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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.
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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 [M16]: Insert a comma.
Comment [M17]: Insert a comma.
Comment [M18]: Insert a period.
Comment [M19]: This one would end
successfully though.
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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)
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