The Crusades

Since the beginning of the Christian Era, the city of Jerusalem remained a central focus of pilgrimages for those wanting to find a guarantee for the forgiveness of sins, or seeking a healing of their bodies or souls by touching places where Jesus was known to have been. This was also a Holy City for Moslems and Jews, who peacefully shared the Holy Land with the Christians. In 1071, an intolerant tribe of Moslem Turks captured the city, desecrating Christian shrines, killing Christian settlers and persecuting pilgrims. At the same time other Turkish tribes threatened to conquer the Byzantine Empire and drive out all the Christian influences. The Byzantine Emperor at Constantinople appealed to the Pope at Rome for assistance. In 1095, Pope Urban II called upon all the Christian faithful to "take up the cross" and rescue Christ’s Sepulcher from the infidels.

In the spring of 1096 the First Crusade was begun by a collection of peasants, beggars, vagrants, women and children left their homes in France and the Rhineland led by Peter the Hermit. Many of them were killed and scattered in Hungary after the motley Crusaders looted, murdered and committed other atrocities as they passed through. Others continued on to Constantinople where further disturbances were recorded. Most were later slaughtered by Turks as they pushed into Asia Minor.

The Prince’s Crusade was conducted by European princes, barons and knights who sailed to Asia Minor in 1097 along with a company of monks, professional warriors, merchants, farm hands, vagabonds and criminals. They captured Jerusalem in 1098 but were besieged by a powerful Turkish army. The morale of the Crusaders was dampened by deaths and desertions until the Spear of Destiny was discovered. On July 15, 1099 they recaptured the city and knelt at the Sepulcher of Christ, covered in Turkish blood. The Celtic nobility established a Kingdom of Jerusalem and ruled for nearly 100 years until the Moslems once again captured the Holy City.

The Second Crusade was led by the kings of France and Germany in 1147 to 1149. It was a poorly managed campaign that accomplished little, but allowed thousands of Celtic Crusaders to migrate into Asia Minor. The Third Crusade, in 1189 was led by the most powerful leaders in Europe: The German Emperor Frederick I, called Barbarossa; Philip Augustus, King of France, and King Richard the Lion-Hearted of England. The German emperor drowned while crossing a river in Asia Minor, and a longstanding hatred between Philip and Richard caused the French king to return home. King Richard continued on to Jerusalem and finally succeeded in negotiating a three year treaty with the Turkish king, Saladin to permit Christians to visit the Holy City undisturbed.

Later Crusades were conducted through the Thirteenth Century to attempt a capture of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, but none were successful. The Crusades did accomplish other changes however, by introducing a flow of Eastern trade into Europe, with such imports as Oriental rugs and perfumes, cane sugar, rice, garlic, lemons, muslin, silk and satin. It also weakened the feudal system of Europe, allowing an increase in small landowners and merchants. Interest in geography and other cultures increased as well, and many Crusaders converted to the Moslem religion. The exposure of thousands of Celtic warriors to Eastern lands also gave the people a more Compassionate view of the world. Romans and Celts fought side by side, and eventually gained a more compassionate view of the Moslems through the wisdom of their king, Saladin. Three powerful religious military orders grew out of this era to become the Knights Templar, The Teutonic Knights, and the Knights of St. John (Hospitalers). Other Crusaders returned home to lead violent campaigns of persecution against religious minority groups.