The second crusade was yet another crucial crusade which was initiated from
Europe, and lasted from 1147 to 1149. It was officially announced by Pope Eugene
II, and was the very first crusade to be led by kings such as Louis VII of
France and Conrad II from Germany. Also, this embarkment was originally arranged
in 1145, in reply to the fall of the County of Edessa during the previous year
from a people group known as the Zengi, which was the very cause of this
particular crusade. It was this county of Edessa that had been previously discovered
during the first crusade and in addition, there were many important factors to the
second crusade which included the major battle between the Germans and French,
the journey to Jerusalem, and the siege of Damascus.
The course chosen by the Germans to take under Conrad II was that they would
confront the French at Constantinople. However, upon the Germans arrival, Conrad
II encounter his enemy Geza II of Hungary, but he permitted them to make their
way through without penalty. "While Conrad the II’s confidence had been shaken, it
was soon reinforced when 20,000 more German soldiers arrived, strengthening the
forces."(Phillips 87) They had finally arrived at Constantinople on September 10, where the
correspondence between them and the French became a conflict, and caused the
Germans to take an alternate route to Asia Minor. While they avoided the French,
they ended up fighting the Turks Iconium at the battle of Dorylaeum. The Germans
ended up losing, and even Conrad II himself was wounded.
A key site that was involved in the second crusade was a significant journey to Jerusalem. This involved Louis VII, who arrived in Antioch on March 19. He was
expecting several important officials to help in defending them against the
Turks, and to also join them in the quest of fighting against the major Muslim
city of Aleppo. This location was very crucial because it was the entryway to
Edessa, however Louis VII’s response was that he would not partake in the
combat, as he wanted to continue his voyage to Jerusalem, due to the fact that his was because he wanted his primary concentration to be on the military facets of this crusade. It was after he made this decision that he found out that Conrad’s troops, in addition to several others had already arrived in Jerusalem, and requested that he joing them. He arrived with his troops, when suddenly King Baldwin II decided that he wanted the leaders and their troops to switch their focus and express a siege towards Damascus.
Upon their arrival in Damascus, the troops decided to strike from the west
where there were many orchards to provide nourishment for the soldiers. They
made their way to the location within Damascus known as Daraiya on July 23. It
was the next day that the Muslims were prepared to fight against them and attack
through the orchards that provided subtle coverings. "They managed to push
Conrad’s troops back from the walls were they currently were, and into the
orchards, were they were susceptible to ambush."(Nicolle 54) It was after this that they readily
moved to the eastern part of the city, which was very protected . The nearby
crusader lords had refused to carry on this battle, and made the decision to
retreat to Jerusalem on July 28, as Turkish archers were continually harassing
them.
In the end, the Second Crusade had both good and bad consequences that
resulted. Within the east, the outcome was very bleak as the Christians were
left devastated. The Second Crusade also had grim effects on the Holy Land, as
Damascus was no longer the foundational center of the reliable crusader kingdom.
In contrast, Jerusalem was able to make successful battles against Egypt that
caused them to dominate Cairo in the 1160’s, and this was made possible through a
strong alliance with the Byzantines under their main leader King Amalric I.
However, this success did not last very long as the majority of these expeditions
ended in failure. The main implication of this was that this alliance official
came to an end when Manuel I emperor of the Byzantines died in 1180, thus
resulting in Jerusalem being taken over by Saladin, which is the primary focus of
the approaching Third Crusade.
Nicolle, David. The Second Crusade 1148: Disaster Outside Damascus. New York: Osprey Publishing, 2009.
Phillips, Jonathan. The Second Crusade: Scope and Consequences. NewYork: Manchester University Press, 2001.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military journey made by the Europeans in order to recapture the Holy Lands, that had previously been taken over by the Muslim conquest Levant. It was this that later resulted in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. Pope Urban II was the one who first launched this crusade in 1095, with hopes of achieving a goal that responded to the demand from Byzantine Emperor, and more specifically Alexius I. It was this emperor who carried out this plan by requesting that western assistants offer help and to drive back the invading Seljuk Turks from Anatolia, which is modern day Turkey. It was an additional goal that soon became the main purpose; to reconquer the revered city of Jerusalem, known as the Holy Land, in addition to releasing the Eastern Christians from Islamic rule.
The purpose of trying to regain this land back, which was fueled from the Christians belief that the Muslims should be taken out of the city. There were others in addition to the Christians that believed their purpose for going was to gain forgiveness from God for the sins they had previously committed, as they had been told by the pope that if they died while fighting in battle, they would immediately go to heaven, as they were fighting for His glory. In addition to these people, there were additional individuals who thought that they would get rich by taking valuables while fighting in the city of Jerusalem.
Now that an army of warriors has been established, they were prepared to make their way to the Holy Land, however this was not an easy journey to the Middle East. They were not able to utilize the Mediterranean Sea, as the Crusaders had no control over its ports, so they took an alternative land route. This consisted of travelling from France, through Italy and Eastern Europe. “They covered hundreds of miles through scorching heat and also deep snow in mountain passes. The Crusaders ran out of fresh water and according to a survivor of the First Crusade wrote about his experiences after his return, some were reduced to drinking their own urine, drinking animal blood or water that has been in sewage.” (Asbridge 224 ) It was the experiences like this that provided a reason for why disease was common through this crusade, as many of the men were weakened through drinking contaminated substances. Heat stroke also weakened many of the crusaders, in addition to both the rich and poor alike.
