Crusades

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  1. Crusade
    any of the more or less continuous military expeditions in the 11th to 13th centuries when Christian powers of Europe tried to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims
    Enter text to look up: start over A series of armed conflicts in the Near East, the Crusades started in 1096 CE and continued on and off for several hundred years.
  2. Byzantine Empire
    a continuation of the Roman Empire in the Middle East after its division in 395
    At that time, the Byzantine Empire controlled much of the land bordering the Mediterranean Sea, but its borders began to weaken from repeated attacks by various groups, including Muslim Arabs.
  3. First Crusade
    a Crusade from 1096 to 1099
    Many Motives The protection of Christians and the recovery of territory from the Muslims were not the only motives for the First Crusade.
  4. Seljuk
    of or relating to the Seljuks
    However, by 1071, the Seljuk Turks, also Muslims, gained control of the city and began to make life difficult for Christians arriving there.
  5. Muslim
    a believer in or follower of Islam
    They began when Christians from Western Europe set off to recapture the Holy Land (the city of Jerusalem and surrounding areas) from Muslims who had conquered it in the seventh century CE.
  6. Frederick I
    Holy Roman Emperor from 1152 to 1190
    The Christians responded with the Third Crusade, led by King Richard the Lionhearted of England, King Philip II Augustus of France, and Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.
  7. Louis VII
    king of France who led the unsuccessful Second Crusade and fought frequent wars with Henry II of England (1120-1180)
    Led by King Louis VII of France, together with Conrad III, the Holy Roman emperor, the Second Crusade began in 1147.
  8. Byzantine
    of or relating to or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire or the ancient city of Byzantium
    At that time, the Byzantine Empire controlled much of the land bordering the Mediterranean Sea, but its borders began to weaken from repeated attacks by various groups, including Muslim Arabs.
  9. Nicaea
    an ancient city in Bithynia
    The combined armies defeated the Muslims at Nicaea and Antioch, and they finally captured Jerusalem in 1099.
  10. military leader
    a leader of military forces
    Encouraged by that success, Muslim military leaders continued to attack the Crusader States.
  11. Saladin
    sultan of Syria and Egypt
    One of them, a brilliant general known as Saladin, destroyed the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1187 and gained control of most of its territory.
  12. crusade
    a series of actions tending toward a particular end
    The crusaders divided the conquered territory into four states: the County of Edessa, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, each ruled by an important noble who had helped lead the crusade.
  13. Barbarossa
    Holy Roman Emperor from 1152 to 1190
    The Christians responded with the Third Crusade, led by King Richard the Lionhearted of England, King Philip II Augustus of France, and Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.
  14. pope
    the head of the Roman Catholic Church
    To make the idea more attractive, the pope offered indulgences (forgiveness of sins) to those who would fight and promised that the Church would protect a knight's family and property during his absence.
  15. Antioch
    a town in southern Turkey
    The combined armies defeated the Muslims at Nicaea and Antioch, and they finally captured Jerusalem in 1099.
  16. Jerusalem
    capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel
    They began when Christians from Western Europe set off to recapture the Holy Land (the city of Jerusalem and surrounding areas) from Muslims who had conquered it in the seventh century CE.
  17. Philip II
    king of Spain and Portugal and husband of Mary I
    The Christians responded with the Third Crusade, led by King Richard the Lionhearted of England, King Philip II Augustus of France, and Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.
  18. commoner
    a person who holds no title
    Led by a preacher named Peter the Hermit and a knight known as Walter the Penniless, many commoners heeded the pope's call.
  19. principality
    territory ruled by a prince
    The crusaders divided the conquered territory into four states: the County of Edessa, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, each ruled by an important noble who had helped lead the crusade.
  20. Moor
    one of the Muslim people of north Africa
    Other Crusades Over the course of the next 200 years, Christians launched other crusades, not only against the Muslims in the Holy Land but also against Egypt, the Muslim Moors in Spain, non-Christians in northern Europe, and Christian heretics.
