Lyceum & Book Club - Week 13 - Hand Out #2

Hand Out on the Crusades

(Information taken from BBC.com)

First Crusade - 1096 - 1099

First an army of peasants led by Peter the Hermit (a French priest and key leader of the Crusades) set off for the Holy Land. They were massacred by the Turks. An army of knights followed, led by Godfrey of Bouillon (Frankish knight and another leader of the first Crusades), which massacred Muslims and captured Jerusalem in 1099. The Crusaders massacred the Muslims until, it was said, the streets ran red with blood.

Second Crusade - 1145 - 1149

King Louis VII of France invaded the Holy Land, but was defeated at Damascus.

Third Crusade - 1189 - 1192

In 1187, the Muslim ruler Saladin had recaptured Jerusalem. The Crusaders (who included King Richard I of England) captured the port of Acre. But they quarreled, and failed to capture Jerusalem. On the way home, Richard was kidnapped and held ransom until February 1194 when the English paid for his release.

Fourth Crusade - 1202

The Pope wanted to unite western and eastern Christians under his authority. He diverted this Crusade, with the help of Venice, and captured Constantinople in 1204. Christians fought Christians.

Children’s Crusade - 1212

An army of young people set off on Crusade. They were kidnapped and sold as slaves.

Fifth,Sixth, and Seventh Crusade - 1212-1250

All failed

The Last Crusade - 1396

An army of French and Hungarian knights were massacred.