Crusades

     During the 1000's the seliq turks, muslims from central asia, gained control of Palestine. It was known to the Christians as the Holy Land. The turks went on to attack Asia Minor, part of the byzantine. When they threatened Constantinople, the byzantine empire called pope Urban II in Rome for help. In 1095, Urban caled a meeting of church leaders and feudal lords. The met in Clermont France. He asked the lords to stop fighting amongst themselves and join in a war to win back the holy land. The wore the cross of Christ on their right shoulderor back and cry out God wills it, God wills it.
Thus, the crusades began, a series of military expeditions to regain the holy land. 10000 Europeans took up the cause. cruciata means marked with a cross. Some joined to save souls,some hoped to gain land and wealth in Palestineand southwesdt Asia, and some saw a chance for money.

     The first Crusade lasted from 1096 to 1099. French and Itailian lords led several armies of crusaders from Europe to Constantinopl. The Byzantine emporer was suspicious of them. After discussion, he allowed them to pass. Started long march to Palestine. Had few animals to carry supplies, so they had little suplies. The forged to Antinoch. Their main target was Jerusalem. Italian ships bbrought supplies. The Turks, were disunited and unable to prevent crusaders from surrounding a city. After many battles, the crusaders captured the city.

The capture brought much of the holy land under European rule. They set up four small states. They introduced the idea of European feudalism and subdivided the land into fiefs. The Christians and Muslims grew to respect eachotehr. Europeans began to ajust to customs. For 100 years Eurp Christians held onto Palestine.

Second Crusade- By 1146 the turks united their forcess. In 1147, the second crusade began. King louis the seventh of france and german king conrad the third led seperate armies across euro.

1187- third crusade began, saladin gained control of Jerusalem three Eruo rules fredrick barbossa king philip the second and king richard the first of england led seperate armies to 3rd crusade from 1189 to 1192. It failed, when barbossa drowned.

Fourth
 Pope innocent gathered French Nights for Fourth crusade. 1202, tehy left to venice. The Venitians Persuaaded the crusaders to attack Zadar, a christian city. 1204, raided Constantinople. because itt was a christian city, the crusaders were later excommunicated by Pope Innocent. Constantinople was ruled by by western europe for 60 years. Byzantine eventually gained rule of Constantinople, but never regained strength, but collapsed when the turks seized them in 1453.

1212, childrens crusade started.  Young people tried to take the holy land. Some of the children were sent home buy the pope, and some that made it to france were tricked into getting on a boad that would lead them to slavery.  Several thousand children were lost, mostly from Germany and France, on the journey.

For many years, Euro. crusaders tried to recapture the holy land. The crusades lsted until 1291, when the muslims captured the ciry of Acre, teh last christiain stronghold in the Holy Land. With Acre's fall, the crusades ended.

The goal of the crusades were to take the Holy land from the turks. All, but the first failed to reach the goal. By the end, the muslims controlled Palestine.

During the crusades, the choice weapon wass the crossbow. The weapon fired a short heavy arrow called a bolt with the pull of a trigger. It also required less skill than the original bow. It could penetrate chain mail and plate armor. They learned how to undermine walls and use catapults.

Weapon changed from bow to to catipults, and discovered gunpowder. Kings made taxes, and armies. \
Church got more powerful.

Italy became a great trade center. Ships from Italy brought crusaders to the holy land. The ships came back back loaded with food from south Asia. Euro. began to purchase the goods .