The Crusades: Europe's Greatest Triumph

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Were the crusades worthwhile?

The crusades were a number of military campaigns fought from 1095 to 1291, there were nine crusades in total. These battles were fought between the people of the Christian and the Muslim religions. The total purpose of the crusades was to gain control and power of Jerusalem; the Holy Land. The crusades (the Holy wars) were indirectly one of the most important factors in the history of the modernisation of European civilisation .

The crusades had a lasting effect on many aspects of the world, both the people who fought in the battles and the population at home. The Crusades directly affected the role of the Catholic Church, as the Crusades contributed to the wealth and power of the church . As thousand of crusaders returned from battle broken both in spirit and in health they sought out the church as a place of peace .

The crusades also had an important effect on commerce and politics. The battles created a constant demand for the transportation of men and supplies. This required ship building as this increased trade products were sent from Damascus, Mosul, Alexandria, Cairo and other large cities in the Middle East. These trade items were brought into Italian seaports; from here they found their way into the European lands . Products that were introduced into Europe were silk tapestries, precious stones, perfumes, spices, pearls and ivory .

The political effects of the crusades took part in the help to break down the feudal system, which gave power to the King and the people . Many nobles who journeyed to the crusade battle front never returned, their estates due to failure of heirs were returned to the Crown. The fall of Constantinople was able to be postponed by three or more centuries, which ...

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... the fighting its self but in the knowledge and improved ways of life that was taught to the Christian crusaders. Without the crusades, Europe would have still been living in the stone ages for a few more centuries to come. Without the crusades more people would have died from diseases that could have been prevented by bathing regularly. These battles where the reason why many people lost their lives, but if the battles didn’t happen, Europe and the world wouldn’t be what it is today.

Bibliography

Alchin, L.K. Effects of the Crusade. October 26, 2008. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/effects-of-crusades.htm (accessed October 25, 2008).

Chrisp, Peter. The Crusades. East Sussex: Wayland, 1992.

Erbstosser, Martin. The Crusades. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1978.

Runciman, Steven. The First Crusade. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1980.

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