The Crusades

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The Crusades
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Church and Politics
Importance of the Church
The pope was the head of the church. The Crusades
were the wars fought between the Christians and
the Muslims over the Holy Land.
The kingdoms in Europe were tied by religion
because nearly everyone was Christian. Because
Christianity was so important in Europe, the
Christian church gained a great deal of influence.
New goods were brought back and trade increased
between Europe and Asia. Relations with Muslims
worsened.
The Christian Church and Society
Church and Art
Church and Daily Life
Painters and sculptors used religious subjects in
their works.
Most people worshipped at small local churches.
Most music and literature centered on religious
themes. Greatest examples of religious art were
church buildings. Gothic architecture is known
for its high pointed ceilings, tall towers,
stained glass windows.
Markets, festivals, ceremonies all took place at
the church. Local priests advised people how to
live. People could not read or write, they
depended on the church to keep records.
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Role of Church in Middle Ages

• Never was there a time when the Church was so
  powerful in Western Civilization.
• The Church was led by popes. Priests and nuns
  converted, gave care to people

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Role of Church

• Monks were spiritual leaders (obviously)
• They lived in monasteries that acted like trade
  schools and YMCAs

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Role of Church

• They spent years transcribing the Bible since the
  printing press wasnt used in Europe yet.

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Churches and Cathedrals during the Middle Ages
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History of Stained Glass
Stained glass, considered a precious object, was
linked in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries to
the aesthetics of precious stones and metalwork
it therefore received a place of honor in the
building that housed it.
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Stained glass was viewed as the light that is
strongly associated in the Christian religion as
holy or God-like.
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These transparent tapestries carry messages about
the history of salvation and were used to tell
stories, allow parents to teach children simple
lessons, help theologians explain complex
lessons, enable worshippers to focus on images as
they meditate or prayand, of course they light a
dark church in a colorful and decorative way.
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Glass was made from one part river sand and two
parts from the pot-ash from dried beech-wood.
How were different colors created? Well, you may
not have thought about it before, but stained
glass workers were chemists. Colors were created
from different elements. The famous medieval
blues were obtained from cobalt oxide, ruby red
from copper oxide, green from iron oxide, and
yellow from soot or sulfur.
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Rose windows are particularly characteristic of
Gothic architecture and may be seen in all the
major Gothic Cathedrals of Northern France.
Their origins are much earlier and rose windows
may be seen in various forms throughout the
Medieval period. Their popularity was revived,
with other medieval features, during the Gothic
revival of the 19th century so that they are seen
in Christian churches all over the world.
What are Rose Windows?

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Role of Church

• Since there were no strong empires or kingdoms
  the Church was one organization that had respect
  and power.
• Popes were more powerful than kings!

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Crusades

• The Crusades were a series of battles between
  Christians and Muslims in the Middle East.
• Christian knights wanted to take the Holy Land
  and give it back to Christians

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The Call to Arms

• Pope Urban II called for the defeat of the Turks,
  returning the Holy Land to the Christians

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Causes of the Crusades

• Christians wanted to liberate the Holy Land from
  the Muslims
• Knights and lords were promised land if they
  fought
• The popes plea to protect Christian pilgrimages
  to Jerusalem

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Who Answered the Call?

• Feudal Lords
• Knights
• Peasants

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The First Crusade (1096-1099)

• Peasant army
• Untrained
• Lacked military equipment
• Many killed by Muslim Turks
• Knights
• Succeeded in capturing Jerusalem

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Second Crusade (1147-1149)

• After victory many Christians went back home.
• The Turks eventually took back much of the
  territory.
• King of France and Emperor of Germany sent troops
  to stop the Turks.

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Second Crusade (1147-1149)

• Saladin leads the Muslim Turks to victory,
  defeating the Christians
• He was considered a very wise ruler. He was
  known for his sometimes kind treatment of fallen
  enemies. Many Christians saw him as a model of
  knightly chivalry.

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Third Crusade (1189-1192)

• King Richard of England convinces the Turks to
  allow Christians to visit the Holy Land

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Crusades Continue Through 1200s

• Several more crusades attempted with no victories
  for the Christians
• Childrens crusade, - 30,000 soldiers - many of
  them under 12 years old Never made it to the
  Holy Land

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Why was Constantinople so important
geographically?
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Impact of the Crusades

• Persecution of Jews and Muslims
• Economic development via trade
• Thousands of people died
• Cultural diffusion
• Decline of feudalism due to a labor shortage