Pros and Cons of The Crusades

By the end of the Eleventh Century the western world still had contacts with the eastern byzantine and islamic worlds. The growing tension in the east soon appeared in an attack against the byzantine empire with their need of help soon following. The crusades then began with religious promises and other opportunities available to the crusaders. And even after all of those events the west still prospered in certain ways. The Crusades provided a way for religious leadership, internal and external prosecution of heretics, and helped the west combine both religion and war into their lives.

With the growing power of the Seljuk Turks in the eastern lands it was only time before they turned more west. Around 1071 the Seljuk Turks attacked the Byzantine Empire and advanced into Anatolia. Then under the command of Alexius I Comenus, The Byzantines were able to recapture what was theirs. Unable to continue their efforts The Byzantines looked to the west for financial help. Alexius asked Pope Urban II for help but contrary to what Alexius wanted the pope used this opportunity to lead with the papal office. Pope Urban then in 1095 announced and challenged the christian religion to take up arms and to wage war on towards the holy land. Along with this statement he promised remission of sins thereby combining what the people of that time wanted, war and religious salvation.

With such promises by the pope it was easy for forces to rise and organize to move towards Jerusalem. Pope Urban II said, “All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested.” With the possibility to gain titles, riches, land, and remission for their sins the church became a largely influential force that motivated this movement. There were many crusades like the Children’s Crusade that were solely organized for religious reasons even though it had very little hope for victory. The principal motivation for the crusaders was this mix of war and religious salvation.

While in 1187 the muslims took Jerusalem back there were still some good outcomes to The Crusades. Eventually the west lost all control of Jerusalem and the surrounding area by 1291. But during the time when the crusader states were still functioning the need for economic support helped the Italian port cities grow rich. With such hostile surroundings the crusader states grew dependent on trade by sea. Along with the growth of italian ports The Crusades transferred the energy that the young nobles spent on fighting each other towards a more worthy cause. This helped the local monarchs govern and control their areas better. So all in all the crusades failed as a military movement but helped the western lands making them successful failures.

While The Crusades were relatively short lived a lot of events went into this period. The Crusades had the most influence from the catholic church, ultimately from Pope Urban II. They helped to channel the energy of the people into an effort that satisfied what the people of those days wanted. It helped Italian port cities, and made it easier to govern the lands. The Crusades all together refined the faith of the people, and helped with economics and governing.