The Crusades were a series of military campaigns from the 1090s to the 1400s where European armies traveled to the Byzantine Empire and Middle East to regain Christian lands and pilgrimage routes. Pope Urban II gave a speech outlining religious, political, economic, and social reasons for Christians to join the Crusades, such as gaining forgiveness of sins and wealth. The Crusades weakened the Byzantine Empire but increased trade between Europe and the Middle East while also exposing Europe to Islamic knowledge. However, the Crusades had little lasting impact on politics and culture in the Middle East.

1. The Crusades
A Brief Look

2. • A series of
The Crusades military
campaigns from
the 1090s to the
1400s by a variety
of European
military groups
into parts of the
Byzantine Empire
and Muslim
controlled Middle
East.

4. THE CRUSADES
• The Islamic groups holding the regions
of the Middle East were not unified at
the time.
• Massacres were committed by Muslim
and Christian armies during the wars.

6. Crusader
Kingdoms
European armies
took and held
regions in the
Middle East for
nearly a century.

7. Events that may have led to the
Crusades
Christian Church in Jerusalem was
destroyed.
Pilgrim routes (to the Holy Land) were
closed for a period of time.
Byzantine Empire was losing territory to
Islamic Turks and the Byzantine
leaders requested assistance from
other Christian kingdoms.

8. Reasons to go on CRUSADE
Read Pope Urban II’s speech –
Summarize the main ideas of the speech
by listing in your notebook the:
“The top 5 reasons to go on Crusades.”

9. Categorize your five reasons.
What are the political, economic, social,
and religious reasons he gives?

10. RELIGIOUS Causes
• God, through the Pope, commanded it
• Regain Holy Lands and pilgrim routes
• Automatic forgiveness of sins

11. POLITICAL Causes
• End fighting among Europeans (civil
wars)
• Help defend Byzantine Empire which will
keep Muslim armies from Europe.
• Gain power / territory at the expense of
Islamic groups

12. ECONOMIC Causes
• Chance for wealth and land! (Especially
for knights who are little brothers.)

13. SOCIAL Causes
• Chance to improve social status.

14. And so they fought . . .

15. RESULTS of the CRUSADES
On the Byzantine Empire
• Weakening of the Empire due to the
pillaging of Constantinople and taking
of Byzantine lands.
• Severed political and religious
connections to Western Europe.

16. Siege of Constantinople

17. RESULTS of the CRUSADES
On western Europe:
• Nationalism within Europe
• Increased desire for “eastern” goods and
increased trade connections with the
Islamic markets.

18. Late Medieval Trade Routes

19. RESULTS of the CRUSADES
On western Europe:
• Exposure to Islamic learning, innovation,
and technological advancements

20. RESULTS of the CRUSADES
On the Islamic groups of the Middle East
• Very little change in politics or culture
– Saladin helped unify Muslim forces
and retook the Middle East and Asia
Minor.