During the 11th and 12th centuries, the Christian nations held most of Europe, and Muslim advances had been stopped for the most part. The only nation that remained threatened by the Arab advances were the Byzantines. This threat to the Byzantine Empire sparked the Crusades, a series of military campaigns with the purpose of recapturing Christian holy sites. These campaigns gave more power to the Pope, and the campaign also gave more power to the Christian nations that participated. The primary reason the Europeans joined the Crusades was religious motivation and the will to drive Muslims out of the Holy Land. The Europeans believed that spreading Christianity and driving Muslims out of the Holy Land was justified by God. First, the Pope
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First, the Crusaders believed that Jerusalem was rightfully theirs. This stubbornness hindered any sort of diplomacy between the Christians and Muslims, and prevented the Crusades from ending peacefully. Second, the Crusaders believed that Muslims were mistreating the city. The Crusaders wanted to protect their city from further harm while also limiting Muslim influence in the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. By doing so, the Crusaders could limit uprisings and greatly shrink the chances of losing the city again. Third, the reason why the Crusades began in the first place was because many Christian holy sites had been taken over by Muslims. In 1095, the Byzantines asked the Pope for support in reclaiming Jerusalem, and this action began the first Crusade. Through studying the Crusades and the events that led up to these military campaigns, historians can learn more about modern religious violence in the Middle East. The Crusades also provides a historic background for conflicts that have occurred in the area during the past one hundred …show more content…
First, as Christianity spread to new areas, it linked nations under the “Peace of God.” Nations previously bitter towards one another were now unified under the common goal to spread Christianity and drive Muslims out of the Holy Land. Second, the rest of the world now knew that the Pope could call upon a massive army in a very short period of time. By showing the rest of the world the capabilities of the Christian nations, it was less likely that another series of military campaigns similar to the Crusades would begin. Third, the Christian nations and the Pope gained control over important land in the Middle East. By doing this, the Christian nations regained their Holy Land, strengthening Christianity. The strength that the Pope gained during this time period explains why the Papacy was so important later in history. The power that the Pope gained during the Crusades continued to be relevant for the next hundred years. The Crusades were a very significant part of history. The Crusades assisted in the development of religious tension between groups. The Crusades also provide insight into a lot of the religious violence of today, and explains some of the complex alliances that remained a key part in European diplomacy for hundreds of years after the Crusades. This complex system of allies and enemies played a major role in starting World
First, the Crusaders believed that Jerusalem was rightfully theirs. This stubbornness hindered any sort of diplomacy between the Christians and Muslims, and prevented the Crusades from ending peacefully. Second, the Crusaders believed that Muslims were mistreating the city. The Crusaders wanted to protect their city from further harm while also limiting Muslim influence in the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. By doing so, the Crusaders could limit uprisings and greatly shrink the chances of losing the city again. Third, the reason why the Crusades began in the first place was because many Christian holy sites had been taken over by Muslims. In 1095, the Byzantines asked the Pope for support in reclaiming Jerusalem, and this action began the first Crusade. Through studying the Crusades and the events that led up to these military campaigns, historians can learn more about modern religious violence in the Middle East. The Crusades also provides a historic background for conflicts that have occurred in the area during the past one hundred …show more content…
First, as Christianity spread to new areas, it linked nations under the “Peace of God.” Nations previously bitter towards one another were now unified under the common goal to spread Christianity and drive Muslims out of the Holy Land. Second, the rest of the world now knew that the Pope could call upon a massive army in a very short period of time. By showing the rest of the world the capabilities of the Christian nations, it was less likely that another series of military campaigns similar to the Crusades would begin. Third, the Christian nations and the Pope gained control over important land in the Middle East. By doing this, the Christian nations regained their Holy Land, strengthening Christianity. The strength that the Pope gained during this time period explains why the Papacy was so important later in history. The power that the Pope gained during the Crusades continued to be relevant for the next hundred years. The Crusades were a very significant part of history. The Crusades assisted in the development of religious tension between groups. The Crusades also provide insight into a lot of the religious violence of today, and explains some of the complex alliances that remained a key part in European diplomacy for hundreds of years after the Crusades. This complex system of allies and enemies played a major role in starting World