THE CRUSADES
-Laldanmawia
Introduction:
When the development of Christianity passed through the millennium, it had also get through many problems inside and outside the churches. The persecution in the first century up to the fourth century was followed by the spread of Christian faith under the emperorship of Constantine, and theologians came up. Then the spread of Christianity reached to western, Eastern and Northern Europe. In the later part of the millennium, the growth of Islam became hindrance to the Christianity. After that moment in the 11th Century, the so-called Crusades started until 13th Century. That Crusades is thus the topic for this paper with analyzing its definition, causes, campaigns, results and its implication for today’s Indian Churches.
1. Definition of the Crusades:
The Crusade is the holy war fought by Christians against Islamic tyranny to retrieve the Holy Land, which was occupied by Muslims for hundreds of years. The Christians believed that Jerusalem was their own holy land, reserved for their private religious purposes. However, Muslim who claimed Jerusalem as their holy land as well controlled the land. Thus, the Pope and other political leaders sent soldiers into the holy land to try to recover it from the Muslims. These soldiers consisted primarily of Franks from France and citizens of the Holy Roman Empire.[1] Therefore, when we say the Crusade, we mean it is the mission of Christian to get back Jerusalem and the surrounding from the control of Muslim; that period covered 200’s years of fighting.
2. Causes of the Crusades:
The main causes or the motives behind the Crusades laid on the Christian’s expedition of recovering the Holy land Jerusalem from the controlled of Muslim tyranny. Therefore, by fighting the crusades what the causes would be are as follows:
2.1. Muslim Domination of Holy Land: Since Jerusalem was the holy place for Christians, many Christians visited as pilgrims. However, after the control of Jerusalem by the Muslim of Turks, they did not allow making pilgrimages for Christians. While Christians were not aware that the land was fallen into new hands, 3000 Christians were insulted and persecuted. Even the churches in Jerusalem were destroyed in large number.[2] These incidents were very serious harassment for Roman Catholic Church, which led to the expedition of Christian’s army toward Jerusalem to overtake it from the control of Muslim. To recover Jerusalem and the surroundings was the main cause for the Crusades.
2.2. Religious Adoration: Christians were informed that the Muslims offended Jesus Christ by occupying Jerusalem. That really threatened Christians’ love of God, Jesus and the religion. If it were good to make a pilgrimage to the Holy land, much more would it be a moral act to rescue the holy land from the unauthorized controlled. This was the conviction they received that changed the pilgrim into a warrior.[3] So, the thought came up that Christian would take up his cause and fight for his honor. People were encouraged and many of them came up for the Missions.
2.3. Military Adventure: The love of military adventure by many people also provides one factor, which was sanctified by the Roman Catholic that motivated in turn many people to come out for crusade.[4] Christians under the inspired of Pope then wanted to fight against Muslims of Eastern Europe rather than fighting each other.
2.4. Promise of Salvation: The Pope did motivate the people that if they participate in the war for Jesus Christ, they would receive reward of forgiving of their sins. Many people took the chance for receiving direct salvation from their many sins, and if they died, they would go straight to Heaven. As well as people were offered an escape from domestic boredom or from punishment for crimes.[5]
2.5. Pope Urban and Peter the Hermit: The character and interest of Pope Urban II and Peter the Hermit also contributed for the fulfillment of the Campaign for the first. An appeal of Pope Urban II called upon Western Christians to go for Crusades, through his sermon at a Council of Clermont in 1095, in France.[6] In addition, Peter the Hermit was used as a preacher or messenger to spread the message through much of Western Europe; he could convince many people to come up for the Holy War.[7]
Other leaders of the late Crusades were also not to be forgotten like king Louis VII, Philip Augustus and Richard Coeur-de-Lion, Frederick II, Thibaud de Champaigne, and Richard of Cornwall, etc.[8] They all contributed for the rise of the Crusades in different times.
2.6. Eastern and Western Unity of the Church: In the tenth and eleventh century, the church relationship of East and west had deteriorated. Therefore, the desire the Pope was to heal and to bridge between these two wings of Catholic Church and Christian unity.[9] If they help each other in fighting Crusade there would be a chance for uniting. So, that emotion encouraged the Christians to take up steps.
3. The Campaigns:
The Crusade started in 1096 until 1272 CE. During these long periods, Eight Crusade campaigns took placed.
