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Causes for the decline of feudalism - Coggle Diagram
Causes for the decline of feudalism
The Crusades
The Byzantine emperor sent an appeal to Robert, Count of Flanders. The emperor asked for help against the Muslim Turks. Pope Urban II also read that letter. He issued a call for what he termed a “holy war,” a Crusade, to gain control of the Holy Land.
Goals of the Crusades
The Crusades had economic, social, and political goals as well as religious motives. Muslims controlled Palestine and threatened Constantinople. Also, the Pope wanted to reclaim Palestine and reunite Christendom.
In addition, kings and the Church both saw the Crusades as an opportunity to get rid of quarrelsome knights who fought each other. Others who participated in the Crusades were younger sons who, unlike eldest sons, did not stand to inherit their father’s property. In the later Crusades, merchants profited by making cash loans to finance the journey.
The first and second Crusades
Pope Urban’s call brought a tremendous outpouring of religious feeling and support for the Crusade. Those who died on Crusade were assured of a place in heaven.
Most of the Crusaders were French, but Bohemians, Germans, Englishmen, Scots, Italians, and Spaniards came as well. Many knew nothing of the geography, climate, or culture of the Holy Land. They had no grand strategy to capture Jerusalem.
An army of 12,000 approached Jerusalem. The Crusaders besieged the city for over a month. Finally, they captured the city, they had won a narrow strip of land. The Crusaders’ states were extremely vulnerable to Muslim counterattack.
The Second Crusade was organized to recapture the city. But its armies straggled home in defeat.
The third Crusade
The Third Crusade to recapture Jerusalem was led by three of Europe’s most powerful monarchs. They were Philip II of France, German emperor Frederick I, and the English king, Richard. Philip argued with Richard and went home. Frederick drowned on the journey. So, Richard was left to lead the Crusaders in an attempt to regain the Holy Land from Saladin. After many battles, the two agreed to a truce. Jerusalem remained under Muslim control. In return, Saladin promised that unarmed Christian pilgrims could freely visit the city’s holy places.
The emperor clashes with the pope
The church wasn't happy that kings had control on clergy and their offices. It especially resented the practice of lay investiture. So Pope Gregory banned it. Henry IV, the german emperor, ordered Gregory to step back form the papacy. Then Gregory excommunicated him and to save his throne, Henry tried to win the pope’s forgiveness. But he couldn't achieved it.
Years later representatives of the Church and the emperor met in the German city of Worms. They reached a compromise that said, the Church alone could appoint a bishop, but the emperor could veto the appointment.
Disorder in the empire
The reign of Frederick I
Frederick repeatedly invaded the rich cities of Italy. His brutal tactics spurred Italian merchants to unite against him. He also angered the pope, who joined the merchants in an alliance called the Lombard League. In an astonishing victory, the Italian foot soldiers used crossbows to defeat feudal knights. Then, Frederick made peace with the pope. His defeat, had undermined his authority and his empire fell to pieces.
German States Remain Separate
German kings after Frederick, continued their attempts to revive Charlemagne’s empire and his alliance with the Church. This policy led to wars with Italian cities and to further clashes with the pope.
The Crusading Spirit Dwindles
The Fourth Crusade to capture Jerusalem failed. The knights did not reach the Holy Land. The Crusaders intended to weaken Muslim forces there before going to the Holy Land. But none of these attempts conquered much land.
The children's Crusade
Thousands of children set out to conquer Jerusalem. They were armed only with the belief that God would give them Jerusalem. Many died from cold and starvation. The rest drowned at sea or were sold into slavery.
A Spanish Crusade
In Spain, Muslims controlled most of the country. The Reconquista was a long effort by the Spanish to drive the Muslims out of Spain. They held only the tiny kingdom of Granada. Granada finally fell to the Christian army of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish monarchs.To unify their country under Christianity and to increase their power, Isabella and Ferdinand made use of the Inquisition. Many Jews and Muslims in Spain converted to Christianity. The monarchs expelled all practicing Jews and Muslims from Spain.
The Effects of the Crusades
The Crusades are a forceful example of the power of the Church during the medieval period.
The failure of later Crusades also lessened the power of the pope. The Crusades weakened the feudal nobility and increased the power of kings.
The Crusades grew out of religious fervor, feudalism, and chivalry, which came together with explosive energy. This same energy led to the growth of trade, towns, and universities in medieval Europe.