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Of all the events, inventions, and personalities that defined the European Middle Ages, none did more so than the Crusades. Beginning in the late eleventh century, the many kingdoms of western Europe awoke from their collective slumber to assert their power and place in the world by engaging in a series of religious wars in the Middle East, Spain, southern France, and the Baltic region. The strategic and tactical benefits of the Crusades were nominal at best for the Europeans: Jerusalem, the primary objective of the Crusaders, was taken during the First Crusade but later lost to the Muslims, never to be in Christian hands again. Although the Crusaders may not have been able to keep their main target, they were able to drive the Muslims from Spain and brought Christianity to the eastern Baltic region. The Crusades also helped to elevate the standing of the Roman Catholic Church and the western European kingdoms in the eyes of the Islamic and Orthodox Christian worlds – the Muslims and Orthodox Christians may not have liked the western Christians, but they learned to respect them and deal with them as equals. The Crusaders also brought back new knowledge of the world, in the form of math, science, and maps of the previously unknown when they returned to western Europe. Truly, the Crusades benefited western Europe in a number of different ways, but often overlooked are the economic benefits that the wars brought to Europe.

The Crusades allowed Europeans who would Although the Crusaders may not have previously been unable able to own land keep their primary target, they were able to acquire lucrative estates in drive the Middle East. Europeans Muslims from all classes of society found ways Spain and brought Christianity to profit from the holy wars and as a result, new banking methods were developed by eastern Baltic region. The Crusades also helped to elevate the Order standing of the Knights Templar. But perhaps Roman Catholic Church and the western European kingdoms in the Europeans who benefited eyes of the most economically from Islamic and Orthodox Christian worlds – the Crusades were Muslims and Orthodox Christians may not have liked the Italian city-states, especially Venice, Pisawestern Christians, but they learned to respect them and Genoadeal with them as equals. As a result The Crusaders also brought back new knowledge of the Crusadesworld, in the form of math, science, and maps of the Italian merchant warriors were able previously unknown when they returned to develop long-distance trade routes with the Near Eastwestern Europe. Indeed, which led to the development of Crusades benefited western Europe in many different ways but often overlooked are the Italian republics and helped spur economic benefits that the Renaissancewars brought to Europe.

====The Background of the Crusades====

There was not any one single event that led to the Crusades, but it was instead the result of a civilization clash between the Islamic, Orthodox Christian, and Western Christian worlds. In the three centuries before the Crusades began, Islam had gained ascendency in the Near East and northern Africa through a series of wars and military campaigns. The concept of <i>jihad</i> or holy war was a central part of the growth of Islam and a key fundamental tenet in its first few centuries of life. According to <i>jihadists</i>, the kingdoms that upheld Islamic teachings were part of the <i>dar al-Islam</i> or “House of Islam,” while those that did not recognize Islamic law were part of the <i>dar al-Harb</i> or “House of War.” As the name implies, the House of War was such because it was acceptable for Muslim caliphs to wage war on the unbelievers. This principle was put into practice throughout Islam’s initial surge under the Umayyad caliphate, but first came into contact with European Christendom when the Muslim Moors from North Africa invaded Spain in the eight century. Islam’s march north into the House of War of Europe was checked by the Carolingian French, who were led by Charles Martel in 732. Although western Europeans put a halt to Islam’s expansion into the West in Spain, nearly three centuries later the Seljuk Turks began a series of military campaigns against the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire in Anatolia (modern day Turkey), which ended in disaster for the Christians at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. <ref> Madden, pgs. 4-5</ref> As Islam marched and appeared to be encircling the Christian world in a pincer movement, the leaders of Christendom met in desperation.

