Crusades

• Christians: where

Jesus was crucified
and resurrected

• Jews: Zion, God’s own

city, site of Solomon’s
temple

• Muslims: 3rd holiest

city, where Muhammad
ascended to heaven

• From Latin “crux”

(cross)

• Crusaders “take up the

cross” to recover Holy
Land from Muslim
control

• Series of nine

military expeditions

• Knights: use

fighting skills,
adventure

• Possible wealth or

instant salvation if
killed

• Peasants: freedom

from feudal bonds

• Increase power in Europe

• Heal split between Roman

Catholic and Byzantine/
Greek Orthodox Church

• Saw land in the Middle

East as a good place for
Europe’s growing
population

• 1096 – 1099

• Crusaders meet

in Constantinople

• Killed Jews and

Muslims on the way
to capturing Jerusalem

• Some crusaders

stay, create Palestine

•1147 – 1149

•Seljuk Turks
(Muslim) take part
of Crusader states in
Palestine

•Crusaders fail to
recover lands

•1189 – 1192

•Saladin – united Muslims,
took Jerusalem in 1187

• Led by Richard

the Lionheart of England

• Saladin’s truce – he keeps

city, allows pilgrims access

• 1204

• Crusaders decide

not to go to
Jerusalem

• Attack Christian

city of
Constantinople
instead

• Feudalism breaks down,

kings gain authority over
Pope & nobles

• Bitterness among Muslims,

Christians, and Jews

• Byzantine Empire weakens

• Interactions lead to

establishment of trade
networks

• King Ferdinand

and Queen
Isabella of Spain
wanted to create
a Christian Spain

• They attempt to

drive all Muslims
out of Spain

• Inquisition court set up

to try people accused of
heresy

• Isabella targeted the

Jews and Muslims in
Spain

• Anyone who refused to

convert to Christianity
was tortured or burned at
the stake

• More than 150,000 people

fled Spain in fear

• Religious unity was

achieved in Spain, but at a
huge price

• Spain’s economy suffered

from loss of many skilled
and educated people