It was by the year 1097 nearly 10,000 people had gathered together and made the journey on the First Crusade. It was Urban II who made Bishop Adbenar the leader, as he preferred him to make the crucial decisions and lead the forces. The first major city attacked was Nicea, and was easily taken over by the forces. The next target was Antioch, which was an extremely well- guarded Turkish city. This was a more difficult city to overthrow, as it took the crusaders seven months of fighting in order to overthrow the city. It wasn’t until 1099 that both the attack and capture of Jerusalem took place. They managed to get over the city’s high walls, causing the Muslim defenders to flee. The crusaders were extremely aggressive and determined, taken down anyone who dared to get in their way. “The streets of Jerusalem were ankle deep in blood. The slaughter continued, and the Crusaders killed whoever they wished.” (Phillips 72 ) The Muslims who survived were left only to travel around the city, collecting the dead bodies in order for them to be removed. It was after this grusome attack that the Muslims claimed that 70,000 people had been killed.
After the success that the Crusaders experienced, there were many other contributing factors that defined the first crusade. It succeeded in creating the “crusader states” that consisted of Edessa, Jerusalem, Antioch, Tripoli, and Syria. Within western Europe, those who survived the many battles were considered war heroes, and their efforts were greatly praised. Although they experienced mishaps, they regained territory and united their neighboring lands, which caused them to have a period of peace and opulence.
Asbridge, Thomas. The First Crusade: A New History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Phillips, Jonathan P. The First Crusade: Origins and Impact. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
The purpose of trying to regain this land back, which was fueled from the Christians belief that the Muslims should be taken out of the city. There were others in addition to the Christians that believed their purpose for going was to gain forgiveness from God for the sins they had previously committed, as they had been told by the pope that if they died while fighting in battle, they would immediately go to heaven, as they were fighting for His glory. In addition to these people, there were additional individuals who thought that they would get rich by taking valuables while fighting in the city of Jerusalem.
Now that an army of warriors has been established, they were prepared to make their way to the Holy Land, however this was not an easy journey to the Middle East. They were not able to utilize the Mediterranean Sea, as the Crusaders had no control over its ports, so they took an alternative land route. This consisted of travelling from France, through Italy and Eastern Europe. “They covered hundreds of miles through scorching heat and also deep snow in mountain passes. The Crusaders ran out of fresh water and according to a survivor of the First Crusade wrote about his experiences after his return, some were reduced to drinking their own urine, drinking animal blood or water that has been in sewage.” (Asbridge 224 ) It was the experiences like this that provided a reason for why disease was common through this crusade, as many of the men were weakened through drinking contaminated substances. Heat stroke also weakened many of the crusaders, in addition to both the rich and poor alike.
It was by the year 1097 nearly 10,000 people had gathered together and made the journey on the First Crusade. It was Urban II who made Bishop Adbenar the leader, as he preferred him to make the crucial decisions and lead the forces. The first major city attacked was Nicea, and was easily taken over by the forces. The next target was Antioch, which was an extremely well- guarded Turkish city. This was a more difficult city to overthrow, as it took the crusaders seven months of fighting in order to overthrow the city. It wasn’t until 1099 that both the attack and capture of Jerusalem took place. They managed to get over the city’s high walls, causing the Muslim defenders to flee. The crusaders were extremely aggressive and determined, taken down anyone who dared to get in their way. “The streets of Jerusalem were ankle deep in blood. The slaughter continued, and the Crusaders killed whoever they wished.” (Phillips 72 ) The Muslims who survived were left only to travel around the city, collecting the dead bodies in order for them to be removed. It was after this grusome attack that the Muslims claimed that 70,000 people had been killed.
After the success that the Crusaders experienced, there were many other contributing factors that defined the first crusade. It succeeded in creating the “crusader states” that consisted of Edessa, Jerusalem, Antioch, Tripoli, and Syria. Within western Europe, those who survived the many battles were considered war heroes, and their efforts were greatly praised. Although they experienced mishaps, they regained territory and united their neighboring lands, which caused them to have a period of peace and opulence.
Asbridge, Thomas. The First Crusade: A New History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Phillips, Jonathan P. The First Crusade: Origins and Impact. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Both the life and death of Charlemagne had a significant impact on the entire history of Europe. His accomplishments which started with his powerful reign beginning in 768, launched the reign that would caused him to become a master of Western Europe, as well as his immense dedication to the church, in addition to his nation's people as a whole, would all be contributing factors to the success of his rule.
