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First Crusader Success Essay

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Assess the Reasons for the success of the First Crusade The success of the first crusade was due to both Byzantine and Islamic factors. Pope Urban II’s passionate call for arms at the Council of Clermont, the extreme faith and dedication exerted by the crusaders and the disunity between the Muslim leaders enabled the crusaders to attack when the Islamic kingdom was weak, enabling them to capture the most sought after city, Jerusalem. A key defining factor was the disunity amongst the Muslim states. After the death of Malik Shah, local warlords seized the opportunity to build up their own power bases. This therefore meant that the Muslim world was in complete chaos and the lands in which the crusaders would have to march through were very …show more content…

Pope Urban’s passionate call to arms, whether rich or poor, created a huge influx of people from all walks of life. As Christian ideology within the period was dominated by the belief in heaven and hell, the notion that embarking on a crusade, and completing the crusade, evoked a sense of unity and determination which proved key in the crusade, especially during arduous times. During the gruelling 7 month capture of Antioch, the crusaders were then besieged by Kerbogha’s forces. The crusaders were both tired, starving and thirsty however they still fought throughout the night to keep Kerbogha’s forces out. The motivation was further increased by the claim that Peter Bartholomew had found The Holy Lance. Though Kerbogha’s army was one of the most powerful in the Sunni Caliphate, the motivation from the crusaders, who believed that the lance was a sign from God, motivated them to fight on. The crusaders easily could have deserted but, due to the strength of their faith, they defeated Kerbogha’s forces on the 28th June. It was their faith which encouraged the Crusaders to go forth and to face the enemy head on instead of giving up. It is widely believed that the undoubted faith which made the crusaders embark on their journey is one of the key factors which carried them to

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