Second Crusade Effects

Introduction

This report will be stating and investigating the cause and effects of the First and Second Crusade in Europe during the Middle Ages. The cause is a person or thing that gives rise to an action, condition or phenominan. The effect is the change with consequences of and action. It will link these two different events along with their significance in both short term and long term. The significance of an event is the importance or the quality of being worthy of attention. Pope Urban II and Louis VII are the two significant people that played a key role in these events. This report will state both their significance and role in society. The two events will be compared in order to find their interconnections between each other and

how these interconnections either benefitted them and us or disadvantaged them and us (the negatives).

Causes of the First Crusade
Short Term Causes
The first crusade lasted for 3 years, starting in 1096- 1099. Muslim Turks invaded the holy land meaning Christians could not enter anymore into their home Jerusalem, the place where Jesus died, this is when they started to support the crusades. On November 27th 1096 Pope Urban II gave a speech upon his people (the Christians) from Western Europe (in Clermont, France) to join him in regaining their worthy land. This was a huge risk for the Pope to take as he risked the life’s of his own and was an extremely risky task as the Muslim Turks were Much more well developed in terms of Intellectual development, material development and their voyages of discovery (inventions and style of living).

Long Term Causes
The cause is a person or thing that gives rise to an action or phenomenon. The long-term cause of the first crusade is the feudalism between the Christians and the Muslim Turks.
The Muslims Turks invaded Jerusalem in 1096 to reestablish the land belonging to the Christians (the holy land). Jerusalem had been under Christian control since 637CE and were threatened by the Muslim Turks which caused the first crusade which was one of the most extravagant events in the history of the medieval times. Both sides had the same task, to restore their land in which Jesus died which was heavily controlled by the two completely different religions.

Effects of the first crusade
Social Effects
The crusades were a medieval Military expedition that started between a need and want of land lead by the Christians, meaning that there were many social effects. Between 2 and 6 million lives were lost, families were torn apart and homes were lost, Christians were tricked by Pope Urban II, people broke spirits and health, but these are just the negative social effects of the crusades. The Muslim and Christian worlds learned much from each other. For example, the Christians knowledge was expanded from the Muslims in terms of health, medicine, science, and mathematics. They also learned how to build ships and use magnet compasses. Many people take sides on this topic but it all depends on the perspective you look at. For the Christians the crusades were seen as a holy duty to defend the city of Christ’s birth. The Muslims also did this for their religion, but a different religion, which is why there was much feuding

Economic Effects
The first crusade increased the wealth of the Christians along with their power as well. It stimulated trade by increasing demand for product in the Middle East, which extended the production of goods and things to trade, which boosted the economy of the Christians and also developed their use of money. There was a lot of economic development during this crusade although mostly only benefitted the Christians, not the Muslim Turks.

Political Effects
The king’s authority was increased majorly in the success of the First Crusade which they again, learned from the Muslims about power and leadership. The kings increased taxes to fund the crusades and the resources required, when the people paying these taxes died, they took all of the profits and their land, he had money and land flooding through as political matters revolved heavily around the king and royalty.

Religious Effects
Every single crusade that ever occurred revolved and started because of religion and beliefs. A lot of the money made from this crusade was spent on prayers and benedictions at the churches and Monasteries. In the eyes of a Christian, the crusades were seen as a holy duty to defend the city of Christ’s birth. Pope Urban II called the crusade and promised them forgiveness for their sins, which was a part of their culture and religion.

Significant Individual during the first crusade
Pope Urban II (also known as Otho De Lagery ) was one of the most significant people in the forming and resolutions of the first crusade.

He was the one that called together to give a speech to all Christians about the invasion that was going to occur on Jerusalem, he left a huge mark in the history of the medieval times. ‘He died on the 29th July 1099 (the year that the first crusade finished), fourteen days after the capture of Jerusalem, but before the tidings of that event had reached Italy, Pope Paschal II killed him’. His role in this crusade was convincing the Christians to accompany him in taking over Jerusalem. His significance is based solely around the fact that he began the crusades and the establishment of land and economy within Europe (Western Europe) would not have been provided without him, let alone the positive effects of every other

crusade.

Causes of the second crusade
Short term
The second crusade lasted for 2 years from 1147- 1149.

Out of the eight crusades in total, this was the most unsuccessful crusade in all time, and why is this? Each king from both France and Germany travelled across France, Germany and Italy separately with both the same aim and desires. They urged people to restore the cross and to resurrect the Christians living in the Holy land. The Muslim Turks took over Edessa but in this process an entire population was either slaughtered or sold into slavery to work for the Turks. This all was caused due to a lack of communication between the kings Louis VII (France) and Conrad III (Germany) as they both lost their armies making them easily defeated and no threat to the Muslims.

The two kinds and their armies marched around Europe separately, both with the same intentions. This crusade the Christians were heavily defeated. The holy land was split into 4 different states which they had possession over, although, they lost one to the Muslim Turks. This crusade was different, it was a Catholic War against Islam. The main area that all the feuding was over was the city of Edessa, located just north of Jerusalem (at this point in ownership of the Christians).

Effects of the second

crusade

Social Effects
Several million lives were lost in the process of the second crusade, an unnecessary historical event. This crusade was one of the main events where slavery was a key part of their survival and using their power as their advantage. Jerusalem was extremely weakly protected after the second crusade commenced as the Christians were too focused on protecting themselves over their land, this is how the third crusade occurred. Although, this crusade was one hundred percent necessary for the Christians as they required more military reinforcements and the pope, and the remaining Christian rulers considered it necessary also.

Economic Effects
Such a humiliating defeat on the Christians and Western Europeans had such a negative effect in Europe which was evident in its economy, limited recruits and internal confusion. This crusade was extremely financial which as you could have imagined, made the Europeans furious to have spent and given their relatives land away for no return. Although, if you change the perspective, the Muslim Turks and the Islamic stated had gained a lot of money and power from these profits which boosted their economy tremendously.

Political Effects
The Second Crusade had a devastating effect on the politics of Europe, in fact, it was one of the first signs of deterioration of the crusader states within the Middle East and Europe. The French fought and abandoned the mission in 1149 whereas in 1147 the English and French helped the bishop and captured Lisbon (one of the 4 states). Then they reversed the position back to King Alphonso. The kings played a key role in the development during the crusades and over all time in politics and ruling with power, they still do.