At the end of the 11th century, Western Europe had emerged as a significant power, causing a considerable amount of territory loss for the Byzantine Empire. After years of destruction and chaos from the civil war between the Seljuk Turks, General Alexius Comnenus sent envoys to Pope Urban II pleading for help to confront the Turkish threat. Little did he know that his cry for help would casue one of the biggest power struggles in history. Religious confliction, Pope Urban II, and the fight for the Holy Land all lead to what we know now as the Battle of the Crusades. The city of Jerusalem has held significant value to Christians for many centuries, being the birthplace of Lord Jesus Christ it became known as the Holy Land. Amongst Christians
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In November of 1095, the Pope called on Western Christians at the Council of Clermont in Southern France to take up arms and help aid the Byzantines in the recapture of the Holy Land. “When Jesus Christ summons you to his defence, let no base affection detain you in your homes; whoever will abandon his house, or his father, or his mother, or his wife, or his children or his inheritance, for the sake of my name shall be recompensed a hundred-fold, and possess life eternal.” Pope Urban’s plea was met by a tremendous response, low levels of the military elite, as well as ordinary citizens were determined to aid, the enthusiasm of the assembly burst into one voice as the shouted “Dieu le volt! Dieu le volt” meaning “It is the will of God! It is the will of God!”; those who joined the armed pilgrimage wore a red cross to symbolize the Church. Four armies of Crusaders led by Raymond of Saint-Gillies, Godfrey of Bouillon, Hugh of Vermandois and Bohemond of Taranto were set to depart for Byzantium in August of 1096. Unbenounced to Alexius a lesser organized group of knights and commoners known as the “People’s Crusade” under the command of a popular preacher known as Peter the Hermit, set out before the other armies through the Byzantine Empire. Opposing advice from Alexius to wait, the People’s Crusade crossed the Bosporus and enacted the first major clash between Crusaders and
In November of 1095, the Pope called on Western Christians at the Council of Clermont in Southern France to take up arms and help aid the Byzantines in the recapture of the Holy Land. “When Jesus Christ summons you to his defence, let no base affection detain you in your homes; whoever will abandon his house, or his father, or his mother, or his wife, or his children or his inheritance, for the sake of my name shall be recompensed a hundred-fold, and possess life eternal.” Pope Urban’s plea was met by a tremendous response, low levels of the military elite, as well as ordinary citizens were determined to aid, the enthusiasm of the assembly burst into one voice as the shouted “Dieu le volt! Dieu le volt” meaning “It is the will of God! It is the will of God!”; those who joined the armed pilgrimage wore a red cross to symbolize the Church. Four armies of Crusaders led by Raymond of Saint-Gillies, Godfrey of Bouillon, Hugh of Vermandois and Bohemond of Taranto were set to depart for Byzantium in August of 1096. Unbenounced to Alexius a lesser organized group of knights and commoners known as the “People’s Crusade” under the command of a popular preacher known as Peter the Hermit, set out before the other armies through the Byzantine Empire. Opposing advice from Alexius to wait, the People’s Crusade crossed the Bosporus and enacted the first major clash between Crusaders and