Name of Conflict: The Crusades
Time period: Crusades took place from 1096 – 1270
Type of Conflict: Religious conflict and Health conflict
Underlying causes: The reason for the crusades was a war between Christians and Muslims which centered around the city of Jerusalem. The City of Jerusalem held a Holy significance to the Christian religion. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem commemorated the hill of crucifixion and the tomb of Christ's burial and was visited by Pilgrims. Also another underlying cause of the crusades was that the Turks had been making constant advances in the East, and were now threatening Constantinople itself. The Christians felt as if their safety was in danger they sent rulers sent letter to the Pope asking for aid against the infidels, representing that, unless assistance was extended immediately, the capital with all its holy relics must soon fall into the hands of the barbarians.
Immediate cause(s): In 1065 Jerusalem was taken by the Turks, who came from the kingdom of ancient Persia. 3000 Christians were massacred and the remaining Christians were treated so badly that throughout Christendom people were stirred to fight in crusades. These actions aroused a storm of courage and willingness throughout Europe and awakened the desire to rescue the Holy Land from the grasp of the Muslims. In 1095 C.E Pope Urban II called a great council in Clermont France regarding the crusades. It was here that Pope Urban II made his famous call for a Crusade to liberate the Holy Lands from Muslim invaders. This would launch the First Crusade and affect the relationship between Christianity and Islam down through the present day.
Turning points/important events: The First Crusade was from 1095 to 1099. It started when Emperor Alexius I of Byzantium called for aid from Christian nations in defending Byzantium, and therefore Europe, from Muslim Seljuk Turks. Pope Urban II put out a call for all Christians to go