3.1. The First Crusade (1096): The first Crusade was started in 1096 by 80,000 people under the leadership of Godfrey; after the failure of 40,000 people with Peter the Hermit in the preceding year. People in large number joined them on the way and the members added to 6 lakhs.[10] They conquered Jerusalem and the whole Palestine. Godfrey was put as a ruler in Jerusalem. However, he died after one year; his brother Baldwin succeeded him in his throne. Thus, the Crusaders occupied the Palestine and rule for periods of time.
3.2. The Second Crusade (1147): The Latin kingdom of Crusaders in Palestine was not so strong because of lacking of good administrations. The kingdom was in danger of collapsing as Zingia kingdom raised up and captured Edessa the key city of the defenses of the Crusaders’ kingdom.[11] The Pope took this happening seriously and he called for second Crusade. French emperor Louis VII led the crusade, but the mission was not successful as such.
During the period of Second Crusade, Islamic counter attack happened in 1187, Zingli general Saladin captured the Palestine from the hand of Crusaders and established Mohameddan rule there.
3.3. The Third Crusade (1188-92): The Islamic recovery of Palestine was then the cause of the third Crusade. There was no such strong Pope to host the Mission in that time. However, the intention of European kings was rather very strong that they form allies. Three armies set out under the leadership of king Phillip of France, king Richard of England, and Holy Roma emperor Barbarossa.[12] Barbarossa died there, and the two left kings were quarreling each other, which led to the return of Phillip of France. Richard also not fought anymore; instead, he made agreement with Sultan Saladin.[13] Therefore, the third crusade failed the mission of taking back the holy land. The land was thus left under the controlled of Islamic rule.
3.4. The Fourth Crusade (1204): The dream of retaking the Holy Land could not be calm down. That was the reason why the Crusade set forth under the motivation of Pope Innocent III. King of Flanders Baldwin led the expedition.[14] However, the crusaders stormed Constantinople, plundered it, and put Baldwin on the Imperial throne.[15] Moreover, they established Latin kingdom in the Eastern side. The fourth crusade showed the other bad news for Pope and other Christians that the Crusaders captured Eastern Christian land instead of fighting against the Muslim.
3.5. The Fifth Crusade (1212/1217): If we put the so-called Children Crusade was one of them, it would be in the fifth. One young boy Nicholas of Cologne started the Children Crusade by marching towards Italy with thousands of children. However, many of them were confined by slave sellers and sold them in Egypt as slaves.[16] A crusade spirit flowed over Europe so that these youngsters also inspired by the Crusaders on their campaign. So, in thinking that they could do the same for the extension of the kingdom of God they went out for Crusade without any armed.
3.6. The Sixth Crusade (1228): Emperor Frederick promised to set out for Crusade to the Pope, but the processing was very long that caused banish of the emperor by Pope. However, eventually Emperor Frederick explored with some soldiers. It was said the second succeeded crusade after the first.[17] They made consideration that Sultan Kemela handed over him some parts of Palestine like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Joppa. So, the Crusaders’ succeeded land was standing until 20 years before the conquest of Tartar Muslim in 1248.[18]
3.7. The Seventh Crusade (1249): Because of the failure of the previous crusades, people put their sentiment to their society and the European kings to their respective lands. They were not enough enthusiastic for crusade; even the Pope also put his mind more on against Frederick. But, in that time there was one good emperor called St. Louis of France; with him many soldiers set out again for the mission. They could conquer Egyptians but unfortunately, he lost most of his soldiers due to disease and enemy. Mameluke, the successor of Sultan Saladin, also imprisoned him.[19] He cashed in himself by a lot of money and went back in 1250.
3.8. The Eighth Crusade (1270): The last Expedition for the Crusade was again under St. Louis. After his failure at the first attempt, he was still in the same condition to success. In the year 1270, he left for the same again. However, sadly, his soldiers and he died because of diseases without succeeding his mission. And, the Crusade was end up in 1272.[20]
4. Consequences of the Crusades:
4.1. The Crusade weakened rather than strengthened the Greek Church and Eastern Empire in their resistance to aggressive Islam.[21]
4.2. One of the motives behind the Crusade was failed that instead of Uniting Eastern and Western Christians, it deepened and widened the division between them.[22]
4.3. The Crusades intensified the hatred and scorn of Muslim for the Christians.[23]
4.4. It increased the position of Pope. During the Crusades Pope was one who gave order, which is why after finishing crusades, Pope was given high respect.
