Conflict Between Muslims And Christians In The Middle Ages
The source of conflict between Muslims and Christians in the Middle Ages.
The conflict between Christians and Muslim can be still observed in various parts of the world. One could think that there has always been hostility between Christians and Muslims since the younger religion, Islam came into existence in the 7th century and started to spread. Another very common opinion is that the religions themselves – Christianity and Islam are the source of this conflict. Even though both these opinions are very popular, they are not based on facts. In reality, the source of this conflict can be rather found in the political situation and the ambition of church leaders, as it can be observed at the background of the crusades and the reconquista beginning in 11th century. Christianity and Islam are in certain aspects similar religions, and these important similarities should not lead to mutual opposition. Their basic creeds believed in one God that created the universe and men. These monotheistic religions respect the same figures of Jewish tradition as prophets and leaders such as …show more content…
At the same time, the Muslim rule was weakened. Their lost their positions in the Mediterranean after the Normans took over Sicily. Western kingdoms started their fight (reconquista) in Spain in order to take back the territories under the Muslim rule. The Abbasid Empire was crumbling and losing its power. The Seljuk Turks seized control of the Empire in 1055 and in 20 years later they occupied most of Asia Minor. The Byzantine army was heavily defeated and Emperor Alexius Comnenus in Constantinople appealed to the West for support.[2] The one authority that could unite most of Western Europe and answered the call of the emperor was Pope Urban II. The Holy war that he proclaimed was not a result of the conflict between Christians and Muslim but a powerful tool of the
The conflict between Christians and Muslim can be still observed in various parts of the world. One could think that there has always been hostility between Christians and Muslims since the younger religion, Islam came into existence in the 7th century and started to spread. Another very common opinion is that the religions themselves – Christianity and Islam are the source of this conflict. Even though both these opinions are very popular, they are not based on facts. In reality, the source of this conflict can be rather found in the political situation and the ambition of church leaders, as it can be observed at the background of the crusades and the reconquista beginning in 11th century. Christianity and Islam are in certain aspects similar religions, and these important similarities should not lead to mutual opposition. Their basic creeds believed in one God that created the universe and men. These monotheistic religions respect the same figures of Jewish tradition as prophets and leaders such as …show more content…
At the same time, the Muslim rule was weakened. Their lost their positions in the Mediterranean after the Normans took over Sicily. Western kingdoms started their fight (reconquista) in Spain in order to take back the territories under the Muslim rule. The Abbasid Empire was crumbling and losing its power. The Seljuk Turks seized control of the Empire in 1055 and in 20 years later they occupied most of Asia Minor. The Byzantine army was heavily defeated and Emperor Alexius Comnenus in Constantinople appealed to the West for support.[2] The one authority that could unite most of Western Europe and answered the call of the emperor was Pope Urban II. The Holy war that he proclaimed was not a result of the conflict between Christians and Muslim but a powerful tool of the