The Crusades 1-4

Beginning

Nov 27, 1095

Pope Urban II called for crusade to help the Byzantines and to free the city of Jerusalem.

The Crusades

Period: Nov 27, 1095 to Dec 31, 1291

Series of Holy Wars

The First Crusade

Period: Nov 27, 1095 to Jun 23, 1101

The People's Crusade

Siege of Nicaea

May 14, 1097

This city was besieged by the Crusaders, under Godefroi de Bouillon. The Saracens were greatly aided in the defence by the possession of Lake Ascanius, but the crusaders still managed to takeover the city. Two determined attempts to relieve it were made by the Sultan Soliman, but both failed, and Nicaea surrendered June 20.

Battle of Dorylaeum

Jul 1, 1097

Fought in July 1097, between 70,000 Crusaders under Bohemond and Raymond of Thoulouse, and 250,000 Saracens under the Sultan Soliman. The Saracens drove back Bohemond's division on their camp, which they proceeded to plunder, and, while so engaged, were attacked by Raymond and totally routed with a loss of 30,000. The Crusaders lost 4,000.

Siege of Antioch

Oct 20, 1097

The Crusaders under Godefroi de Bouillon, and defended by a Saracen garrison under Baghasian. The siege was unskillfully conducted, and provisions and munitions ran short in the Christian camp, with the result that the place held out till June 3, 1098. Afterwards a massacre took place, which 10,000 defenders were killed. Weeks later Saracen forces attempted to attack the Christians, but they would fail. Giving the Christians another victory.

Ending of First Crusade

Jul 15, 1099

The Crusaders, under Godefroi de Bouillon. Siege the city of Jerusalem ending the First Crusade.

Beginning of Second Crusade

Dec 1, 1145

Pope Eugene III launches Second Crusade to recapture recent territory lost to the Muslims

The Second Crusade

Period: Dec 1, 1145 to Jul 15, 1149

Second major Crusade in response to the fall of the County of Edessa

Siege of Lisbon

Jul 1, 1147

The crusaders agreed to help King Alfonso I of Portugal to attack Lisbon to get rid of Moorish warlords. In return the King offered to the crusaders the pillage of the city's goods and the ransom money for expected prisoners. After four months, Moorish rulers surrendered on October 24th.

Siege of Damascus

Jul 23, 1148

The crusaders decided to attack Damascus from the west, where orchards would provide them with a constant food supply. The defenders had sought help from Saif ad-Din Ghazi I of Aleppo and Nur ad-Din of Mosul, who personally led an attack on the crusader camp. The crusaders were pushed back from the walls into the orchards, where they were prone to ambushes and guerrilla attacks.

End of Second Crusade

Jul 15, 1149

After failing to capture Damascus. Christian forces began to feel betrayed by eachother. This ends the Crusade with the Crusaders accomplishing nothing.

Beginning of Third Crusade

Oct 29, 1187

Saladin, the Saltan of Egypt gained control of Jerulsalem in 1187. The idea of Muslims parading around their Holy Land was horrid and the call of another Holy fight rose from the mouths of Christians all around Europe. Led by Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany, Philip II Augustus of France, and Richard I Lionheart of England.

The Third Crusade

Period: Oct 29, 1187 to Oct 9, 1192

Kings' Crusade. Attempt to recapture the Holy Land from Saladin

Siege of Acre

Aug 28, 1189

Siege was laid to this city by the Christians, and it was defended by the Saracens for two years, during which the Crusaders are said to have lost 120,000 men. In June, 1191, the Christians were reinforced by an English army under Richard Coeur de Lion, and in the following month the Saracens surrendered.

Battle of Jaffa

Aug 4, 1192

Battle between the army of Sultan and Christian forces. It was the final battle of the Third Crusade, after which Saladin and King Richard were able to negotiate a truce. Although the Crusaders did not regain possession of Jerusalem, Christian pilgrims were permitted entry into the city, and the Crusaders were able to retain control of a sizable strip of land stretching from Beirut to Jaffa.

Ending of Third Crusade

Oct 9, 1192

On September 2, 1192, Richard finalized a treaty with Saladin by which Jerusalem would remain under Muslim control, but which also allowed unarmed Christian pilgrims and merchants to visit the city. The successes of the Third Crusade would allow the Crusaders to maintain a considerable kingdom based in Cyprus and the Syrian coast. However, its failure to recapture Jerusalem would lead to the call for a Fourth Crusade six years later.

Calling of Fourth Crusade

Aug 1, 1198

Pope Innocent III calls for Fourth Crusade to recapture the Holy Lands

Siege of Zara

Nov 10, 1202

After a broken deal between the Crusades and Venetians. Venetians make Crusaders invade the city of Zara

The Fourth Crusade

Period: Nov 10, 1202 to Apr 13, 1204

Called to recapture Jerusalem, but instead captured Constantinople. Leads to The Latin Empire

Siege Constantinopole

Jul 18, 1203

The city was besieged by the French and Venetian Crusaders under Count Thibaut de Champagne. After a feeble defence, it was surrendered July 18, by the Usurper, Alexius, and occupied by the Crusaders, who restored Isaac Angelus to the throne, and withdrew.

Sack of Constantinople

Apr 8, 1204

After a three month battle, in the course of which Isaac Angelus died, and Mourzoufle assumed the purple, the Crusaders stormed and pillaged the city. Baldwin was then proclaimed first Latin Emperor of the Fast.