The Crusades

The Roman Empire had linked the European territories by roads, the Latin language, and Christianity to the peoples of Western Europe. But Rome was a Mediterranean power. The Germanic peoples who ended Roman rule in the west shifted the focus to the north. There civilization evolved differently from the eastern half.

 

Resources in these areas were dense forests, richer soil suited for raising crops than the dry soil around the Mediterranean.

Germanic tribes who migrated across Europe were farmers and herders. Their culture differed greatly from the Romans. They had no cities and no written laws. Instead they lived in small communities. 

 

Between 400 and 700 the Germanic tribes carved Western Europe up in small kingdoms. The strongest and most successful kingdom was that of the Franks. The Franks and other Germanic peoples did not know much about Islam as Muslim armies were sweeping across North Africa and into Spain in 711. At the batle of Tours and Poitiers in 732. At these battle of Tours, Frankish warriors led by Charles Martel defeated a Muslim army. Christians saw the victory that God was on their side. Although it was a minor skirmish for the  Muslims, they did not advance further into Western Europe, but they continued to rule in Spain.

Charles Martel's grandson Charles the Great (Charlemagne) built an empire reaching across France, Germany, and part of Italy. After helping Pope Leo III against rebellious nobles in Rome, the pope showed his gratituted by proclaiming him "emperor" in the year 800. Although the Roman empire still continued in the East from Byzantium, the event of crowning a Germanic king as successor to the Roman emperors revived the ideal of a united Christian  community.

Feudalism

In the early Middle Ages, hundreds of feudal nobels ruled over territories of varying size. Most acknowldeged a king or overlord, but royal rulers had little power. During the later Middle Ages, as economic conditions improved, feudal monarchs started to increase their power.

In England, we see the invasion of the Normans from France and their increase as a strong feudal power in both England and France. The Capetians also in France from 987. In Germany and parts of Italy the ruler Otto I was crowned "Holy Roman Emperor" by the pope, similar to Charlemagne. 

 

As economic and social conditions improved and the feudal monarchs increased their power, there was a need education. The Church wanted an educated clergy. New royal rulers needed officials for their bureaucracy. Cathedral schools, perhaps influenced by Muslim universities were created. Many of these thinkers were influenced by thinkers from nearby Muslim Spain and their libraries.

Crusades

While some of these new monarchies were growing, they were expanding into the areas of Muslim control in Spain. This was especially true of Aragon and Castile. This was known as the "Reconquista", a reconquering of Spain. By 1085, they had captured Toledo a powerful city of government and learning.

On the other side of the Mediterranean there was another threat. In the later 11th century Seljuk Turks invaded the Byzantine empire. The Turks had migrated from Central Asia into the Middle East, where they had converted to Islam. By 1071, the Seljuks had overrun most of the Byzantine lands in Asia Minor. The Seljuks also extended their power over Palestine and attacked Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land.

As the Seljuk threat grew, the Byzantine emperor Alexius I sent an urgent plea to Pope Urban II in Rome. In 1095, he asked for Christian knights to help him fight the Turks. Although Roman peoples and Byzantine emperors were longtime rivals, Urban agreed. At the Council of Clermont in 1095, Urban incited French and German bishops and nobles into action.

 

Why did so many take part in the Crusades? Religious reasons obviously played a role. Fiery preachers in the countryside inspired others, and some even led crusades of their own. Some crusaders hoped to win wealth and land. Some crusaders sought to escape troubles at home. Others yearned for adventure.