According to <i>jihadists</i>, the kingdoms that upheld Islamic teachings were part of the <i>dar al-Islam</i> or “House of Islam,” while those that did not recognize Islamic law were part of the <i>dar al-Harb</i> or “House of War.” As the name implies, the House of War was such because it was acceptable for Muslim caliphs to wage war on the unbelievers. This principle was put into practice throughout Islam’s initial surge under the Umayyad caliphate, but first came into contact with European Christendom when the Muslim Moors from North Africa invaded Spain in the eight century.  Islam’s march north into the House of War of Europe was checked by the Carolingian French, who were led by Charles Martel in 732. Although western Europeans put a halt to Islam’s expansion into the West in Spain, nearly three centuries later the Seljuk Turks began a series of military campaigns against the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire in Anatolia (modern day Turkey), which ended in disaster for the Christians at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. <ref> Madden, pgs. 4-5</ref> As Islam marched and appeared to be encircling the Christian world in a pincer movement, the leaders of Christendom met in desperation. Although the Roman and Greek churches officially split in the Schism of 1095, they retained friendly relations for the most part and continued to view each other as brothers in Christ. The Roman Catholic Church and its followers in western Europe did not threaten the lands held by the Byzantine Empire and the two churches did not compete for souls. On the other hand, the emperors of the Byzantine Empire were happy to work with the Muslims on the fringes of their kingdom and counted many Muslims among their subjects. Western Europeans, for the most part, viewed the Middle East’s importance from the perspective as the place where Christ lived and died and did not care about who controlled the region, as long as they were free to visit as pilgrims.  Everything changed for both halves of the Christian world by the late eleventh century. The Arab Muslims, who had an agreement with the Byzantine Empire not to encroach on their territory and with Christians , in general , to allow pilgrims to visit shrines in Palestine, were replaced by the Seljuk Turks, who were much more militant in their religious beliefs. The Turks ended the safety of Christian pilgrimages, destroyed a number of some churches, and began encroaching on Byzantine territory, culminating in the Battle of Manzikert. It was at this point when the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenos (ruled 1081-1118) appealed to the Roman Catholic Pope Urban II (1088-1099) for aid against the Turkish Islamic Turkish threat. <ref> Madden p. 8</ref>

====A Chance for Glory and Wealth====

Embarking on the Crusades could be a very costly endeavor, especially for the knights who were expected to pay for the campaigns out of their own pockets, so there needed to be potential for great reward in order to entice so many people. Of course, at the top of the list of benefits was the Church’s absolution of all sins to those who died on a Crusade, but more mundane benefits also attracted countless numerous Christian fighters. Since crusading could be quite expensive, knights often went into debt in order fund their own armies. For many of these knights, the Church absolved all debts by crusaders, even debt incurred before the Crusades. <ref> Heston, Alan. “Crusades and Jihads: A Long-Run Perspective.” <i>Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science</i> 53 (2003) p. 117</ref>

The Crusaders’ first major stop was the Byzantine capital of Constantinople, where the leaders planned to formulate a long-term strategy and to stock up on provisions for their final push into the Holy Land. The various western European counts were astonished by the grandeur and wealth of the city, which was reinforced when Alexius I promised to make the Crusaders wealthy beyond their dreams if they could help him reclaim his lost land from the Muslims. According to Alexius I’s biographer and daughter, Anna Comnena, the Crusaders were truly genuinely impressed.

“Alexius set aside a room in the palace precincts and had the floor covered with all kinds of wealth: clothes, gold and silver coins, objects of lesser value filled the place so completely that it was impossible for anyone to walk in it. He ordered the man deputed to show Bohemond these riches to open the doors suddenly. Bohemond was amazed at the sight. ‘If I had such wealth,’ he said, ‘I would long ago have become master of many landlands.’” <ref> Comnena, Anna. <i>The Alexiad.</i> Translated by E.R.A. Sewter. (London: Penguin, 2009), Book 10, xi</ref>