4.5. The Crusades brought the political system a change from feudalism to monarchy in Europe.[24] Before, people were under the lords but after the Crusades, the power of feudal lords weakened. The kings who led the Crusades were given more power and high respect, and loyalty in exchange for protection.
4.6. Some new monastic orders were established in The Catholic Church, such as the Knight of the Temple, the Teutonic Knight, and the Knight of Saint John.
5. Implication for Indian Churches of the Present time:
5.1. Situation of Indian Churches of the Present time: India is the pluralist country in which different races, languages, religions, and philosophies have to be found.[25] It is the country of united in diversity. And, India is a secular state that different religions grow together. Even within Christianity, there are so many ecumenical and denominational churches like Roman Catholic, Orthodox, United Church (combination of Catholic and Reformed traditions), Protestant mainline and sectarian, etc. At the same time, unity among the churches is there by forming Councils like Church of South India (CSI), Church of North India (CNI), National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), North East Indian Christian Council (NEICC), Mar Thoma Church, etc.[26] But on the other hand in sharing pulpit to each other, and in other ceremony and rituals Indian churches could not join each other.
5.2. Implication of the Crusades: In India in the present time, the movement of conversion may be appropriate to use in comparing with the Crusades of 11th to 13th Century CE. There are no such kinds of places to be claimed as the Holy Land in India, but the Holy Land of Indian Churches is in the heart of the people. We do not want to lose our lands from Muslim, Hindu and other religious controlled. Some of our holy lands were taken back by other religions; some are still under foreign rulers. So, Indian Churches have to launch the crusade or mission to claim and to win our holy lands from the tyrannical control of Muslims, Hindus, etc. as well as our goal is to be expanding to win the complex unity of the ecumenical churches as the Crusades tried to bring Eastern and Western unity. That is how the Crusades can have an implication for Indian Churches of the present time. We can learn people’s royalty and honesty to the Christianity and the Church also; and the Crusades can encourage Indian churches to extend the Kingdom of God and to fortify the extended Kingdom.
Conclusion:
Thus from above discussion, it is obvious that the Crusades was not so successful on their main objective of taking back the Holy Land from Muslim Tyranny. It took hundreds of years; it brought many changes in the society, political and cultural situation of the Europe. Even though Crusades was put in the name of God for the extension of His Kingdom, the instrument like fighting with confiscating, capturing, insulting, defeating badly, and plundering other people is to be placed on the opposite site of the teachings of Jesus Christ. That may be the reason why the Crusade was said not succeeded.
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Bibliography:
D’sa, Fr. Thomas. The Church in India in the Emerging Third Millennium. Bangalore: NBCLC, 2005.
Hrangkhuma, F. Introduction to Church History. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1996.
Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500. New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975.
Saiaithanga. Kohhran Chanchin. Aizawl: Synod Book Room, 1976.
Webliography:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm (2/9/2011).
[4] F. Hrangkhuma, Introduction to Church History (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1996), 148.
[5] F. Hrangkhuma, Introduction….
[6] F. Hrangkhuma, Introduction….
[7] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 410.
[8] http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm (2/9/2011).
[9] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 409.
[10] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin (Aizawl: Synod Book Room, 1976), 114.
[11] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 411.
[12] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity….
[13] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin (Aizawl: Synod Book Room, 1976), 115.
[14] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin (Aizawl: Synod Book Room, 1976), 116.
[15] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 412.
[16] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin (Aizawl: Synod Book Room, 1976), 116.
[17] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin….
[18] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin….
[19] Saiaithanga, Kohhran Chanchin…, 117.
[20] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 419.
[21] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity Volume I: Beginnings to 1500 (New York: Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1975), 414.
[22] F. Hrangkhuma, Introduction to Church History (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1996), 149.
[23] Kenneth Scott Latourette, A history of Christianity…, 414.
[25] Fr. Thomas D’sa, The Church in India in the Emerging Third Millennium (Bangalore: NBCLC, 2005), 27.
[26] Fr. Thomas D’sa, The Church in India in the Emerging Third Millennium (Bangalore: NBCLC, 2005), 700.
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