Crusades facts for kids

The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims over control of the Holy Land. Traditionally, they took place between 1095 and 1291. The Holy Land was and still is a place that is very important for the three major monotheistic religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. There are many important religious sites in the Holy Land. This is the land now called Israel or Palestine. Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and other religious sites fell under the control of Muslims during the Caliphate of Omar (634-44).

Many Crusades

There were many different crusades. The most important and biggest Crusades took place from the 11th century to the 13th century. There were 9 large Crusades during this time. They are numbered 1 through 9. There were also many smaller Crusades. Some crusades were even within Europe (for example, in Germany, Austria and Scandinavia). The smaller Crusades continued to the 16th century, until the Renaissance and Reformation.

The word "Crusade" is related to the word "Cross", and means a Christian holy war. There is also the Arabic word "Jihad", referring to a holy war fought by Muslims. All sides (Christians, Muslims, and Jews) believed very much in their religions. They also had political reasons for fighting. The strong belief made people less able to understand other people during times when there was no peace. The Crusades and Jihads caused very much loss of life and property for all sides.

First Crusade

Alexius I was a ruler of the Byzantine Empire. When Alexius called for help to defend his empire against the Seljuk Turks in 1095, Pope Urban II asked all Christians to join a war against the Turks. The Pope told the Christians that fighting the war would repay God for their sins and that if they died on a crusade they would go straight to heaven. The Christian soldiers were called "crusaders". The armies marched to Jerusalem, attacking several cities on their way. In 1099 they won the battle for Jerusalem. As a result of the First Crusade, several small Crusader states were created, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Second Crusade

After some years of peace, Bernard of Clairvaux called for a new crusade when the town of Edessa was attacked by the Turks. French and German armies marched to Holy Land in 1147, but were defeated. On the way the Crusaders helped the Portuguese capture Lisbon from the Moors.

Third Crusade

In 1187, Saladin recaptured Jerusalem. Pope Gregory VIII called for a new crusade, led by several of Europe's kings: Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick drowned in Cilicia in 1190. The Crusaders re-established the Kingdom of Jerusalem in Acre. Richard defeated Saladin at Arsuf and Jaffa but lacked the men needed to attempt recapturing Jerusalem. Richard and Saladin made a truce that let the Christians travel safely through Jerusalem. Afterward Richard left in 1192. On Richard's way home, his ship was wrecked, leading him to Austria. In Austria his enemy Duke Leopold captured him, and Richard was ransomed.

Fourth Crusade

The Fourth Crusade was started by Pope Innocent III in 1202, with the idea to attack the Holy Land through Egypt. The Venetians changed this crusade, and went to the Christian city of Constantinople, where they attempted to place a Byzantine exile on the throne. After a series of misunderstandings and outbreaks of violence, the city was sacked in 1204.

Albigensian Crusade

The Albigensian Crusade was started in 1209 to eliminate the Cathars of southern France.

Children's Crusade

The Children's Crusade is a crusade of 1212. An outburst of the old popular enthusiasm led a gathering of children in France and Germany. A boy, from either France or Germany, said that Jesus had visited him, and told him to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. Following this vision, many children formed bands, and marched to Italy. There, they were put onto ships which either capsized in a storm, or which went to Morocco. Most of the children either starved to death or were sold into slavery.

Fifth Crusade

During 1213, Pope Gregory IX pushed Frederick II into leading the Fifth Crusade. The Church tried another crusade to attack the Holy Land. A crusading force from Hungary, Austria, and Bavaria captured Damietta, a city in Egypt, in 1219. The crusaders had to surrender, due to losing the battle for Cairo.

Sixth Crusade

In 1228, Emperor Frederick II set sail from Brindisi for Syria. He did this after the Pope excommunicated him. By talking to the Turks he had success, and Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem was given to the Crusaders for ten years without fighting. This was the first major crusade not initiated by the Papacy, a trend that was to continue for the rest of the century. This crusade only lasted for a year, from 1228-1229.

Seventh Crusade

The Templars argued with Egypt in 1243. In 1244, Egypt attacked Jerusalem. Louis IX of France started a crusade against Egypt from 1248 to 1254. It was a failure, and Louis spent much of the crusade living in Acre. In the midst of this crusade was the first Shepherds' Crusade in 1251.

Eighth Crusade

The Eighth Crusade was organized by Louis IX of France in 1270, to help the Crusader states in Syria. However, the crusade got as far as Tunis, where Louis died a month later.

Ninth Crusade

Before he was the king, Edward I of England started a crusade in 1271. He retired the following year after a truce.

The end of the Crusades

In time, the people went on Crusades for other purposes. The Crusades ended two centuries after they had begun, achieving mixed results. The crusades ended with the Fall of Acre in 1291.

Books and texts

Peter Raedts, "The Children's Crusade of 1212", Journal of Medieval History, 3 (1977), summary of the sources, issues and literature.

Images for kids

A battle of the Second Crusade (illustration of William of Tyre's Histoire d'Outremer, 1337)
The Battle of Ascalon in 1099, glaspainting in Saint-Denis
The Battle of Ager Sanguinis, medieval miniature
Detail of a miniature of King Philip II of France arriving in the Eastern Mediterranean (mid-14th century)
The Latin and Byzantine Empires in 1205
Frederick II (left) meets al-Kamil (right) in a manuscript illumination from Giovanni Villani's Nuova Cronica
Conquest of the Eastern Orthodox city of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204
Christian dirham with Arabic inscriptions (1216–1241)
"Saladin and Guy de Lusignan after battle of Hattin in 1187" by Said Tahsine (1904–1985)
Illustration of the Council of Clermont (Jean Colombe, Les Passages d'Outremer, BnF Fr 5594, ca. 1475)
Extent of the Teutonic Order in 1300
The Battle of Nicopolis in a miniature by Jean Colombe (Les Passages d'Outremer, BnF Fr 5594, ca. 1475)
Hussite victory over the Crusaders in the Battle of Domažlice (c. 1500, Jena Codex fol. 56r)
A medieval image of Peter the Hermit leading knights, soldiers and women toward Jerusalem during the First Crusade