Pope Urban II Speech Analysis Essay

Pope Urban II’s speech that influenced the First Crusade against the Muslims was primarily for political purposes. This claim is supported as Pope Urban stated, “Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses (Fulcher of Chartres).  Pope Urban used the incentive to gain more land and money to encourage noblemen to be willing to participate in the Crusade. Europe was immensely increasing population at this time and was in need of land for expansion. Pope Urban II was given a political position that allowed him to promise rules to those in order to get more men to fight alongside the Knights. Pope Urban II’s political enticement is represented as he promises freedom to the peasants who were owned by Lords. The political incentive that influenced the First Crusade is also apparent as Pope Urban II represents the increasing political power of the Church.

Pope Urban II wanted to gain more power and influence in the East by coming to aid when the Greeks were in need. Due to the Great Schism, the Greeks and the Westerners were divided and the Church lost authority among the people. Coming together as one force known as the Crusaders shifts the conflict from each other to fighting the Muslims. Assisting the Greeks who were in great need could reunite the Western and Eastern Churches which would grant more Papal control as Pope Urban II wanted to become the leader of both Churches. The Church was increasing political power as they had great military influence, and was able to create laws. This political influence assisted Pope Urban II in calling the First Crusade in hopes of gaining larger authority over both the Western and Eastern churches in hopes of reuniting.

In Pope Urban II’s speech, he stated several religious motives that led to the decision of fighting in the First Crusade. He strongly emphasized that the Muslims' actions were morally wrong, and it was their obligation as Christians to act against their sinful actions. This claim is supported as Pope Urban II states, “ It is indeed necessary for you to correct with the salt of wisdom this foolish people which is so devoted to the pleasures of this -world” (Fulcher of Chartres). Additionally, Pope Urban II offered that those who participated in the Crusades would be forgiven of past sins which influenced many to partake in the battles as well. Pope Urban II believed that Christians must interfere with the Muslims' acts as a devotion to God. 

In hopes to defend Christianity Pope Urban II wanted the launch of the Crusades to grant aid to Christians of the East. Pope Urban II emphasized the need for aid in the East, “a race utterly alienated from God, a generation forsooth which has not directed its heart and has not entrusted its spirit to God has invaded the lands of those Christians and has depopulated them by the sword, pillage and fire; it has led away from a part of the captives into its own country, and apart it has destroyed by cruel tortures” (Fulcher of Chartres). As a result, Pope Urban II believed that it is the Christians's duty to defend their faith and not let the Muslims deface their symbolic properties such as altar, crosses and churches. Pope Urban II argued that assisting the Greeks in fighting the Muslims was their duty to God as Christians, but also united followers of Christ as one. Not only did Pope Urban II want to unite Western and Eastern Christians by uniting in forces, but he also wanted to retake control of the Holy Land. The religious motive that drove this motion is shown as he states, “His land we have deservedly called holy in which there is not even a footstep that the body or spirit of the Saviour did not render glorious and blessed which embraced the holy presence of the mother of God”(Balderic of Dol).