Title: To What Extent Were The Crusades Successful? | Teen Ink
Headings: To What Extent Were The Crusades Successful?
To What Extent Were The Crusades Successful?
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Content: Although the initial Crusade was successful, later Crusades not only seemed to lose sight of their original purpose but also appeared to be an excuse for violence and thievery that damaged the reputation of the Catholic Church worldwide. The Crusades afterwards were only successful to the Third Crusade because the original crusades had a clear, organized, religious-based purpose, and later crusades outright failed due to ineptitude and greed. In 1095 Pope Urban II gave a sermon to the Council of Clermont in France urging nobles and peasants alike to join him on a holy war against the Muslims. Their mission: to reclaim the sacred land of Jerusalem from the “Saracens”. He tempted people to come together by promising them salvation from God and fame when the Crusaders (the word crusade derives from the French word “crois” which means “cross”) returned. Also, Pope Urban II assured his Crusaders gain wealth by pillage. Because of these assurances, thousands of people, both rich and poor, followed the Pope. “God wills it!” cried out the crusaders during the First Crusade (1095-1099).