Crusaders and Reformers

2002-10-05

I. The Crusades to Palestine (1095-1291)

A. Reasons for the Crusades.

8 crusades total. Religious motivation: Fanatical group of Muslims called the Seljuk Turks (a dynasty of Turks). Had taken over area of the Holy Land. Hindered the pilgrims from visiting the holy places. Wanted to drive out the infidels (unbelievers) that were there. Crusade means to take the Cross, or mark with the Cross. Non-religious motivation: There are always mixed motives on all religious confrontation. Crusaders exemption of taxes or canceling of debts, seize value of land. Escape punishment for crimes, criminals let out of jail. Italian cities to make trade through the Crusades. Provided escape from monotony of feudal life, including peasants.

B. Course of the Crusades

First crusade 1095-99. Emperor at Constantinople, Alexius, called for help to drive out Seljuk Turks. Pope turned this into something more, Pope Urban II, called Council of Clermont. Strong appeal to regain Jerusalem from the Turks. He appealed to every persuasion, nobles and peasants, etc. Peasants and Nobles Crusades, the former went first, and had leaders but no organization. Peter the Hermit, Walter the Penniless. Led people to the east and made it to Constantinople. Most did not reach Palestine. Those who made it, Taufers. Some attacked Jews in Germany and Europe instead. 50,000 Jews killed. Considered them enemies in their midst as opposed to those in the east. They did capture Jerusalem in 1099 with a bloodbath. Blood up to the horses ankles. It became the Kingdom of Jerusalem, set up feudal estates there.

Superstitions: a warrior brought a goose out, claiming that it was the Holy Spirit. They thought Jerusalem was heaven.

Second Crusade. Turks began to threaten again Jerusalem. 1147. It failed. In Muslim hands.

Third Crusade. The King’s Crusade. Richard I the Lionhearted of England; Phillip II of France; Frederick I Barbarosa of HRE. Frederick drowned in river in Asia Minor, had armor on. Richard and Phillip met and quarreled, and Phillip went home. Good soldier, bad king, was away mostly. Complete Crusade. Got a strip of coastline, and access to Holy places for pilgrims.

Forth Crusade. Attacked Constantinople instead, 1204, overthrew the Byzantine Empire. Western Kingdom set up from 1204-1261. Bad relations between the Churches.

1212 Children’s Crusade, 2 boys led children from France and Germany that their purity might win, superstition. Sold into slavery in Egypt.

The people finally lost interest in these things

C. Consequences

Militarily they failed. Do not know what would have happened if they did not go.

Religiously they brought up misguided religious zeal. Thought they would have remission of sins.

Temporarily expanded power of the popes. Long run, they weakened the papacy.

Kings strengthened by the Crusades. A lot of the nobles went on Crusades, and never came back. Killed off or settled in the east. Kings no longer rivaled with nobles. Popes also therefore decline.

Economically, culturally: Hastened expansion of trade, open to new ways of life. Outside world becomes evident to them.

II. Monastic Reform

A. The Cistercian Order.

910, Cluny reforms (above).

Cistercians founded in 1098 by French monk named Robert. Bernard of Clairvaux, a mystic and song writer. Jesus the Very Thought of Thee. He popularized this.

Self-denying life with more discipline. Attracted a lot of the lower classes of people. Simplicity.

B. The Military Order

Monks that gave their lives to the military. Combined war with Monastic life. Knights of St. John, or Knights Hospitallers. Took care of physical needs of the Crusaders, and also took up arms. Knights Templars. Completely given over to the military.

C. The Friars

From Frater meaning Brothers. Took vows like other monks. Did not live in monasteries. They lived out among the people. No source of income except alms given to them. Begging Friars. Regular Clergy, because they lived under a particular rule of life (listed above).

2 Major orders: Franciscans: (Francis of Assisi, who gave up wealth and gave himself for service of the church). They became the missionaries. Scholars also.

Dominicans: (Dominic, Spanish priest) Fought against heresy. Believed in intellectual argument and preaching. Also had some missionaries.

They took religion out to the people, and restore preaching as prominent.

III. Lay Reform Movements

A. Reasons for lay reformers

Church under the surface were feelings of dissatisfaction. They made their own groups as protest. Went to NT teachings.

B. The Cathari, pure ones (Albigenses, they were from Albi)

Based teachings on NT, but in practice. Followed forms of dualism. Matter was evil, spirit was good. Good and bad god. Opposed reproduction of the human race, sex was evil. Church considered these people a threat because they claimed the NT as the basis of their faith. Questioned the authority of the church. Church is the final authority and gave rise to the NT. 1208 Innocent III sent a Crusade out against these people in France. These people were exterminated.

C. The Poor In Spirit (Waldenses, refers to association of Peter Waldo who gave up his wealth)

Bible was final authority for faith and life. Everyone should have the Bible in their own language. Translated the Bible, went out by 2’s to people. Tried to do what the church was supposed to do apart from the RCC. They were excommunicated from the Church, because the preached as laymen, without ordination. Synod of Toulouse, 1229. Forbade laymen to use these vernacular translations except for the Psalms. Latin Vulgate was the official translation. Also set up the Inquisition to investigate heresy. An ‘inquiry into something’. Waldenses were repressed. Inquisition: assumed someone was guilty unless proven innocent. Never revealed the names of the accusers, secret system. Open to corruption. Used torture to get confessions. Property taken away. Means of execution was burning at the stake. Assumed that the soul was more important than the body, that soul might survive. Result: Church started to stagnate and become corrupt.