Crusades. They are a series of religious wars launched against Muslims and European Christians. The Chrisstians mounted a number of crusades between 1096 and 1291.The major porpose of the crusades was to gain control of Palestine. In the 11th century, Palestine came under the rule of a rising Muslim power, the Seljuk Turks. Muslims were not the only targets of these religious wars. Crusades were waged in Europe and North Africa as well as the Middle East.

 

    During the 11th century, the Seljuk  Turks established a new Muslim dynasty. The Seljuks were named for a Turkish chieftain who converted to Islam in the mid- 10th century. The Seljuks were eager to expand their territory. In 1071, they defeated a large Byzantine army at Manzikert in present-day Turkey. The Seljuks' growing power seemed to threaten the Bazytine Empire itself. After the Seljuks took control of Palestine, political turmoil made travel unsafe for a time.

 

    By 1095, the Seljuks had advanced to within 100 miles of the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. French- speaking nobles quickly organized armies to fight in the Holy Land. Throughout the Crusades, Christian faith inspired many to put on the red cross worn by crusaders.

 The First Crusade ( 1096-1099 ) _ Close to 30,000 crusaders fought their way through Anatolia and headed south toward Palestine. In the next June, the crusaders surrounded Jerusalem adm scaled the city walls. They surrendered The crusaders won, but the survivors were sold into slavery.

 The Second Crusade ( 1146- 1148 ) _ The crusaders owed their early victories in part to a lack of unity among Muslims. An army from Germany was badly baten in Anatolia. A second army, led by the king of France, arrived Jerusalem in 1148. Muslims from Edessacame to the city's aid and beat back the crusaders. When they were defeated, the French army went home, ending the Second Crusade.

 The Third Crusade ( 1189-1192 ) _ By the 1180s, the great sultan Salah-al- Din, called Saladinby Europeans, had formed the largest Muslim empire since the Seljuks. In 1187, Salah al- Din's armies captured Jerusalem. The loss of Jerusalem shocked Europeans and sparked the Third Crusade. In 1191, King Richard I's army forced the surrender of the Palestinian town of Acre. Richard ordered his men to kill 2,700 of Salah's Muslim prisoners becuase Salah al-Din was taking too long to meet his end of the bargain & Richard was too impatient.  Richard fought his way toward Jerusalem, but his army was not strong enough, neither was Salah al-Din's army, so in 1192, the 2 leaders signed a peace treaty.

Later Crusades_ In 1212, tens of thousands of peasant childrenfrom France and Germany marched in a " Children's Crusade. " None of the later crusades succeeded in recapturing Jerusalem. In 1291, Muslims took Acre, the last crusader city. 

The Reconquista_ One important series of wars was called the Reconquista ( reconquest ). Christians tried to take advantage of the Muslims' weakness. Many Jews and Muslims remained in area ruled by Christians. In the late 1400s, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand wanted to unite Spain an a Catholic country. They used Inquisition, a church court against Muslims and Jews who had converted to Christianity. Isabella and Ferdinad also sent armies against Granada. In 1493, the city fell and Muslims lost their last stronghold in Spain. The explusion of Muslims and Jews ended centuries of cooperation between these groups and Christians in Spain.

 

    Impact on Christians as a Group_ The impact of the crusaders reached far beyond those who fought in the wars. The crusades changed society. As nobles and knights left home to fight in the Middle East, Monarchs grew more powerful. After crusaders returned home, European merchants earned enormous profits by trading for these goods such as, Dressing in clothes made out of muslin, a cotton fabric from Persia, developed a taste for melons, apricots, sesame seeds, and carob beans, adn used spices, like pepper.

    The Experiences of Individuals_ Anna Comnena, the daughter of a Byzantine emperor, wrote about her experiences during the First Crusade. She was a very Caring person. She expressed mixed feelings about the crusaders and respected them as Christians even realizing that many were very dangerous. Etc. During the Fourth Crusade, a force of crusaders sacked and looted Constantinople.

 

    Impact on Muslims as a Group_ Muslims gained exposure to some new weapons and military ideas during the crusades. Muslim merchants, especially in Syria and Egypt, earned riches from trade with Europe. The crusades also brought political changes as Muslims banded together to fight their common foe.

    The Experiences of Individuals_ Salah al-Din was the greatest Muslim leader during the crusades. He was famed for his courtesy as well as his military skill. Usamah ibn-Munqidh also grew up during the crusades. He wrote a valuable account of the crusades from a Muslim point of view.

 

    Impact on Jews as a Group_ Crusaders Destroyed synagogues ( a Jewish house of worship ) and holy books because they crossed northern France and Germany, and some of them murdered whole communities of Jews. Anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jews, spread among noncrsaders as well. Riots and massacres broke out ina number of cities in Europe. In 1290, England expelled the Jews, so did France but they expelled them in 1394. Segregation of Jews spread throughout Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries. Since the Jews were forced to live in a crowded neighborhood called ghettos, walls and gates seperated it from the rest of the town or city.

    The Experiences of Indivisuals_ Eleazar ben Judah, a jewish scholar, also lived in German. Several years later, 2 crusades attacked Eleazar's home killing his wife and 3 children. Luckily, he surived, but he was in a serious injury.

 

    The Mongols were a nomadic people whose homeland was o the north of China. The Mongols ruled a huge empire in Asia, including China. The mongol empire was one of the largest the world had ever seen.

 

    The Ottoman Empire_ In the early 1300s, a Turk named Osman I started the Otooman dynasty in northern Anatollia. In the 1500s, the Ottoman's destroyed the Mamluk Empire. The Ottomans allowed their subjects considerable freedom. The Ottoman Empire slowly declined after about 1700. It finally came to an end in the 20th century.

    The further Spread of Islam_ Muslim dynasties grew up in other places as well. Traders brought Islam across the Indian Ocean to southeast Asia. Today, Indonesia has more Muslims that any other country in the world.

Link : https://sites.google.com/site/theislamicfacts/home/from-the-crusades-to-new-muslim-empires