CHAPTER 12 SECTION 1
MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY
CHURCH REFORM
Pope Gregory VII believed it was his duty to reform the Church; Gregory claims:
The pope is God’s earthly representative
Pope has authority over all Christians (including rulers)
The Church can appoint its own leaders and operate independently of kings
Catholic Church reaches peak under Pope Innocent III
Innocent III used interdicts to influence rulers
Interdict: Decree given by the pope that forbade people from receiving sacred rites from priests
INQUISITION
Heresy: beliefs or opinions contrary to accepted religious doctrine
People with these beliefs known as heretics
The Church sought to defend itself from heresy; created the Inquisition
Inquisition’s purpose was to identify and try heretics
Many tortured and executed
Personal wealth and belongings confiscated (stolen)
CHAPTER 12 SECTION 2
THE CRUSADES
BEGINNING OF THE CRUSADES
The Crusades started when the Byzantines asked for help to fight the Seljuk Turks
(Muslims).
Pope Urban II responded by calling for a crusade to free Jerusalem from the Muslims
European Christians flocked to the Middle East to fight infidels (non-believers)
Muslims are main target; Jews massacred too
“All who die shall have immediate remission [forgiveness] of sins.”
First Crusade was a “success”
Europe claimed Jerusalem and Antioch
Massacre of inhabitants
SECOND AND THIRD CRUSADES
Second Crusade: Called as crusader kingdoms struggled to survive in the Middle East; total failure
The Third Crusade is called after Jerusalem fell (1187 CE) to the Muslim sultan Saladin.
France, England, and Holy Roman Empire lead the charge
Saladin and King Richard I of England ultimately sign a peace treaty; Muslims keep Jerusalem
FOURTH CRUSADE, CHILDREN’S CRUSADE
Fourth Crusade is called by Pope Innocent III after Saladin’s death to
recapture Jerusalem
Crusaders march east; end up sacking Constantinople instead (1204 CE)
Byzantine Empire retakes their capital ~60 years later; permanently weakened
Despite constant failure, crusading continues
Children’s Crusade: Thousands of young people gather to retake Holy
Land from Muslims
20,000 drown at sea or are sold into slavery before reaching Middle East
EFFECTS OF THE CRUSADES
Neutral
Broke down feudalism
Italy grew rich and powerful
Exposed Europe to technology of
the Arab world
Negative
Crusades drained Europe of
resources and manpower
Began severe persecution of
European Jews
Sewed seeds of distrust and even
hatred between Christian and
Muslim worlds
Mass slaughter