Motivation for the First Crusade Essay Example

An event that was considered as a climacteric in medieval European history was the First Crusade. The primary motivation for the First Crusade was religious devotion. Two of the most important religious elements that convinced people to go on the crusade were the need for salvation and the desire to help their fellow Christians and save the holy land in the process. While these factors may have been vital in convincing people to go on the Crusade, some think that the Crusader’s numerous raids show that people went on the First Crusade for economic reasons. That, however, can be argued by the fact that the Crusaders looted those villages simply due to a lack of resources.  

In 1071 CE the Seljuk Turks took over Jerusalem which led Emperor Alexius to call for assistance from the pope. Pope Urban II then called for the beginning of the First Crusade. The First Crusade was a massacre of people of many ethnicities, however, it was also a quest to regain the Holy Land. People came on the Crusade regardless of gender and class. Approximately 4,000 knights, 40,000 peasants, and numerous women went on the Crusade. In 1099 CE the Crusaders were able to take over Jerusalem. In 1169 CE, Jerusalem was taken over by Islamic forces which led to more crusades, however, they all failed. 

The Pope placed heavy emphasis on salvation due to its massive role in where one goes after their death. In his speech, Pope Urban used salvation as a way of convincing people to go on the Crusade and put forth the idea that “[a]ll who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins” (Thatcher et al. 127). The idea of ‘remission of sins’ was important to Christians then because if they were sinful at the time of their death then they would not go to heaven, which was a horrifying option to Christians. This is due to the belief that if one does not go to heaven then they go to purgatory or hell. Purgatory is essentially the place in between heaven and hell. Those who committed forgivable sins go to purgatory where it is neither pleasant nor torturous. It was the place to get purified of your sins, so it was not eternal bliss like what heaven was, however, it was not eternal torment as well. Hell on the other hand was the place where people who committed unforgivable sins went after death. The souls of the people who go to hell are tormented both mentally and physically, and there were punishments such as gnawing worms and unquenchable fires. The souls may also torment themselves by thinking about why they did not live a life without sin and by the fact that they are now eternally separated from God. Since the events that happened in hell were touched upon by the church and the pope many times when the pope gave the Crusaders a chance to get a remission of all their sins they immediately took the offer. The fear of not attaining salvation was vital in convincing people to go on the Crusade as if they did not, then they thought that their souls would suffer for eternity.  

Due to the desire to help their fellow Christians and to break Muslim control over the Holy Land, many people felt as if they had to go on the Crusade. In his speech, Pope Urban also mentioned, “For your brethren who live in the East are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them” (Thatcher et al. 128). By using the word ‘brethren’ in his speech, Pope Urban is attempting to make the Crusaders feel guilty. He is making them feel as if they must help their fellow Christians in Jerusalem. He made up stories about the horrifying things that were being done to Christians at the hands of the Muslims as well as saying that they were ‘in urgent need’ of their help. This prompts many people to get ready and go out to save the Christians in Jerusalem. Another important factor that convinced the Crusaders to go on the Crusade was that Jerusalem was “held captive by His enemies, and is in subjection to those who do not know God, to the worship of the heathens. She seeks therefore and desires to be liberated, and does not cease to implore you to come to her aid. From you especially she asks succor” (Document 2). Jerusalem was known to be the land where Jesus was born and where his death, crucifixion, and resurrection took place. This led it to be known as the “Holy Land” as it was a city that was important to Christians as so many crucial events happened surrounding Jesus there. Since religions that did not worship Jesus were seen as terrible and as demon worshippers, they decided that enemies of Jesus took it over when Muslims took over Jerusalem. This also led to many Crusaders deciding to go on the Crusade to save this Holy Land and protect it from them. The Crusaders’ need to help other Christians and the Holy Land were important factors that caused them to go on the crusade and face the Muslims.  

While there is evidence to prove that the First Crusade was motivated by religious reasons, many believe that the fact that many villages were raided by the Crusaders proves that economic reasons were the cause of the Crusade. While on their way to Jerusalem, many Crusaders looted items from many villages. They completely pillaged and plundered these villages and stole many valuable items such as gold, silver, and more. The Crusaders had a lack of wealth and many items that could be found in these villages and decided to loot all these villages due to convenience and lack of items. They did not get any economic gain from looting these villages either as they used the money and other valuables they stole to continue to sustain themselves and to continue on the Crusade. They did not go on the crusade just to loot villages, their religious devotion was the most important reason as to why they went on the crusade.  Even though the Crusaders stole from many villages on the way to Jerusalem, that does not explicitly prove that the desire for economic gain was the primary cause of the First Crusade. 

Due to their devotion to Christianity, many people went on the First Crusade and traveled to Jerusalem. Their hope to achieve salvation and the desire to help their fellow Christians as well as retaking the Holy Land prompted many people to go on the Crusade. Religion was important to people in the Medieval Ages as it was a way for them to feel connected with one another and it made people want to avoid committing sins. The First Crusade, while violent, shows what effect religion can have on one’s decisions and what one does. It can lead to many choices that while at the moment seem proper, are actually very regrettable. In modern times, religion continues to have a massive impact on the actions and thoughts of someone. While religion is important in one’s life, it is important to not allow religion to dictate daily life and causes one to treat people differently.