Source 1: Pope Urban II, speaking in 1095 Most beloved brethren: Urged by necessity, I, Urban, God s chief bishop over the whole world, have come into these parts as an ambassador with a divine admonition to you, the servants of God. If you wish to be the friends of God, gladly do the things which you know will please Him. Your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of the Greek empire as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean. They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. If you permit them to continue thus for awhile with impurity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it. All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! Questions: 1. Did Pope Urban call his mission a crusade? 2. What did he promise for anyone who died during the crusade? Task In your group create a news report to explain the crusade you have been allocated. You will need a reporter and several people to interview. Use the information on your handout as a starting point to write your scripts. You could include extra research. You could also bring in props and costumes. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 1 of 11
Group 1: The People s Crusade Background: The People s Crusade set off in 1096. It began because the Byzantine leader asked the Pope for help to fight against the Seljuk Turks. While the Pope took his time to organise a professional army, about 40,000 ordinary people set off to fight the Turks. Who went on the People s Crusade? Men, women and children went on the People s Crusade. Most of them were peasants or low-ranking knights. There had been a number of very poor harvests and many peasants were starving. Meteors, comets and an eclipse persuaded some peasants that God was wanting them to travel on Crusade. They saw it as a way of escaping famine and they thought God would bless them for going. Who led the People s Crusade? A French monk called Peter the Hermit led the Crusade. He rode on a donkey and wore very simple clothes. He said that he had a letter from God telling him to collect an army together. He was helped by a low-ranking knight called Walter Sans-Avoir. What happened to the People s Crusaders? When they arrived in Byzantium, the Emperor Alexis did not really know what to do with them. He quickly put them in ships and sailed them across to Turkey. He told them to wait for the rest of the Pope s army to catch up. However, 40,000 Crusaders is a lot of people and they did not want to wait so they marched on even though Peter said to wait. The end of the People s Crusade Peter sailed back to Byzantium to get supplies. While he was gone, the People s Crusaders heard a rumour that a nearby city had been captured from the Turks. They marched towards it but it was a trick. They were ambushed and most of the men were slaughtered. The Turks did not kill women or children if they surrendered. Of the 40,000 Crusaders, only 3,000 survived. A peasant, deciding to join the Crusade. Peter the Hermit (during the Crusade and after it ended disastrously). Emperor Alexis (surprised to find such a large, odd army arrive). A woman who survived the slaughter. A Turk explaining how their trick worked. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 2 of 11
Group 2: The German Crusade of 1096 Background In the 11 th century, there were significant communities of Jewish families living in the Rhineland area of Germany. They were often quite wealthy because they were allowed to lend money to people (like a human credit card!) whereas Christians at that time were banned from lending money for profit. If you wanted to borrow money and you couldn t borrow it from family, you had to borrow from a Jewish lender. Who went on this Crusade? Some groups of Crusaders on the way to the Holy Land began looking for and killing Jewish people as they travelled through France and Germany. Some of them frightened wealthy Jews into giving them money to help pay for their armour and food. The biggest wave of anti-jewish crusading took place in 1096 in the Rhineland area of Germany. All sorts of people took part in the German Crusade: knights and peasants, rich and poor, French and German. Who led the German Crusade? Because many groups were involved, there were many leaders. Peter the Hermit s People s Crusade took part in attacking French and German Jews. It was a German Count called Count Emicho who led the biggest Crusade against the Jews. He led about 10,000 men, women and children on a Crusade through Germany and into Hungary. What happened as a result of the German Crusade? Some Jews were offered the chance to save their lives if they became Christians, and some did convert. Many did not and thousands were killed. The worst massacre took place in Mainz in May 1096 where over 1100 Jews were killed in a very few days. The end of the German Crusade King Coloman of Hungary did not want Count Emicho and his Crusade to travel through Hungary. For a while it looked as though Count Emicho might beat King Coloman s troops, but the German Crusaders began to worry and they fled. Many drowned crossing a river in a hurry. Some were killed by Coloman s troops. Some escaped and went back home, including Count Emicho. A knight who took part in the Crusade because he wanted to frighten a wealthy Jew into giving him money. Count Emicho, who led the Crusade. King Colomon, anxious about having a rabble army killing their way through Hungary. A Jewish person who survived by converting to Christianity. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 3 of 11
