The First Crusade
The Appeal of Alexius 1095
• Due to the Battle of Manzikert and the increasing threat of Turkish forces near the
Byzantine Empire - Alexius requested for help for Eastern Christians
• During the Council of Piacenza, Alexius’ envoys pleaded for help
o The council (March 1095), was held by Urban in Italy and is attended by senior clergy
• Urban was able to use Alexius’ request in multiple ways:
o Lift the excommunication of Alexius and heal the schism
o Extend the influence and power of the papacy
o Justify the call to arms in 1095 (the call can be seen as a turning point as Urban had
‘just war’ in his mind before, and this simply provided him the opportunity)
• Alexius did not expect such an overwhelming response:
o He probably wanted western mercenaries he could employ to defend his frontiers
o However, the vast army of disruptive, violent westerners bound on the conquest of
the Holy Land, was a danger to the safety of the Byzantine Empire instead
Urban II’s Aims and Appeal at Clermont
Urban’s Aims
• Urban was able to launch the crusade as a way to complete his own goals:
• He was able to increase the Church’s power:
o Led the crusade – the Church received more political power
o Able to carry out a pacification campaign – Urban was able to redirect inherent
violence in Medieval Society towards a spiritual cause
o Able to promote ‘Peace of God’ and ‘Truce of God’ movements
o Able to usurp secular leader’s ability to lead or start a war – military under religious
control
• He was able to heal the East-West Schism (of 1054):
o Cooperation with Alexius after his call
o More influence for Urban in the East – his power elevates the Latin Church over the
Eastern Church
• Recapturing Jerusalem:
o Taking back significant holy sites, and items (such as the holy sepulchre – destroyed in
1009 by Hakim the Mad)
o Restoring Latin influence in the East
,• The Crusade was a redemptive journey:
o Saving Europe from sin
o Sending people to war on the premise it’s a ‘violent pilgrimage’, allowing them to be
saved souls
Bishop Adhemar of Le Puy:
• Adhemar was a close friend and supporter of Pope Urban II and the Count of
Toulouse (Raymond) – he most likely met Urban when he visited Puy in August 1095
• At the Council of Clermont, Adhemar showed great zeal for the crusade – there is
some evidence they met before and discussed the crusade
• Adhemar spent the next year raising money and recruiting men to go on the crusade
• He played a vital role in the success of the First Crusade
Appeal at Clermont:
• The Council at Clermont was from the 18th to the 28th of November 1095
• There is no surviving Papal Bull setting out Urban’s exact sermon at Clermont
• It was a vital opportunity for Urban to inspire unruly lords and knights of Western Europe
to join forces and fight against a common enemy
o It was likely the threat of the Seljuk Turks were exaggerated by both Alexius and the
Pope (dehumanisation of the Turks)
• Robert the Monk’s account stresses the fate of Jerusalem and the desire to reclaim it
• Fulcher of Charter’s account stresses Urban’s need for settlement in the East as general
aim to recruit and establish Rome as the centre of faith
• ‘Anyone going collects penance and would be on a pilgrimage’
• ‘The Saracens going Evil things to Christians’
• Urban also preached across France for an entire year – Marmautier (March 1096),
Nimes (July 1096), Limoges, Angers
The People’s Crusade
• Lasted from November 1095 – October 1096
• Led by Peter the Hermit and consisted of forces from Walter Sans Avoir
• Included 30,000 peasants – including untrained men, women, and children – the
forced were poorly armed but were convinced of God’s protection
• They travelled through Northern France and Germany
• People went on the crusade for many reasons:
o Natural disaster – floods in 1094, famine in 1095
o Breakdown in society – life was short and brutal, illness and injury were common
o Freeing Jerusalem and religious devotion – they were riled up to fight
, The Main Journey:
• Cologne:
o First destination set out by Peter
o Realised he had to stop giving coins to the poor as he needed money to get his
people to the Middle East
o Sent messages ahead to the King of Hungary to allow them safe passage through
the country when they arrived
o Emperor Alexius has created stores along the route to Constantinople for the
Crusaders to use
• Semlin:
o In this small Hungarian town, 16 men went against the law – were stripped of their
arms and sent home
o A riot broke out over a pair of shoes, frightening King Solomon of Hungary
o The Crusaders then quicky cross the Sava River to Byzantine
• Belgrade:
o Food was demanded from the locals by Crusaders – when enough was not given,
they pillaged the countryside, burning down crops and destroying markets
o From here they were under escort until reaching Constantinople
• Mainz:
o Ransoms were demanded from the Jewish community to spare their lives – the city
was still stormed
o Around 1000 jews were murdered by Crusaders/other Jews (suicide prohibited)
• Constantinople:
o Alexius was scared that the Crusaders would start riots and damage the city,
and so refused to allow them into the city
o Alexius instead allowed the people through Constantinople so they would stay
o Peter’s people stole everything that they could and created havoc along their
journey, so the emperor quickly wanted to get rid of them
o Alexius told Peter to wait for the Princes Crusade, but he refused to listen
• Anatolia:
o After crossing the Bosphorus, the Crusaders headed for Nicaea
o The passed through Christian villages and took all the harvests, as well as pillaging
the countryside for resources
• Xerigordon:
o The German’s captured the castle Xerigordon, where they were surrounded by
Seljuk Turk’s who blocked their water supply, they were forced to surrender
