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.