Back to the Crusades
I keep hearing from Islamic terrorists and their apologists that the Crusades launched in the 11th and 12th centuries was done in the name of "Christianity". Even anti-Christians have latched themselves on this canard like a leech on flesh. I know the history of the Crusades may appear "complicated" and it would be easy to just say "its just those Christians" who slaughtered innocents in the Holy Land and Jerusalem, however, let me summarize for you, the Crusades:
Basically, the Crusades were waged in the name of the Emporer of Constantinople! Not Christianity. The Byzantine armies suffered a terrible defeat in 1071 at Manzikert in Northern Turkey by Moslem Turks and the Emporer was hard pressed to raise a replacement army. Since his armies were mostly mercenary in nature at home, he desparately sent out the call via the Pope in Rome in more distant CATHOLIC lands to come and create buffer states to protect what was left of the Byzantine Empire.
If the Frankish knights would come over and conquer the Moslem territories from Northern Turkey all the way down to Egypt and if they made, and this is important to understand, the Emporer their LIEGE LORD or Overlord then the Byzantines vis a vis the Emporer of Constantinople would allow them safe passage through his Kingdom to wage war against the Islamic usurpers over the CLASSICAL WORLD which included present day Israel and Jerusalem.
The Pope was pleased by this invitation from the Emporer because it would serve his interest to be the Eastern Orthodox Christian's LIEGE LORD himself in spiritual matters. Thus, between the Emporer of Constantinople and the POPE, their interests to maintain and perhaps ingratiate their own power both in political and spiritual matters would be mutually served.
Thus, in order to entice Western Catholic knights, the call went out from Rome about the need to "restore" Jerusalem to Christian suzerainty and the Pope, in typical Islamic fashion if I may be so bold, issued a "fatwa" of sorts that if "Christian" knights fought under the banner of the Red Cross while "Crusading" for the Emporer, then their "sins" would be absolved and if they fell fighting in the "Holy Land" then they would go straight to Heaven. An absurd and very un-Christian doctrine in its entirety.
Nevertheless, Jerusalem was taken in 1099 by the Frankish knights which is truly amazing, militarily speaking, considering the long and isolated lines of communication. The Frankish Knights were supported by smaller contingents of Norman, English and German barons and nobles for about 200 years thereafter.
The Emporers gamble did payoff for it put off the fall of Byzantium for about 200 years, more or less. The Crusaders were led at one point by a Byzantine Nobleman during a civil war for succession to the throne in Constantinople and in a bloody and riotous coup occupied by Frankish Crusaders for about 70 years before the throne was restored to Byzantine Rule. Constantinople eventually fell to Islam in the 15th Century. You will note since the Emporer of Constantinople is no longer with us, there has been no CALL TO CRUSADE since.
Nothing about the Crusades had anything to do with Christianity. It had everything to do with the Emporer in Constantinople. In order to protect what was left of Byzantium, the Emporer was depending on buffer states forged out of war in Eastern Turkey and the "Holy" land through the military power of Norman and Frankish knights. Islam eventually, through war, conquered the Crusader States.
Thus, ends the lesson.
Basically, the Crusades were waged in the name of the Emporer of Constantinople! Not Christianity. The Byzantine armies suffered a terrible defeat in 1071 at Manzikert in Northern Turkey by Moslem Turks and the Emporer was hard pressed to raise a replacement army. Since his armies were mostly mercenary in nature at home, he desparately sent out the call via the Pope in Rome in more distant CATHOLIC lands to come and create buffer states to protect what was left of the Byzantine Empire.
If the Frankish knights would come over and conquer the Moslem territories from Northern Turkey all the way down to Egypt and if they made, and this is important to understand, the Emporer their LIEGE LORD or Overlord then the Byzantines vis a vis the Emporer of Constantinople would allow them safe passage through his Kingdom to wage war against the Islamic usurpers over the CLASSICAL WORLD which included present day Israel and Jerusalem.
The Pope was pleased by this invitation from the Emporer because it would serve his interest to be the Eastern Orthodox Christian's LIEGE LORD himself in spiritual matters. Thus, between the Emporer of Constantinople and the POPE, their interests to maintain and perhaps ingratiate their own power both in political and spiritual matters would be mutually served.
Thus, in order to entice Western Catholic knights, the call went out from Rome about the need to "restore" Jerusalem to Christian suzerainty and the Pope, in typical Islamic fashion if I may be so bold, issued a "fatwa" of sorts that if "Christian" knights fought under the banner of the Red Cross while "Crusading" for the Emporer, then their "sins" would be absolved and if they fell fighting in the "Holy Land" then they would go straight to Heaven. An absurd and very un-Christian doctrine in its entirety.
Nevertheless, Jerusalem was taken in 1099 by the Frankish knights which is truly amazing, militarily speaking, considering the long and isolated lines of communication. The Frankish Knights were supported by smaller contingents of Norman, English and German barons and nobles for about 200 years thereafter.
The Emporers gamble did payoff for it put off the fall of Byzantium for about 200 years, more or less. The Crusaders were led at one point by a Byzantine Nobleman during a civil war for succession to the throne in Constantinople and in a bloody and riotous coup occupied by Frankish Crusaders for about 70 years before the throne was restored to Byzantine Rule. Constantinople eventually fell to Islam in the 15th Century. You will note since the Emporer of Constantinople is no longer with us, there has been no CALL TO CRUSADE since.
Nothing about the Crusades had anything to do with Christianity. It had everything to do with the Emporer in Constantinople. In order to protect what was left of Byzantium, the Emporer was depending on buffer states forged out of war in Eastern Turkey and the "Holy" land through the military power of Norman and Frankish knights. Islam eventually, through war, conquered the Crusader States.
Thus, ends the lesson.
posted by Bruce R. McConnell | 3:29 PM
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