I shall add excerpts of this to the beginning....

[therussian]

Haha, just pointing it out.

[hellheaven1987]

Byzantium's war with Muslim is not a Crusade. It is because the Bishop of Orthodox didn't support the war, so the war between Byzantium and Muslim was not a religion war.

[hellheaven1987]

How about "People's Crusade"? It was started before First Crusade.

[Final Frontier]

Byzantium's war with Muslim is not a Crusade. It is because the Bishop of Orthodox didn't support the war, so the war between Byzantium and Muslim was not a religion war.

To add on: Heraclius wasn't fighting against the Muslims, he was up against the Sassanids. (You said he reached the Levant, which he was only able to do while he battling the Sassanids. After the Arabs came in he was too weak to do much)

[hellheaven1987]

Another add-on, the Arab actually sieged Constantinople two times. All were in 8 century.

[therussian]

Byzantium's war with Muslim is not a Crusade. It is because the Bishop of Orthodox didn't support the war, so the war between Byzantium and Muslim was not a religion war.

That's true, but both John and Nicophorus claimed it to be a religious war to quench the anger of the Patriarch against them.

I quote from "History of the Crusades, Volume I" by Steven Runciman

But both Nicehporus and John declared that the struggle was now for the glory of Christendom, for the rescue of the holy places and for the destruction of Islam. Already when an Emperor celebrated a triumph over the Saracens the choirs sang : "Glory be to God, Who has conquered the Saracens." Nicephorus emphasized that his wars were Christian war, partly, perhaps, in an attempt to counteract his bad relations with the Church. He failed to induce the Patriarch to support a decree announcing that soldiers dying on the eastern front died as martyrs; for to the eastern Church even the exigencies of war did not entirely excuse the act of murder. But in his insulting manifesto to the Caliph...he saw himself as the Christian champion, and even threatened to march on Mecca, to establish there the throne of Christ. John Tzimesces used the same language.

[hellheaven1987]

However, I heard actually Orthdox's church opposed the war. One account I have read is the church refused to honor the soldiers died during the battle, because the bishop believed it was wrong to commit a war, under the teaching of Bible. (the exact account I will post it later, as I need to go back and find it out.)