Part One: The Crusades

The Formation of Western Europe

The Crusades

The Beginning• The Age of Faith inspired

wars of conquest• 1093 - Byzantine emperor

sent letter asking for help defend Constantinople against the Muslim Turks

• Pope Urban II read it, issued a call for a Crusade - “holy war”

Goals of the Crusades• Regain control of the Holy

Land (Palestine)• Get rid of quarreling knights

who threatened peace• Younger sons hoped to earn

land or win glory• Later, merchants got involved

for profit and to gain trade routes

The First Crusade• Pope assured those who died a place in heaven• Early 1097 - 3 armies gathered at Constantinople

– People of all classes– Unprepared, couldn’t agree on a leader

• 1099 - 12,000 Crusaders captured Constantinople

The Crusades continued…• Crusaders captured 650

miles of land and divided it into 4 feudal Crusader states

• 1144 - Muslims take back Edessa; could not be regained in the Second Crusade

• 1187 - Jerusalem fell to Muslim leader, Kurdish warrior Saladin

Third Crusade

• Third Crusade led by three powerful rulers• Philip II - France• Frederick I - German emperor• Richard the Lion-Hearted - king of England

• Phillip II abandons Crusade after arguing with Richard and Frederick I drowned

• 1192 - Richard and Saladin make peace after many battles

• Saladin kept Jerusalem but allowed Christian pilgrims to visit the city

Crusading Spirit Dwindles• Fourth Crusade: Crusaders

loot Constantinople in 1204• Two more Crusades strike

Egypt, but fail to weaken Muslims

• 1212 - thousands of children set out on a “Children’s Crusade” to conquer Jerusalem• Most died or were enslaved

• Most of Spain controlled by Moors, a Muslim people

• During the Reconquista - Christians drove Muslimsfrom Spain, 1100 to 1492

• Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella used the Inquisition to unify the country under Christianity• Court to suppress heresy; • Non-Christians were expelled,

tortured, killed

Effects of the Crusades

• Crusades showed the power of Church in convincing thousands to fight

• Women who stayed home manage the estate and business affairs

• Merchants expand trade between Europe and SW Asia• Failure of later crusades weakens pope and nobles,

strengthens kings• Crusades create lasting bitterness between Muslims and

Christians

Part Two: Changes in Medieval Society

The Formation of Western Europe800-1500

Economic Change #1: A Growing Food Supply

1. Warming temperatures = more usable land2. Harnessed horses replace oxen in pulling plows

and wagons• Horses plow 3X more each day

3. Around 800, starting using a three-field system• Two fields would be planted, let one rest

• All led to increased food supply which = an population increase

Economic Change #2:The Development of Guilds

• Guilds developed• Organization of people in the same occupation working together

to improve economic and social conditions of its members• Merchant guilds begin first

• Controlled number of goods to keep prices up• Skilled artisans formed craft guilds (men and women)

• Set standards for quality, prices, wages, working conditions• Guilds supervise training of new members of their craft

• Apprentice, Journeyman, Master• Guilds made more, better products available to everyone• Influenced government and economy

Commercial Revolution• Expansion of agriculture, business and trade known

as the Commercial Revolution• Trade fairs were held several times a year in town

– People came from all around– Shift from everything being produced on a manor

• Trade routes expanded to Asia, N. Africa, Byzantium• Increased business made merchants more willing to

take chances– Bills of exchange helped w/ different coinage systems– Letters of credit to avoid need for carrying cash – The Church forbid lending money at interest - usury

For Next Class…

• Terms• Final Project