History 3B Completed Paper
Introduction
By definition, crusades denote a series of military wars and campaigns that were organized by religious powers, mainly the Christians, to reclaim Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslims. A total of eight military campaigns were organized between the time 1095 CE as well as 1270 CE. However, there were equally several other unofficial campaigns, which have not been documented in the literature. Each of these campaigns had varying levels of success and failure. By and large, the broader goal of each campaign included recapturing Jerusalem as well as the Holy Land back to Christian hands. Even though his goal failed, the appeal of each campaigning persisted up to the 16th epoch. The purpose of this paper is to consider the social, political, and political forces that led to the crusades, the outcomes of these military campaigns, and how Europe was changed by these crusades.
Social, political, and Cultural Forces
Political Reasons
The First Crusade, which began in 1095 CE, had several political reasons. It responded to a plea from Alexius I, the Byzantine Emperor, for an urgent situation. In nearly fifty years following the first Crusade, the second one happened in response to the fall of Edessa during the time 1144. The two individuals that made the call included Pope Urban II as well as Pope Eugenius III. In particular, their motivations, to a greater extent, remained politically instigated. Some of these motivations included responding to threats to their allies, the urgency to address the needs and demands of the knightly classes, and the opportunity to expand their influence and power. In particular, the first and second crusades had political influences and motivations because they all responded to actual political threats. During the 11th era, the Byzantine regime faced increasing levels of threats from the Muslim Turks. For a long time, this regime had lost its land. Besides, a few years later, the Seljuks had captured Nicaea, a land that lay nearly one hundred kilometers from the Constantinople (Gerstel).
These threats had increased significantly by 1095 CE as Muslim groups attacked and took more lands, including the invasion of Adrianople. It forced the Byzantine regime to make an urgent appeal, calling for help from Pope at a church meeting held in 1095 in Piacenza. Thus, the fact that the Pope agreed to this call and initiated the first Crusade, years later, proved that he made attempts to fulfill his pledge. A similar political danger during 1145 also contributed to the Second Crusade. During the Second Crusade, the Muslims had captured Zingi, which was the primary Christian fortress. Muslims had also taken the city of Edessa in 1144, further expediting the need to recapture these areas from the Muslim power. An envoy sent to Pope reached him in 1145 and requested him to intervene. The Pope then called for the Second Crusade in response to what had become impending dangers to the Christian communities. It implied that political forces were at significant play in the development of these two crusades. In general, the Pope decided to initiate these crusades as a direct reiteration to the threats facing those seeking for help (Gerstel).
As mentioned early, another political force was the Pope’s wish to expand his power and influence across different areas. The First Crusade was launched because the Pope thought that it would increase his political influence. During this time, the Pope had increasing disagreements with the German Empire, which had sent anti-Pope campaigns throughout German. Thus, if the Pope managed to obtain the European nobles to his side and suppose the Crusade, it could show the German Empower his powers. Besides, the Pope’s influence was equally limited because he had no control over the Eastern Christian groups in Byzantine. It, hence, meant that a successful crusade could enhance his relationship with Byzantine and control it. However, this motive was significantly less apparent during the second Crusade. In the Second Crusade, the Pope did not try and avow his control over nobles and rulers but allowed the German and French rulers to propel the Crusade. In his sermons and letters, it appeared that the Pope had abandoned his earlier desire to reunite the Eastern and Western churches due to deteriorating relations with the Byzantines. It equally meant that the desire for influence, creating a papal monarchy, might have significantly influenced the first Crusade. In the second Crusade, it was not the case because the Pope understood that he was unlikely to enhance his position (Gerstel).
Social Reasons
A social dimension, in part, similarly played a significant role in the Crusades. In Particular, Jerusalem had an immense social significance and, therefore, remained a vital goal. For instance, this area was home to several holy sites, including the Calvary. These sites were highly attractive and valuable to pilgrims. For many years, people from different localities visited these places for diverse reasons. As such, the Pope might have desired to assist these people in continuing visiting these areas, leading to the First Crusade. Thus, his initial response was somewhat influenced by the notion that Jerusalem was under attack and that it needed his help. Similarly, available papal writings and sermons reveal that Muslims had started to pollute Jerusalem. In subsequent letters, this threat also instigated the Second Crusade, as the Catholics sought to preserve Jerusalem and its occupants from Muslim pollution.
Likewise, Jerusalem’s significance might have highly motivated both Crusades. It also created an objective, as opposed to a direct cause for the two Crusades. Equally, the calls of the Knights may have also compelled the Pope to action. Most of the Knights sought a chance to gain prominence and accrue wealth. The Pope was also aware of the social injustices and other social problems facing some Knights, primarily due to the scarcity of land and wealth in Europe. It is, therefore, without any doubt, that the social dimension also performed a vital function in the formation of the Crusades. Both the Pope and other nobles lived in social worlds, alongside their subjects, and it was this situation that had a significant influence on their decisions. Merchants, even though they were not directly involved, became interested because they wanted to open up and expand their trade routes, mainly with the East. They thought that they could generate higher profits from ferrying different crusaders across the sea. Indeed, throughout the Second Crusade, there were numerous and lucrative contracts that were made beforehand to ferry military arsenals and materials across the Middle East. Most of the Italian trading areas, such as Venice and Pisa, were significant rivals and sought to gain a monopoly in trade (Gerstel).
