13.4 The Crusading Movement

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe the centrality of the city of Jerusalem to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• Explain how the Crusader States in the Middle East complicated the relationships between the Christian churches of the east and west
• Discuss the Muslim and indigenous Middle Eastern reaction to the crusading movement
• Explain how the crusading movement developed after the First Crusade

The call to crusade had profound consequences for Islamic and Christian societies. The military fortunes of the crusaders were watched carefully by Muslims and Christians alike, and while the success of the First Crusade was shocking to everyone, to Christians it was also a clear sign of God’s favor. The flaws in the crusading movement grew or became better known over time, however. Fewer Christians joined later crusades, even though the legend and romance of the venture became more popular in the European imagination.