The First Christian Crusade: Four Accounts
Christopher Roe
Dr. Jennifer Davis
Medieval History
October 11th, 2013 The Crusades: Motivation behind the Movement. Patrick Geary’s “Readings in Medieval History” contains four accounts of the invasion of the Middle East by the Europeans in 1095 A.D. These accounts all cite different motives for the first crusade, and all the accounts are from the perspective of different sides of the war. The accounts all serve to widen our perspective, we hear from the Christian and Middle Eastern side of the conflict. Fulcher of Chartres claims, Pope Urban the Second urged all Christians to intervene in the “East” at the council of Claremont, saying it was a sign of “Strength of good will”. (Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 396). Solomon Bar Simson, a member of the Jewish community in Mainz, had a much different look upon the reasons behind the Christian invasion, saying the main reason was to banish the Ishmaelite’s and take over in the East for their own greedy needs. ( Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 407) My paper is meant to go through each account and explain each person’s feeling for why the first crusade took place. The first account is from Fulcher of Chartres, a priest and servant of King Baldwin I. His account for the motivation for a Christian invasion of the Middle East cites that Pope Urban the II felt that the East was a threat to Christianity. The Pope uses the example of Turks invading Romania as a sign of eastern people’s attempts to disrupt Christianity. Urban II feels so strongly on this issue that he goes on to say “If you allow them to continue much longer they will conquer Gods faithful people” (Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 396). The bishops and all the men present are extremely moved by this Roe2
Call to arms by the Pope, and vow to do just as Urban II has asked. Pope Urban II goes on to say this isn’t what he wants, rather it’s what God wants and anyone who follows through on this crusade is to
Dr. Jennifer Davis
Medieval History
October 11th, 2013 The Crusades: Motivation behind the Movement. Patrick Geary’s “Readings in Medieval History” contains four accounts of the invasion of the Middle East by the Europeans in 1095 A.D. These accounts all cite different motives for the first crusade, and all the accounts are from the perspective of different sides of the war. The accounts all serve to widen our perspective, we hear from the Christian and Middle Eastern side of the conflict. Fulcher of Chartres claims, Pope Urban the Second urged all Christians to intervene in the “East” at the council of Claremont, saying it was a sign of “Strength of good will”. (Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 396). Solomon Bar Simson, a member of the Jewish community in Mainz, had a much different look upon the reasons behind the Christian invasion, saying the main reason was to banish the Ishmaelite’s and take over in the East for their own greedy needs. ( Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 407) My paper is meant to go through each account and explain each person’s feeling for why the first crusade took place. The first account is from Fulcher of Chartres, a priest and servant of King Baldwin I. His account for the motivation for a Christian invasion of the Middle East cites that Pope Urban the II felt that the East was a threat to Christianity. The Pope uses the example of Turks invading Romania as a sign of eastern people’s attempts to disrupt Christianity. Urban II feels so strongly on this issue that he goes on to say “If you allow them to continue much longer they will conquer Gods faithful people” (Readings in Medieval History, Geary, page 396). The bishops and all the men present are extremely moved by this Roe2
Call to arms by the Pope, and vow to do just as Urban II has asked. Pope Urban II goes on to say this isn’t what he wants, rather it’s what God wants and anyone who follows through on this crusade is to