Group 3: The First Crusade Background It began in 1096 because the Byzantine leader asked the Pope for help to fight against the Seljuk Turks. Pope Urban II asked Christians in Europe to join an army to fight. Who went on First Crusade? All sorts of people went on the First Crusade, including knights and peasants. Many important families sent some of their young men on the Crusade. Sometimes it is called The Prince s Crusade. Who led the First Crusade? In total there were four separate armies, from France, Flanders (Belgium), Germany and Italy. Each had their own commanders but the overall commanders were from France. Some very powerful French knights led the crusading armies including Godfrey of Bouillon. What happened in the First Crusade? The crusader armies marched down to Constantinople and then they all marched on into Turkey, through Syria and into the Holy Land. They finally captured Jerusalem in 1099. The people living in Jerusalem were massacred: killed in their thousands. The end of the First Crusade Once Jerusalem was conquered, the Crusaders set up new kingdoms in the Holy Land. They appointed a King of Jerusalem and put other kings in charge elsewhere. Some crusaders stayed behind but most returned home. A knight, who has joined the army because of Pope Urban s call for help. Godfrey of Bouillon, a French knight who was in charge of a big army. A survivor of the attack on Jerusalem, describing how many were dead. The first new King of Jerusalem, explaining that he was now in charge. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 4 of 11
Group 4: The Norwegian Crusade Background: In 1107, the Norwegian King Sigurd decided to lead an army to the Holy Land, fighting Muslims wherever they found them. They set off from Norway, spent the winter in London and then sailed around the coast of Spain and Portugal to get to the Mediterranean. Who went on The Norwegian Crusade? King Sigurd took 60 ships carrying 5,000 professional soldiers (knights) and their assistants. What did the Crusaders do first? King Sigurd s army were sailing along the coastline of Portugal when they came across a pirate fleet. They beat the pirates, killed them and added 8 pirate ships to their fleet. Then they landed at the Muslim fortress of Sintra in Portugal. They attacked it and killed every Muslim there. They travelled on to Lisbon and killed every Muslim who would not convert. What happened in the Holy Land? In 1110, they arrived at Jerusalem where they were welcomed by King Baldwin of Jerusalem. Together they attacked the town of Sidon, killed its inhabitants and added it to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The end of the Norwegian Crusade King Sigurd decided not to sail back the way he had come, so he took his army to Constantinople and they rode and walked back to Norway across Europe. When they got to Denmark, the Danish King Niels lent them boats to get home. A Norwegian knight, explaining what an adventure he was going on. The pirate captain, shortly before he was killed. A man from Lisbon who converted from Islam to Christianity to escape death. King Baldwin, describing what happened at Sidon. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 5 of 11
Group 5: The Second Crusade Background: In 1145, the city of Edessa, which had been part of the Christian Crusader Kingdoms, was defeated by a Muslim army. Pope Eugene II asked Christian soldiers in Europe to go to Edessa to win it back. Who went on the Second Crusade? It was mainly French and German knights who went on the Second Crusade but they were joined by some soldiers from England, Belgium and Italy. In total, about 1,300 knights went on the Second Crusade. Who led the Second Crusade? The Second Crusade was led by King Louis VII of France and Emperor Conrad III of Germany. What happened during the Second Crusade? The crusading armies reached the Holy Land in 1148. They attacked Damascus, in Syria, but they did not succeed in defeating the Muslim army there. Those Crusaders who survived went home. After the Second Crusade The Muslim Turk armies were strong and confident after their victory at Damascus. They began to conquer their way through the Holy Land and by 1187 they had re-captured Jerusalem. Pope Eugene II, explaining why he had called the Crusade. An English knight, describing what it was like fighting alongside a French crusading army. A successful Muslim defender of Damascus. A Crusader who survived the battle, on his way home. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 6 of 11