  21. population growth
    increase in the number of people who inhabit a territory or state
    In feudal Europe, increased food production and population growth meant that more nobles competed for ownership of the same land.
  22. pilgrim
    someone who journeys in foreign lands
    For several hundred years, the Arabs who controlled Jerusalem were fairly tolerant of Christian pilgrims.
  23. pilgrimage
    a journey to a sacred place
    During the Middle Ages, European Christians who had the means often made religious journeys, or pilgrimages, to the city of Jerusalem.
  24. heretic
    a person whose religious beliefs conflict with church dogma
    Other Crusades Over the course of the next 200 years, Christians launched other crusades, not only against the Muslims in the Holy Land but also against Egypt, the Muslim Moors in Spain, non-Christians in northern Europe, and Christian heretics.
  25. conflict
    an open clash between two opposing groups
    Enter text to look up: start over A series of armed conflicts in the Near East, the Crusades started in 1096 CE and continued on and off for several hundred years.
  26. Roman Empire
    an empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Roman Empire and the eastern or Byzantine Empire; at its peak lands in Europe and Africa and Asia were ruled by ancient Rome
    Over time, Christianity became the dominant religion in the areas that were once part of the Roman Empire.
  27. ambush
    the act of hiding and waiting to make a surprise attack
    Following a treacherous journey, a Muslim ambush wiped out nearly the entire army.
  28. European
    of or relating to or characteristic of Europe
    Although many factors played a role in the decision to embark on the Crusades, European Christians believed that they were fighting a just war.
  29. Catholic Church
    any of several churches claiming to have maintained historical continuity with the original Christian Church
    From the Catholic Church's standpoint, such a glorious venture—if successful—would bring power and prestige to the Church for issuing the initial call.
  30. feudal
    relating to a system where vassals are protected by lords
    In feudal Europe, increased food production and population growth meant that more nobles competed for ownership of the same land.
  31. Islamic
    of or relating to or supporting Islamism
    In the seventh century, the Islamic faith appeared in present-day Saudi Arabia and began spreading rapidly throughout the Near East.
  32. ownership
    the state of being in possession of something
    In feudal Europe, increased food production and population growth meant that more nobles competed for ownership of the same land.
  33. Middle Ages
    the period of history between classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance
    During the Middle Ages, European Christians who had the means often made religious journeys, or pilgrimages, to the city of Jerusalem.
  34. Augustus
    Roman statesman who established the Roman Empire and became emperor in 27 BC; defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC at Actium (63 BC - AD 14)
    The Christians responded with the Third Crusade, led by King Richard the Lionhearted of England, King Philip II Augustus of France, and Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.
  35. Europe
    the 2nd smallest continent
    They began when Christians from Western Europe set off to recapture the Holy Land (the city of Jerusalem and surrounding areas) from Muslims who had conquered it in the seventh century CE.
  36. warfare
    the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
    Untrained in warfare, disorganized, and with meager financial resources, thousands of peasants rushed toward the Byzantine Empire in the spring.
  37. military
    the armed forces of a nation
    Following their military success, many of the crusaders completed a religious pilgrimage and went home.
  38. nation
    a politically organized body of people under a government
    The Byzantine Empire also felt threatened by the Turks and appealed to the Christian nations of Western Europe for assistance.
  39. financial
    involving fiscal matters
    Untrained in warfare, disorganized, and with meager financial resources, thousands of peasants rushed toward the Byzantine Empire in the spring.
  40. victory
    a successful ending of a struggle or contest
    It also became a matter of prestige to win a victory over the Christians.
  41. Christianity
    a monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior
    Over time, Christianity became the dominant religion in the areas that were once part of the Roman Empire.
  42. representative
    serving to typify
    Led by several French noblemen and by a representative of the pope, they arrived in April 1097 at the city of Constantinople, where Byzantine forces joined them.
Created on Tue Nov 05 15:32:36 EST 2013

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