It was in the year 768 when Charlemagne’s brother Carolman inherited the Frankish Kingdom and in 771 Carolman would pass away, leaving Charlemagne to become the primary ruler of the empire. He would prove to be very determined to strengthen the nation over which he had control, in order to display organization through his strong Christian principles. One of the primary examples that demonstrated this was when he launched his several military campaigns, many of which he was the chief commander. “He moved his armies over a wide reaches of the country with unbelievable speed, but every move was planned in advance. Before a campaign, he told the counts, princes, and bishops throughout his realm how many man they should bring, what arms there were to carry, and even what to load in the supply wagons.”(Becher 82) It was this remarkable display of precise organization that influenced the many great rulers who came after him, including Napoleon.
By 800, Charlemagne had conquered much land that would become part of his vast empire. These areas included Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, in addition to present day Italy, Germany, and parts of Austria. It was this magnificent display of greatness that caused the faithful day to arrive on December 25, 800, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor. The ceremony consisted of Charlemagne kneeling before Pope Leo III, as he placed a gold crown atop his head, as the church stated, “To Charles the August, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, long life and victory!” It was this coronation that developed the very foundation of the Roman Empire, as Charlemagne was considered the first Holy Roman Emperor.
Upon taking this position, Charlemagne had a very significant impact on both the Renaissance, in addition to overall reformation. He had profound sympathy towards poor peasants, and believed that it was the government’s job to help them. However, the government was oppressive and did not agree with him on this matter, so Charlemagne took a step and expanded the work of investigators in order to bring about reform in the government. These researchers were known as missi dominici, who administered justice in addition to the revitalization of letting citizens be aware of their religious and civil responsibilities. In addition to this, “Charlemagne was a tireless reformer who tried to improve his peoples’ lot in many ways. He set up money standards to encourage commerce, tried to build a Rhine-Danube Canal, and urged better farming methods.”(Collins 107) Perhaps the most important step taken to impact his empire was the spread of Christianity in order to educate every class of people.
It was after Charlemagne’s tremendous impact on his empire through many different ways that he would pass away at the age of seventy-two. Being a Christian emperor, the inscription on his tomb read, “Beneath this stone lies the body of Charles the Great, the Christian Emperor…throughout his life Charlemagne had worshipped God devoutly, supported the church, given to the needy.” This truly reflects the highlights of Charlemagne’s reign as the first Holy Roman Emperor and the many facets and aspects that led to his success. He was succeeded by his surviving son, Louis, whose empire lasted a generation, and it was his sons that carried on the rule, laying the groundwork for modern day France and Germany.
Becher, Matthias. Charlemagne. United States: Yale University Press, 2005.
Collins, Roger. Charlemagne. United States: University of Toronto Press, 1998.
It was in the year 768 when Charlemagne’s brother Carolman inherited the Frankish Kingdom and in 771 Carolman would pass away, leaving Charlemagne to become the primary ruler of the empire. He would prove to be very determined to strengthen the nation over which he had control, in order to display organization through his strong Christian principles. One of the primary examples that demonstrated this was when he launched his several military campaigns, many of which he was the chief commander. “He moved his armies over a wide reaches of the country with unbelievable speed, but every move was planned in advance. Before a campaign, he told the counts, princes, and bishops throughout his realm how many man they should bring, what arms there were to carry, and even what to load in the supply wagons.”(Becher 82) It was this remarkable display of precise organization that influenced the many great rulers who came after him, including Napoleon.
By 800, Charlemagne had conquered much land that would become part of his vast empire. These areas included Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, in addition to present day Italy, Germany, and parts of Austria. It was this magnificent display of greatness that caused the faithful day to arrive on December 25, 800, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor. The ceremony consisted of Charlemagne kneeling before Pope Leo III, as he placed a gold crown atop his head, as the church stated, “To Charles the August, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, long life and victory!” It was this coronation that developed the very foundation of the Roman Empire, as Charlemagne was considered the first Holy Roman Emperor.
Upon taking this position, Charlemagne had a very significant impact on both the Renaissance, in addition to overall reformation. He had profound sympathy towards poor peasants, and believed that it was the government’s job to help them. However, the government was oppressive and did not agree with him on this matter, so Charlemagne took a step and expanded the work of investigators in order to bring about reform in the government. These researchers were known as missi dominici, who administered justice in addition to the revitalization of letting citizens be aware of their religious and civil responsibilities. In addition to this, “Charlemagne was a tireless reformer who tried to improve his peoples’ lot in many ways. He set up money standards to encourage commerce, tried to build a Rhine-Danube Canal, and urged better farming methods.”(Collins 107) Perhaps the most important step taken to impact his empire was the spread of Christianity in order to educate every class of people.
It was after Charlemagne’s tremendous impact on his empire through many different ways that he would pass away at the age of seventy-two. Being a Christian emperor, the inscription on his tomb read, “Beneath this stone lies the body of Charles the Great, the Christian Emperor…throughout his life Charlemagne had worshipped God devoutly, supported the church, given to the needy.” This truly reflects the highlights of Charlemagne’s reign as the first Holy Roman Emperor and the many facets and aspects that led to his success. He was succeeded by his surviving son, Louis, whose empire lasted a generation, and it was his sons that carried on the rule, laying the groundwork for modern day France and Germany.
Becher, Matthias. Charlemagne. United States: Yale University Press, 2005.
Collins, Roger. Charlemagne. United States: University of Toronto Press, 1998.
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