The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of military pilgrimages ordered by Pope Urban II. He called for the First Crusade in 1095, begging Christian soldiers to chase Muslims out of the Holy Land. The Christians won, but Muslims vowed holy war on them, which lead to the next four crusades. Crusading finally ended in 1291 by an Egyptian dynasty that forced European invades out of Palestine and Syria.
The First Crusade lasted from 1096 C.E. to 1099 C.E.. Four men, Raymond of Saint-Gilles, Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond of Taranto, and Hugh of Vermandois, stepped up to lead the four armies of Christians that would commence the first Crusade. The armies had a specific day to begin, but several knights and commoners banned together under Peter the Hermit and headed out days before; they were known as the People's Crusade. They destroyed the Byzantine Empire as they marked toward Turkish forces. They ignored the advice to wait for the true Crusaders, and after clashing with the Turks and failing, a back up People's Crusade lead by Count Emicho stormed in to help, but instead conducted a large Jewish massacre. After the Crusaders return, Alexis, the man who had warned the Pope and taken charge of the armies, demanded the swear allegiance to him, as well as the Turkish land they retrieved. Bohemond was the only to refuse. In May, they attacked Nicea, a Turkish territory that surrendered later that June. Exactly a year later, they captured Antioch, a Syrian city. This began their march to Jerusalem, the Holy City. The governor surrendered-by force- in mid-July.
The Second Crusade began in 1147 and ended in 1149. After the First Crusade, many Crusaders went home, but those that remained established "Crusader states": Jerusalem, Edessa, Antioch, and Tripoli. They remained in power until 1130, when the Muslims started to gain power from their own Holy War. They captured Edessa in 1144; this called on the Second Crusade in 1147, lead by King Louis VII of France and King Conrad III of Germany. Conrad's forces fell to the Turks in October. After recuperating in Jerusalem, they attacked the Syrians, their army being the largest Crusading to that day. The Muslim army was called for backup, and defeated the Crusaders viciously, thus ending the Second Crusade.
The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192. After numerous attempts to capture Egypt, the Crusaders were forced out of Cairo. When Saladin rose to power, he campaigned against the Jerusalem Crusaders in 1187. After he destroyed the Christian army, war struck up. After the forces were defeated, a treaty was signed and ended the Third Crusade.
The First Crusade lasted from 1096 C.E. to 1099 C.E.. Four men, Raymond of Saint-Gilles, Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond of Taranto, and Hugh of Vermandois, stepped up to lead the four armies of Christians that would commence the first Crusade. The armies had a specific day to begin, but several knights and commoners banned together under Peter the Hermit and headed out days before; they were known as the People's Crusade. They destroyed the Byzantine Empire as they marked toward Turkish forces. They ignored the advice to wait for the true Crusaders, and after clashing with the Turks and failing, a back up People's Crusade lead by Count Emicho stormed in to help, but instead conducted a large Jewish massacre. After the Crusaders return, Alexis, the man who had warned the Pope and taken charge of the armies, demanded the swear allegiance to him, as well as the Turkish land they retrieved. Bohemond was the only to refuse. In May, they attacked Nicea, a Turkish territory that surrendered later that June. Exactly a year later, they captured Antioch, a Syrian city. This began their march to Jerusalem, the Holy City. The governor surrendered-by force- in mid-July.
The Second Crusade began in 1147 and ended in 1149. After the First Crusade, many Crusaders went home, but those that remained established "Crusader states": Jerusalem, Edessa, Antioch, and Tripoli. They remained in power until 1130, when the Muslims started to gain power from their own Holy War. They captured Edessa in 1144; this called on the Second Crusade in 1147, lead by King Louis VII of France and King Conrad III of Germany. Conrad's forces fell to the Turks in October. After recuperating in Jerusalem, they attacked the Syrians, their army being the largest Crusading to that day. The Muslim army was called for backup, and defeated the Crusaders viciously, thus ending the Second Crusade.
The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192. After numerous attempts to capture Egypt, the Crusaders were forced out of Cairo. When Saladin rose to power, he campaigned against the Jerusalem Crusaders in 1187. After he destroyed the Christian army, war struck up. After the forces were defeated, a treaty was signed and ended the Third Crusade.