The Second Crusade (1147–50), which is a response to the fall of the first crusader kingdom of Edessa (the crusader kingdom in the north). If I run through them very quickly: The First Crusade (1095–99), where the crusaders take Jerusalem and set up the crusader states. For me, there are eight crusades during the period from 1095 to 1291 in the Near East (so not crusading within Europe). Q: How many crusades were there?Ī: This is very debated by historians writing about the crusades today. Religious, political, social, economic motivations all play their part. These days in the historiography, historians do try and show that mixed motivation. He can be inspired by charismatic preaching. He can be hoping that there might be some land parcelled out to him. He can also be hoping to be in favour with his lord. But an individual crusader doesn't just have to have one motivation.
Take a figure like Bernard of Clairvaux on the Second Crusade. There are many other non-religious motivations, such as the charismatic preaching that we see happening with these crusades. (Now, we know that some of the First Crusaders were very cynical about that.) The Byzantine emperor, Alexius Comnenus, had asked for help from the west because the Byzantines were struggling against the Seljuk Turks at this time. The pope had called for the First Crusade to help the Byzantines in the east. There is another religious motivation: to help fellow Christians.
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Listen to the full episode with Professor Rebecca Rist: You only have to look at someone like Robert of Clari talking about the Fourth Crusade, saying people joined because the crusade indulgence was so great.
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People want to be free from their sins, to try to wipe the slate clean, and they know that crusading will assure them that spiritual privilege.
To highlight a few definite motivating factors: I think the papacy granting a ‘remission of sins’ in the 12th century – which will eventually be formulated as the plenary indulgence – is a driving force. Historians have suggested several different motivations – religious, political, social, economic. *Please note that minor edits have been made for clarity Q: What motivated the crusades that took place between 1095–1204?Ī: This is a very large question.