How the Crusades lead Western Europe into the Renaissance
By Ravi Cho
The Renaissance would not have occurred had it not been for the Crusades or a Crusades like event. The First Crusade took place in 1095 when Pope Leo II declared that it was a Christian believer’s duty to fight for God and to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims who occupied it. The Crusades lasted until 1291. One of the greatest and lasting effects that the Crusades had on the Western European region is that it lead to newly established trade relationships with other world powers. Another event that took place during the Crusades was the end of feudalism which meant millions of serfs were not under the oppression of the lords and nobles, at least theoretically. There are, however, reasons to believe why the Crusades was not a necessary link to the Renaissance. While these points are valid, I believe there are more compelling reasons that the Crusades were a necessary link to the Renaissance. One impact that the Crusades had was that several new trade relationships were established. When the European crusaders came into contact with the Muslims, they were introduced to several new items such as spices and …show more content…
The Renaissance was not a move away from religion, in fact, many of the famous artists of the time are known for their religious works. According to critics, the Renaissance did not effect a large amount of the Western European population. It only effected a small amount of very wealthy people and those who they chose to sponsor. Therefore, it may have been a revival from the Dark Ages, but only for a small percentage of the population. This argument is extreme because although it is true that notable artists during the Renaissance were few and far between, many people were still able to break away from the Dark Ages to some degree. One example of this is how serfs were able to create a new merchant
By Ravi Cho
The Renaissance would not have occurred had it not been for the Crusades or a Crusades like event. The First Crusade took place in 1095 when Pope Leo II declared that it was a Christian believer’s duty to fight for God and to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims who occupied it. The Crusades lasted until 1291. One of the greatest and lasting effects that the Crusades had on the Western European region is that it lead to newly established trade relationships with other world powers. Another event that took place during the Crusades was the end of feudalism which meant millions of serfs were not under the oppression of the lords and nobles, at least theoretically. There are, however, reasons to believe why the Crusades was not a necessary link to the Renaissance. While these points are valid, I believe there are more compelling reasons that the Crusades were a necessary link to the Renaissance. One impact that the Crusades had was that several new trade relationships were established. When the European crusaders came into contact with the Muslims, they were introduced to several new items such as spices and …show more content…
The Renaissance was not a move away from religion, in fact, many of the famous artists of the time are known for their religious works. According to critics, the Renaissance did not effect a large amount of the Western European population. It only effected a small amount of very wealthy people and those who they chose to sponsor. Therefore, it may have been a revival from the Dark Ages, but only for a small percentage of the population. This argument is extreme because although it is true that notable artists during the Renaissance were few and far between, many people were still able to break away from the Dark Ages to some degree. One example of this is how serfs were able to create a new merchant