What are some of the causes of the Crusades

Question

Check this site for the causes.

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561210/Crusades.html

This site will give help with that:

http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/cause-of-crusades.htm

Answer 1

Some of the causes of the Crusades include:

1. Religious motivations: The main goal of the Crusades was to recapture the Holy Land, specifically Jerusalem, from Muslim control. Many European Christians believed that undertaking a pilgrimage to the Holy Land was an act of religious devotion and an important way to secure salvation.

2. Papal influence: Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade in 1095, believing that it would not only help the Byzantine Empire, who had requested assistance against the Seljuk Turks, but also reunite the Roman Catholic Church with the Eastern Orthodox Church.

3. Economic reasons: Crusaders often sought wealth and land, hoping to improve their socio-economic status by acquiring territory in the East. Additionally, Italian city-states like Genoa and Venice had economic interests in the region, as they sought to establish trade routes and control key ports.

4. Overpopulation in Europe: At the time, parts of Western Europe were facing a population growth that put pressure on available resources. The Crusades provided an opportunity for ambitious nobles and their followers to gain land and wealth elsewhere.

5. Feudalism and chivalry: The feudal structure of medieval Europe meant that knights owed military service to their lords, who in turn owed allegiance to higher-ranking lords and ultimately to the king. The Crusades provided an outlet for knights and nobles to fulfill their chivalric duties as well as to gain glory, fame, and prestige.

6. Political reasons: European rulers and nobles saw the Crusades as an opportunity to expand their power and influence, both at home and abroad. In some cases, rulers used the Crusades as a way to distract their subjects from domestic issues or to solidify their rule by championing a popular cause.

Overall, the Crusades were sparked by a combination of religious zeal, political ambition, and economic interests.