Pope Urban II: The First Crusade

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Since Pope Urban II preached the First Crusade in 1095, crusaders, including monarchs, peasants, and clergymen, continued to fight the Muslims over control of the Jerusalem. Yet again, in 1244, the Muslims burned Christian churches, massacred Christians, and recaptured the Jerusalem from the Christians. King Louis IX of France immediately responded and took the cross to recapture the Holy City, once and for all, in reverence for God. Louis IX believed he would succeed because his family’s experience in crusading, his piousness, and he had the resources to lead the Crusade. While Louis IX prepared, “…the best-funded, best organized enterprises that Christendom had ever launched,” the crusaders still could not defeat the Muslim. Although the Seventh Crusade failed, individuals still respected Louis IX and his efforts as pious and honorable. Pope Innocent IV supported Louis IX as the leader of the Crusade. In doing so, the Pope gave Louis IX one tenth of the revenues the church received in his lands. Louis IX also implemented a tax on his people in order to guarantee that …show more content…

According to Joinville, “…a treacherous sergeant named Marcel began to call out our men… The emir saw that the Saracens were leading our people away prisoner, and he told my lord Philip that there was no need for him to make a truce with our people…” The Muslims captured and imprisoned Louis IX and his army. Based on Muslim accounts, “…the Muslims had surrounded the Franks and were slaughtering them, dealing out death and captivity. Not one escaped. It is said that the dead numbered 30,000.” According to Joinville, “…the king [Louis IX] promised the emirs that he would willingly pay the 500,000 livres for the deliverance of his people, and he would return Damietta to secure his own release…” Louis IX agreed to pay the ransom in order to escape captivity and continue his

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