The origins of the Crusaders can be traced back to the 11th century, when Europe was in the midst of a feudal society, with frequent wars and strife between various countries and regions, as well as the threat of Vikings from the north and Turkic peoples from the east. As the supreme leader of the ** religion, the pope tried to strengthen his authority and influence through the Reformation and the Church reform, and at the same time wanted to use the power of religion to reconcile the contradictions and conflicts in Europe, as well as to resist the aggression of foreign enemies.
Against this background, Pope Urban II convened an important ecclesiastical council in Clermont, France, in 1095, announcing plans for the First Crusade. He called on the followers of Western Europe to unite for the glory of God and to atone for their sins, to retake Jerusalem, the holy place occupied by Muslims, and to protect the pilgrims there. His speech aroused enthusiasm and empathy among Europeans, many of whom chanted the slogan "God willing" (deus vult) as they expressed their willingness to participate in this holy war. The crusaders got their name from the fact that they wore the emblem of the cross on their chests or shoulders.
From 1096 to 1291, there were nine orthodox crusades, as well as a number of unorthodox crusades, such as the Northern Crusaders, the Albigensian Crusaders, etc. These crusades varied in scale, purpose, participants, process, and results, but they all had a common feature: none achieved the original goal, which was to take control of the Holy Land of Jerusalem for a long time.
The First Crusade was the most successful, consisting of four main armies, led by kings or nobles of France, Flanders, Normandy and Germany, who traveled along different routes to the East, experiencing many hardships and dangers on the way, such as famine, pestilence, attacks by the Turks, etc. They captured the cities of Nicaea, Antioch, and Edessa in Asia Minor and Syria, established the Idessa Palate and the Duchy of Antioch, and finally captured Jerusalem in 1099, ** the Muslims and Jews in the city, and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem. As a result of this crusade, a feudal system of Crusader states was formed on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, with a long period of confrontation and exchange with the local Muslim regime.
The Second Crusade was launched by King Louis VII of France and Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III to aid the Edsabeth State, which was captured by the Seljuk Turks in 1144. The course of this crusade was a disaster, the German army was defeated by the Turks in Asia Minor, and the French team's attempt to attack Damascus in Syria also ended in failure. The result of this crusade was to exacerbate the tension between the Crusader states and the Byzantine Empire, and also to enable the rise of Saladin, the unifier of the Muslims.
The Third Crusade was led by Emperor Frederick I of Germany, King Philip II of France, and King Richard I of England to recapture Jerusalem, which had been captured by Saladin in 1187. The course of this crusade was an adventure, Frederick I drowned in a river in Asia Minor, Philip II returned to France after capturing Acre, and only Richard I continued to fight, and fought a series of battles with Saladin, achieving some successes, such as the capture of Cyprus and Jaffa. The result of this crusade was a peace treaty with Saladin, which kept some of the Crusaders' possessions on the coast of Palestine, but abandoned Jerusalem and allowed only pilgrimages to the Adolescence.
The Fourth Crusade was planned by Pope Innocent III to attack Egypt in order to strike at the power of the Muslims. The course of this crusade was a betrayal, the crusaders were used by the Venetians due to lack of funds, and successively captured Zadar and Constantinople, both of which were ** religious cities, the latter was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The result of this crusade was the establishment of the Latin Empire, but it also caused the decline of the Byzantine Empire, weakened the defense line of the ** religion, and accelerated the Islamization of the East.
The Fifth to Ninth Crusades were all carried out at the call of the Pope, all of which were intended to attempt to recapture or defend the Holy Land of Jerusalem, but all ended in failure. The Fifth Crusade was led by King Louis IX of France, who tried to attack Egypt but was defeated and captured by the Muslim Mamluks. The Sixth Crusade was led by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who, through peace negotiations, temporarily recaptured Jerusalem, but without the recognition and support of the Pope. The Seventh Crusade was again led by King Louis IX of France, who again tried to attack Egypt, but was again defeated and captured by the Mamluks. The Eighth Crusade was led by Charles I, the younger brother of King Louis IX of France, who attempted to attack Tunisia but was stopped by plague and enemy resistance. The Ninth Crusade was led by King Edward I of England, who tried to aid Acre, but was stabbed and retreated.
In 1291, the Mamluks captured Acre, the last Crusader stronghold in the East, marking the end of the Crusader state. After that, although there were some remnants and attempts of the Crusaders, such as the Kingdom of Lesser Armenia in Armenia, the Latin Kingdom of Cyprus, the Knights of St. John in Rhodes, etc., none of them were able to rebuild or restore the glory and influence of the Crusaders. The dream of the crusaders eventually became the memories and legends of history.
The Crusaders established several feudal states in the East, namely the Kingdom of Edessabeth, the Duchy of Antioch, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and the Count of Tripoli, which were collectively known as Outremer, meaning "land of the sea." These countries did not belong to any one European empire, but were initiated and participated in by different kings, nobles, knights, and ecclesiastical institutions. Nor do these countries have a unified political and military command among themselves, but rather work in silos, sometimes even fighting each other. The borders of these countries are also not fixed, but change with the outcome of the war. The national identity of these countries is also not clear-cut, but is made up of people from different regions and cultures, including French, Italians, English, Germans, Spaniards, Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, Arabs, Jews, etc.
The survival of the Crusader states in the East was very difficult, they had to deal not only with hostility and attacks from the Muslims, but also with interference and competition from Europe, as well as from their own ** and corruption. Their economy is mainly dependent on ** and pilgrimage, but these activities are also subject to many restrictions and threats. Their society consisted mainly of nobles and knights, but these people also often lacked loyalty and discipline. Their culture was mainly influenced by Europe, but gradually incorporated some oriental elements. Their religion is mainly ** religion, but there are also some heresies and pagan phenomena.
The presence of the countries of the Crusaders in the East was very significant, they were not only the guardians and messengers of the ** religion, but also the bridge and link between Europe and the Middle East. Their history is one of war, adventure, faith, greed, betrayal and tragedy, and one that has influenced the history of Europe and the Middle East. Their legacy is some awe-inspiring and awe-inspiring architecture, art, literature, and institutions, but also some thought-provoking questions, conflicts, and challenges.