Group 6: The Third Crusade Background In 1187, the Muslim King Saladin captured Jerusalem back from the Crusader Armies. Henry II of England and Philip II of France decided to stop fighting each other and join up to fight Saladin. Henry II died but his successor King Richard I decided to keep going with the plan. Who went on the Third Crusade? English and French knights joined their Kings. A German army was on its way to join them when their Emperor Frederick Barbarossa drowned in a river on the way. They turned back home. What happened at Acre? The Third Crusade reached the Holy Land and attacked the Muslim-controlled city of Acre. They besieged the city for a month, not letting anyone or anything in or out, and the city surrendered. What happened after Acre surrendered? Richard I took all the Muslim soldiers in Acre as prisoners. Saladin said he would pay a ransom to get them back. Richard agreed but then he killed 2700 in view of Saladin s army. The end of the Third Crusade Saladin and Richard fought each other s armies over the next few months. First one side would win a battle and then the other side would win. Eventually they agreed to stop fighting each other. They divided up the Holy Land and Richard went home. An English knight on his way with Richard. A German knight, sad about the Emperor s death. Saladin, furious about his prisoners being killed. Richard I, on his way home after agreeing to stop fighting. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 7 of 11
Group 7: The Lisbon Crusade Background: Lisbon is a city on the coast of central Portugal. In the 11 th century, it was governed by North African Muslims called Moors. In 1147, Pope Eugene II called for a Crusade to get the Moors out of Portugal. Who went on the Lisbon Crusade? A small army of 7000 Portuguese knights were joined by Crusaders from England, who were on their way to join the Second Crusade to the Holy Land. Who led the Lisbon Crusade? King Alfonso I of Portugal led the Crusade. Andrew of London, a wealthy knight, and Simon of Dover were two leaders of the English Crusaders who joined him. What happened during the Lisbon Crusade? King Alfonso organised a siege around the city. It lasted for 4 months. Eventually the people in Lisbon were so hungry and ill that they surrendered. After the Lisbon Crusade. The Moorish soldiers (North African Muslims) were allowed to leave Lisbon and it was taken over by King Alfonso who made it his capital city. Most of the Crusaders decided to stay in Lisbon, but some went on to the Holy Land. Pope Eugene II, explaining why he had called the Crusade. Andrew of London, looking forward to an adventure. King Alfonso of Portugal, entering the City as the Victor. A starving person in Lisbon during the siege. A Moorish soldier, escaping Lisbon after the siege. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 8 of 11
Writing frames 1. Presenter Hello and welcome to.... Today we are going to tell you about... The year is... This Crusade has started because... We are now going to hear from our reporter... who is reporting from.... ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Reporter Thank you.... I am making this report from... which is in.... The people on this Crusade are... And they are led by... Here is an interview I made with him earlier. ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Crusade Leader Thank you.... My name is...... and I am... Our plan for this Crusade is......... www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 9 of 11
4. Presenter Thank you. We are just getting in news from... An eyewitness is going to tell us what is happening. Over to you.... ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Eyewitness Thank you. My name is... and I am an eyewitness because... This is what is happening......... ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Reporter Six months later I am bringing you this update from... When the Crusade finished... So I think that is a victory for... Thank you and goodbye. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 10 of 11
Teaching notes This resource was designed a part of series of lessons on the Crusades. Objectives Students to know why Pope Urban called a Crusade Students to be able explain why different groups of people went on different Crusades. Starter Read out message from Pope Urban (Source 1). Students should listen carefully and then jot down on mini whiteboards or rough paper what they understood. Main activity Divide your class into seven groups. Each group represents a different crusade. Explain that each was motivated by the following call from the church (in bold within Source 1). Persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends Note you could draw out prior learning: the reference to our friends is to Alexios I and the Byzantine Christian Empire. You should also take care to avoid potential misunderstandings and clarify that there were in fact a series of different crusades over a period of several hundred years. Students will make a news report to explain what happened on each crusade. Each group needs to have a reporter and several different participants Students can use the writing frames provided to help structure their reports and interviews. You could extend this lesson to enable students to collect props and record their films. www.teachithistory.co.uk 2016 26606 Page 11 of 11