Crusader Kings

Inside Europes quest to forge a holy empire in the Middle East through zeal and steel.

- Peter Price

The Crusades were a struggle for the soul of the Holy Land, with Christian and Muslim forces clashing for over 200 years. While thousands of ordinary men fought for what they thought was right, seizing control of the Middle East’s many religious sites and venerated cities, new military orders like the Knights Templar offered opportunity for advancement, glory in battle could turn minor monarchs into living legends, and all-new dynasties were founded to rule the region. In time, a preoccupation with wealth and status would ultimately consume the Crusaders and shock polite society back in Europe with their avarice.

Call to arms

The First Crusade was called in 1095 by Pope Urban II, proclaiming, “Whoever for devotion alone, but not to gain honour or money, goes to Jerusalem to liberate the Church of God can substitute this journey for all penance.” The religious fervour that inspired Crusaders to leave their homes and travel thousands of miles to wage a holy war cannot be overstated. While (probably exaggerated) stories of Muslims persecuting native Christians and western pilgrims in Jerusalem helped fuel support, the main driving force was that the expedition offered a new way to attain salvation. The zealous crusaders referred to their force as the ‘Army of God’ and the fallen as ‘dead martyrs’. However, that’s not to say there weren’t ulterior motives for the First Crusade. For one, the papacy was engaged in a mighty struggle with the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, and calling the crusade greatly enhanced Urban II’s standing.

The Byzantine emperor Alexios I had also beseeched Urban II to send military aid to help him fight Seljuk Turks encroaching on his border. Relations between the Catholic West and Orthodox East had long been fractious and the pontiff saw it as an opportunity to improve relations.