Cultural Reasons
The motives of the crusades, while complicated, might be reduced to cultural reasons. Whereas other forces came into play, the cultural forces, nonetheless, remained a significant cause. There was a long and conflicting tradition of holy conflicts between Christian and Muslim groups. For instance, the Muslims taught Jihad traditions, which forced them to launch wars in defending the Islam faith and traditions. In particular, this faith promised its adherents paradise and condemned those who failed to support it. Christians equally sought to defend their ideologies and Christian culture, using all the means available. Though backward compared to other civilizations within the Mediterranean region, Europe had become an influential power by the late 10th century. This area was composed of numerous kingdoms that were described as feudal. Whereas several issues related to inheritance prevailed, most monarchies in Europe were fast developing excellent and well-integrated regimes. With a rising population, economic growth was in full swing before the First Crusade. Indeed, the crusades that followed marked a significant creation of prevalent cultural life and feelings, mainly in Europe. The cultural cause of the crusades remains intricate, and cultures were moved by tales of wonders, often attributed to natural occurrences and several other supernatural interventions.
Outcomes of these Military Campaigns
The various crusades taking place between the 11th and 16th centuries had particular outcomes. By and large, these crusades made one of the most defining moments of the Middle Ages in the regions they happened, including the Middle East and Europe. They brought considerable and far-reaching effects every time they happened. However, they also helped to push for changes in areas that arranged and launched them. Moreover, even after ending, their influence persisted in different areas through various platforms, including cultural means and writings. In modern times, the idea has been widely studied and examined. In other words, the effects of these wars continue to influence relations among different regions, even today. According to Gada, these crusades, spanning almost two eras, had significant effects on different areas. He argues that these effects even continue to effects people today, especially the Muslim world. He asserts that these crusades were profoundly poor in the number of contributions they made to the enlightenment period. Besides, he agrees that the counter-arguments, reactions, and anti-religious feelings they created prevail today. Equally, he says that they left unprecedented scars and sufferings to most people, especially in the areas, they took place.
One area that Gada discusses is the impact of the crusades on the early Muslim people. He says that while the First Crusade was successful, it had immense effects on people. He says that it was the only successful war, where Franks rose against the Muslims. For him, this first war resulted in the creation of what he refers to as the ‘four Latin Christian Crusade’ states. Also, he says that the Franks succeeded because of the internal discord and scuffles among the Muslim people. Muslims would later succeed, mainly with the help of the Zingi and other enlightened leaders. A central positive outcome from these wars was the reversing of centrifugal forces as well as halting sectarian expansion in holy Islam. Similarly, he equally exclaims that these crusades also had a significant on Muslims’ socio-political and spiritual domains. For instance, he affirms that the reawakened and energized Islam spirit emerged after these crusades. For him, this spirit is highly documented in many writings and Muslim sermons. He says that the Jihad spirit was predominantly defended by military and religious leaders. Besides, he explains that these crusades paved the way for Muslims to produce specific genres of literature.
On the socio-political level, he argues that these crusades and military wars did not prevent Muslims from establishing alliances and diplomatic relations with other allies. For him, these crusades opened new chapters for Muslims because they helped to expand their diplomatic ties between nobles and Rulers in Europe and other areas. However, he states that their impact on trade and economy were more visible than other levels. For instance, these wars were immensely destructive in all aspects, including human and property losses. Other outcomes included impacts on art and architecture, the creation of trade hostelries, and the establishment of trade currency as well as the banking system. They also contributed to the development of military technologies and religious institutions. Besides, they led to the development of military orders, increased religious hostility, and a higher presence of Christians in the Levant in the middle era. They also contributed to higher international trades and exchange of ideas, including innovation and technology.
How Europe was changed by these Military Campaigns
These dramatic events, occurring for nearly two centuries, had significant effects on Europe. In particular, most of these effects cannot be overlooked today as they continue to define and shape the history of Europe. Moreover, these events equally had long-standing impacts on the economy of the European region, shaping people’s attitudes towards thinking and living. Although most of the Christian-European traders were already engaged in trade with other parts, these crusades had significant interferences with their trades and affairs. For instance, they interfered with different aspects of their lives, including strategic positions and trade ties. Besides, Europe was also more exposed to other Eastern markers, including Alexandria, which had quality products. Equally, those who settled in Europe, mainly Crusaders, depended heavily on it for certain essential goods and services, including horses, food items, and armor.
Works Cited
Gada, Muhammad Yaseen. “Rethinking the Impact Of The Crusades On The Muslim-Christian Thought And Development.” QIJIS (Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies) 5.2 (2017).
Gerstel, Sharon EJ. “Art and identity in the medieval Morea.” The crusades from the perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim world (2001): 263-285.