After the Norman knight Bohemond viewed Alexius I’s ostentatious display of wealth, he began plotting how to acquire similar riches, to the detriment of Alexius I if necessary. Bohemond, Raymond of Toulouse, and the other European counts next led the vast Christian host through Seljuk territory until they arrived in the Levant. It was there that the crusaders first learned that the Middle East was perhaps as wealthy as Byzantium. Many Muslim emirs were willing to pay the avaricious crusaders to leave their cities untouched, but ultimately the Christians conquered the entire Levant, including Jerusalem, and then divided the lands to reflect the feudal structure of western Europe. Although Bohemond and the other counts were supposed to give the lands back to Alexius I, the new acquisitions were just too tempting for the western Europeans, many of whom had titles in name only for lands back home. In unison, the crusaders all stated that Alexius I repudiated his oath to provide assistance to the crusaders when he failed to relieve the siege of Antioch. With that argument, the crusaders took control of the region and there was nothing Alexius I could do about it. <ref> Madden, p. 37</ref>

Many Muslim emirs were willing to pay the mercenary crusaders to leave their cities untouched, but ultimately the Christians conquered the entire Levant, including Jerusalem, and then divided the lands to reflect the feudal structure of western Europe. Although Bohemond and the other counts were supposed to give the lands back to Alexius I, the new acquisitions were just too tempting for the western Europeans, many of whom had titles in name only for lands back home. In unison, the crusaders all stated that Alexius I repudiated his oath to assist the crusaders when he failed to relieve the siege of Antioch. With that argument, the Crusaders took control of the region, and there was nothing Alexius I could do about it. <ref> Madden, p. 37</ref> ====A New Economic Order in the Levant====

When the First Crusade was successfully completed by the Europeans in 1099 with the taking of Jerusalem, the counts imposed a new political and social order on the region. The counts established their rule in the image of western Europe by creating the following four kingdoms: the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Edessa, the County of Tripoli, and the Principality of Antioch. Of course, Jerusalem was the most important of these and ruled by Baldwin I (1100-1118), but nearly important was Bohemond I’s (1098-1111) Principality of Antioch. Bohemond I and the other European counts were finally able to possess some of the wealth they coveted since they were shown the riches of Alexius I in Constantinople, but they had to do so through a feudal system they imported to the region. While they were held by the Europeans, the lands in the Levant proved to be quite lucrative and although the feudal structure was essentially European in nature, the counts learned that there were some fundamental differences. Muslims were not only allowed to continue to practice their religion, they were also taxed at the same rate as Christians. <ref> Heston, p. 119</ref> The low number of European nobles in the Holy Land also meant that the counts had to adapt new laws of inheritance. In the crusader kingdoms, women were allowed to inherit land, which was practically unheard of in Europe. <ref> Morris, Rosemary. “Northern Europe Invades the Mediterranean, 900-1200.” In <i>The Oxford History of Medieval Europe.</i> Edited by George Holmes. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 209</ref>

As While they were held by the counts benefitted financially from Europeans, the new lands they acquired in the Levantproved to be quite lucrative and although the feudal structure was essentially European in nature, other people of less noble birth also benefited during the crusadescounts learned that there were some fundamental differences. Thousands of artisans found the holy wars Muslims were not only allowed to continue to be an economic boon for practice their businesses religion, they were also taxed at the same rate as blacksmithsChristians. <ref> Heston, cooks, and even prostitutes were in high demandp. Some members 119</ref> The low number of the religious orders that fought European nobles in the battles and cared for the wounded Holy Land also profited from meant that the Crusadescounts had to adapt new laws of inheritance. In particular, the often talked about but usually misunderstood order known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomoncrusader kingdoms, or simply the Knights Templarwomen were allowed to inherit land, showed an especially high business acumen during the Crusades. The Knights Templar received a Rule and papal recognition between the First and Second Crusades which was practically unheard of in 1128Europe. Immediately after receiving Church sanction<ref> Morris, the Templars set about building a series of churches in Rosemary. “Northern Europe and Invades the Middle East that resembled the Holy Sepulcher in JerusalemMediterranean, 900-1200. ” In <i>The churches were used to house members Oxford History of the order, to care for the sick, and to provide safe waystations to pilgrims going to and from the Holy LandMedieval Europe. <ref/i> MaddenEdited by George Holmes. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 48209</ref>

