Crusades

Byzantine Emperor named Alexius Comnenus ask for help against invaders.

1093

The Ottoman Turks were the ones trying to invade the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Turks were trying to take over the Byzantine capital of Constantinople.

Around 1095, a new group of Arabs took control of Jerusalem.

1095

They closed the city to Jewish and Christian pilgrims, and began trying to invade the byzantine Empire.

Pope Urban II read the letter in Nov. 1095 asking for help and called for a “holy war” or crusade.

1095

He said those who fought and died in the Crusades would be promised a spot in Heaven with all sins forgiven. And about 30,000 men took up his offer and left western Europe to fight in Jerusalem.

The Crusades

1095

1095-1453

First Crusade 1096-1099

1096

Unprepared troops
No strategy
Captured Jerusalem
Carved in up into 4 Crusader states

Second Crusade

1147

-Muslim leader Saladin takes control of Jerusalem
-Muslim Turks reconquer the city
-Saladin is described to be honest and brave

Third Crusade

1189

-Richard the Lionhearted = English King and two other leaders fail to recapture Jerusalem
-He and Saladin respected each other

Fourth Crusade

1202

-Crusaders attack Constantinople instead
-Stole statues, money, paintings and jewelry
-Burned libraries, destroyed churches
-Said they needed money to defend Constantinople from the same fate as Jerusalem and to rescue Jerusalem from Muslims
-People of Constantinople hated the west for sacking their city

Children's Crusade 1212

1212

-Thousands of French and German children try to reach Jerusalem
-Believed God would help them because they were children
-Many died of hunger, some froze to death
-When they reached the Mediterranean sea, expected they waters to part for them…. They didn’t
-Forced to return home

The End

1453

-The Christians are finally pushed out of Jerusalem
-Muslim Turks are the victors and take over the Byzantine in 1453