AM History Paper Revised

8/2/2019 AM History Paper Revised

1/3

Ashton Morse

Ms. C

English 1102

February 14, 2012

The Crusade

Back in the early eleventh century the city of Jerusalem was in the hands of the Christian

population. Jerusalem is considered the holy land because it is the place that the Biblical Jesus

died. It is visited by many from the Christian and Muslim faith because of its historical

importance to both of their beliefs. In the eleventh century the Turks launched an attack that

would start a religious war that would last for two hundred years.

The Crusades were a launch of attacks upon the holy land by the Christian faith from the

eleventh century through the thirteenth century. The first Crusade happened because of an attack

launched on the city of Jerusalem. The Turks were just coming from their victory in

Byzantine Empire and they decided to launch an attack on the gates of Jerusalem. In taking over

the city of Jerusalem the Turks would kill Egyptian Muslims and forcing all Christians and Jews

out of the city leaving the city under complete Turkish control. This left the gates of Jerusalem

less open to Christians. In this time there were also knights but nothing like the knights you

think of. The knights in this day and age were evil and menacing. They lived the life of a thug.

They pillaged and attacked towns for money and would fight anyone in their way. The churches

would have to step in and use holy Saint Relics to make them swear to not harm anyone in the

name of God. With this new war waging the Churches could take these knights and quench their

lust for battle. The church preached that any man, woman, or child who joined (what we refer to

Comment [M1]: I would reword this t

something like In the eleventh century,

launched an attack that resulted in a two

year religious war.

Comment [M2]: In the Byzantine Em

Comment [M3]: Insert a comma afte

Comment [M4]: Restructure this: In

the city of Jerusalem, the Turks killed Egy

Muslims and forced all Christians and Jew

the city. This left the city under complete

control.

Comment [M5]: I would change this o

during this time period

Comment [M6]: Switch these words a

Comment [M7]: Insert a comma afte

Comment [M8]: Quench their thirst f

sounds smoother.


2/3

as the Crusade) the cause a free ride to heaven. Anyone who owed money would be free of their

debt. Anyone who was an indentured servant would be set free. This was a very different time

where religion reflected your human worth, and sinning was considered disastrous to your

eternal life. People did any and everything they could to ensure their place in serene Heaven.

They began to rally under the Peter the Hermit. He led over 10,000 unarmed men, women, and

children to the gates of Jerusalem. The people were slaughtered by the Muslim army and Peter

the Hermit escaped back to Europe had achieved nothing. This was called the Peoples Crusade

because the people formed it and none of them were trained soldiers who had experience in

combat none the less war. This was the beginning of the Crusades.

The first Crusade would start not long after the Peoples Crusade. Instead of unarmed

men, women, and children this one would be composed of armored knights, foot soldiers, and

the new foot soldier, the archer. Led by Duke Godfrey men from England, France, and Germany

would march across Europe through the town of Constantinople. The man count would come

close to 700,000 men in which 100,000 of those men were fully mailed armored knights. The

first siege would be held at Antioch. The siege would take 8 months for the crusaders to finally

breach the Turkish capital walls and take control of the city. After this delay the surviving

soldiers along with their leaders would march south to the gates of Jerusalem. They would

launch a mass assault onto the gates but the first attempt would fail. After retreating and

regaining their forces in proper order they launched a second assault this one though being

successful. The crusaders would breach the walls and begin a seven day slaughter of the

Muslims inside. When crusaders would kill an infidel they were allowed to claim their victims

houses for themselves. Their mission was complete; the city of Jerusalem belonged to the

Christians. This would be the end of the first crusade, but the second would follow not long after.

Comment [M9]: This sentence sound

something like The church preached to

that any man, woman, or child who joine

crusade would receive a free ride into he

Comment [M10]: Since you used Any

last sentence, swap this word out for Th

were indentured servants or somethin

Comment [M11]: Try to stay away fr

personal pronouns. Switch this out for a

worth.

Comment [M12]: Remove this the.

Comment [M13]: Replace with havin

nothing.

Comment [M14]: Insert a comma.

Comment [M15]: A new edition to th

soldiers, the archer.



Comment [M18]: Insert a period.

Comment [M19]: This one would end

successfully though.


3/3

The Turks first victory was a success because of their opponents lack of defense. The

Muslims at the time were not a unified religion like the Christians were. The Christian were

united by the Catholic church. However, the Muslims eventually gather together in 1144 to

capture the city of Edessa, a Christian outpost town. A Catholic preacher, Saint Burnard , felt

that the Muslims would attack Jerusalem, he began to preach of a second crusade. King Henry

the VII of France would answer this call along with Conrad III of Germany who would need to

be persuaded. Some of the most powerful men alive at this time in history, the king of France

and the king of Germany would lead the second crusade. They and the standing army that St.

Burnard had conjured up marched on to Edessa. The battle over Edessa would end badly for the

Christians, but King Henry VII did not want to go back to France a failure. Therefor he took his

defeated army and marched towards Damacus. The assault however failed, leaving King Henry

VII and Conrad III to march back to Europe ashamed and defeated.

Comment [M20]: gathered

Comment [M21]: Maybe put this into

sentences.

Comment [M22]: Insert comma after

Comment [M23]: Overall, this is a re

paper. Everything Ive said is just my opin

watch out for word tenses. Check the cap

of the word churches and other things lik

to stay away from personal pronouns like

your. Really good information without ju

about a bunch of nothing (not a lot of flu

paper which is good)

AM History Paper Revised

Documents

Transcript of AM History Paper Revised