The First Crusade Essay Example

The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the stated goal of capturing the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslims, but this was more easily said than done. The motions that set this in place began “in 1071 when the Seljuk Sultan of Baghdad defeated the main Byzantine field army at Manzikert in Eastern Asia Minor and during the next few years Turkish war bands occupied most of the Asiatic Provinces of Byzantium. This made it hazardous for western pilgrims to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem unless they were rich enough to pay a large, armed escort. But in the 1090’s the Turkish Empire was weakened by faction. It was an ideal time for Byzantine intervention and the Emperor Alexius I (1081-1118) appealed to the Pope for help in recruiting western knights to serve as mercenaries in his armies.”¹ to build support for Alexius’s cause Pope Urban II traveled to Clermont Cathedral preaching that people should aid their eastern brethren against the Turks, but he also added in his own twist. As a reward for going on the crusade he offered spiritual salvation to anyone who would take on this daunting task claiming, “Whoever for devotion alone, not to gain honor or money, goes to Jerusalem to liberate the Church of God, can substitute this journey for all penance.”¹ Because of this claim their numbers swelled as all fighting men were members of the Church and soon took up the cross. “Urban’s crusade indulgence allowed knights to substitute military service for all other penances prescribed for all past sins which they had confessed. The Pope was aware of the problems which warriors experienced because he came from a family of fighting men, and he encouraged them to practice the Christian life by using their fighting skills and aggressive instincts in the service of God.” This movement soon grew out of the Pope’s control and now is starting to be preached in northern France by unauthorized people like Peter the Hermit. Peter who was liked by