In addition to martial and spiritual functions, As the Templars’ churches also served as banks. Pilgrims and/or crusaders headed to counts benefitted financially from the Middle East could deposit money new lands they acquired in a Templar church in Europethe Levant, receive a deposit slip, and then withdraw their money from a Templar church in other people of less noble birth also benefited during the Levant minus a small service chargecrusades. The process allowed Thousands of artisans found the Templars to attain wealth without having holy wars to pillage be an economic boon for it their businesses as blacksmiths, cooks, and since they did not charge interest, they avoided charge even prostitutes were in high demand. Some members of usury from the Church. <ref> Madden, p. 49</ref> The Knights Templar and religious orders that fought in the European counts who conquered battles and inherited land in cared for the Middle East truly wounded also profited from the Crusades, but perhaps the biggest winners financially speaking were the Italian city-states.

During In particular, the Crusades, often talked about but usually misunderstood order known as the three most powerful Italian cityPoor Fellow-states were Venice, Pisa, Soldiers of Christ and Genoa. The men from these cities proved to be both able warriors and businessmenthe Temple of Solomon, but it was their activities in finance or simply the Knights Templar showed an especially high business acumen during the Crusades that made them among the most powerful people in Europe. The Italians helped finance many of Knights Templar received a Rule and papal recognition between the European counts’ armies First and Second Crusades in 1128. Immediately after receiving Church sanction, the process developed new financing techniques that were used throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. The <i>commenda</i> was Templars set about building a technique whereby an investor provided all series of the capital needed for a campaign churches in return received three fourths of Europe and the profits. Another Italian financing technique was known as <i>societas maris</i>, which is where an investor provided two-thirds of Middle East that resembled the capital for the campaign and received half of the profitsHoly Sepulcher in Jerusalem. <ref> Morris, p. 215</ref> The Italian merchant crusaders developed relations with Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land and as a result churches were able used to establish long-distant trade routes that lasted well into the modern era. By the end house members of the Crusades, the Italians had a monopoly over trade in the Holy Land among Europeansorder, which led to conflict between care for the three primary city-states of Venice, Pisasick, and Genoa. Venice won the conflict to provide safe waystations to pilgrims going to and established itself as from the premier Italian-city state well into the early stages of the RenaissanceHoly Land. <ref> HestonMadden, p. 12148</ref>

In addition to martial and spiritual functions, the Templars’ churches also served as banks. Pilgrims and crusaders headed to the Middle East could deposit money in a Templar church in Europe, receive a deposit slip, and then withdraw their money from a Templar church in the Levant minus a small service charge. The process allowed the Templars to attain wealth without having to pillage for it and since they did not charge interest, they avoided the charge of usury from the Church. <ref> Madden, p. 49</ref> The Knights Templar and the European counts who conquered and inherited land in the Middle East truly profited from the Crusades, but perhaps the biggest winners financially speaking were the Italian city-states. ====The Role of of the Italian City States in the Crusades====During the Crusades, the three most powerful Italian city-states were Venice, Pisa, and Genoa. The men from these cities proved to be both able warriors and businessmen, but it was their activities in finance during the Crusades that made them among the most powerful people in Europe. The Italians helped finance many of the European counts’ armies and in the process developed new financing techniques that were used throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. The <i>commenda</i> was a technique whereby an investor provided all of the capital needed for a campaign in return received three fourths of the profits.  Another Italian financing technique was known as <i>societas maris</i>, which is where an investor provided two-thirds of the capital for the campaign and received half of the profits. <ref> Morris, p. 215</ref> The Italian merchant crusaders developed relations with Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land and as a result were able to establish long-distant trade routes that lasted well into the modern era. By the end of the Crusades, the Italians had a monopoly over trade in the Holy Land among Europeans, which led to conflict between the three primary city-states of Venice, Pisa, and Genoa. Venice won the conflict and established itself as the premier Italian-city state well into the early stages of the Renaissance. <ref> Heston, p. 121</ref> ====Conclusion====

====References====<references/> Updated January 3, 2018.  [[Category: History of the Middle Ages]] [[Category: Wikis]][[Category: History of the Middle East]]