The Crusades

p. 378 – 386 in your book

Church Reform

• Europe years 500-1000 called the “Dark Ages”– Continuous invaders from south (Magyars)

and west (Vikings)– Destroyed centers of learning

• Lead to a spiritual revival– Church began restructuring / massive

building projects (Cathedrals)

Why Reform?

Reformers concerned with 3 Main Issues1. Priests marrying

2. Selling Church positions or simony

3. Lay investiture

Church’s Problems•Illiterate priests

•Morally corrupt Popes•Greedy bishops and Abbots

Reform & Church Organization

1100s and 1200s - Church restructured to resemble a Kingdom with Pope at head– Developed canon law (the

law of the church) for marriage, divorce, inheritance

• Pope’s established their authority throughout the Empire – Enforced laws against

simony and priests marrying

New Religious Orders

• Dominicans – Emphasized

importance of study– Many Dominicans

were scholars

• Franciscans– Treated all creatures

as spiritual brothers and sisters

Women could join the order too, but were not allowed to travel and preach.

Cathedrals – Cities of God

Gothic Cathedrals

• From the Goths, Germanic tribe

• Thrust upward / reaching for God

• Large stained glass windows, sculptures, wood-carvings

• Meant to inspire the worshiper

• Nearly 500 built between 1170 - 1270

Review from Yesterday

• Characteristics of Cathedrals

• What caused the “dark ages”?

• How did the Church react to the dark ages?

The Crusades

What are they?

• Muslim Turks threatening to conquer Constantinople (capital of Byzantine Empire)

• Byzantine Emperor pleads for help

• Pope Urban II – issued a call for a “holy war” to gain control of the Holy Land

• Next 300 years littered with Crusades against the Muslims.

The Crusades

• Here’s a video giving you an introduction to the conflict

• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/9300-the-medieval-era-the-setting-for-the-crusades-video.htm

Goals of the Crusades• Economic

– Merchants profited by giving loans to fund the journey– Leased ships to transport armies across

Mediterranean– Take trade routes from Muslim traders

• Social– Younger sons, who would not inherit property saw it

as a chance to claim land• Political

– Get rid of fighting knights who threatened peace and church property

• Religious– Reclaim Palestine and reunite Christians (was split

East & West)– Stop Muslim attacks

1st and 2nd Crusades

• All classes gathered in Constantinople

• ill-prepared for war – didn’t know climate, geography, culture

• No strategy and no leader• All were promised a spot in

heaven• Most were French –

Bohemians, Germans, Englishmen, Scots, Italians and Spaniards joined as well

The First Crusade was launched in 1097

1st Crusade

• An army of 12k approached Jerusalem, and besieged the city for a month

• Capture the city in 1099

• Victory was a narrow strip of land

2nd Crusade

• These newly formed Christian states were vulnerable to Muslim counterattack

• 1144 – Edessa reconquered by Turks

• 2nd Crusade organized to recapture the city – it failed in 1187

• Jerusalem had been captured by Saladin a Muslim leader

3rd Crusade to Recapture Jerusalem

• Video • Led by 3 of

Europe’s most powerful monarchs– Phillip II of France– Frederick I of

Germany– Richard the Lion

Hearted of England

– What eventually happened in 1192?

The Effects of the Crusades

• Watch this video: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/9302-the-medieval-era-crusades-end-video.htm

• What were some of the effects of the Crusades?