Religious Differences During The Crusades

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In the current news, the religious tensions between Christians and Muslim extremists are a recurring topic that sparks conversations between many people. The history behind this religious conflict goes back into the early 7th and 8th centuries during the times of the Byzantine and West European Empires. Although the conflicts between the two religions may have not been profound in the past, they were solidified due to the Crusades. Lasting from 1096 to 1204 CE, the Crusades were a prominent event in history and they had a significant impact on both the Byzantine and Western European Empires. These four expeditions involved the long distance travel across Europe, the loss of many innocent lives and the destruction of cities and important artifacts.The …show more content…

After the Crusades, trade, architecture, and urban culture started to flourish. Islamic achievements in medicine, science, mathematics, and philosophy helped to make a large impact on Western Europe. All of this came from contact with the Muslims during the Crusades. Contact with the Muslims also helped to establish port city connections between Palestine and other European countries. This establishment helped to increase trade with Eastern Countries. Also, an advancement in navigation and ship-building led to better built navigation pathways and maritime transportation. For the Byzantine Empire and other parts of Eastern Europe, trade across the Mediterranean Ocean brought Muslim merchants and Italian merchants together. The different merchants exchanged goods and this helped to spread culture and religion to new locations. This type of trade helped spread knowledge, culture and solidify ties between different cities and different people. While the Crusades did establish new connections, the battles also led to the destruction of important intellectual and artistic artifacts. In Constantinople, the last Crusade ended with a fire which consumed the city. This fire burnt libraries full of ancient manuscripts and the fire also led to the destruction of ancient art pieces, precious altars and jewelry. The loss of these important objects and the …show more content…

However, the legacy of the Crusades impacted civilizations in many other ways. The commercial, political, religious, intellectual and artistic themes all contributed to past and present society in different ways. In fact, the legacy of the Crusades is present in today's society. Extreme terrorists group such as ISIS still show the religious tensions between Christians and extreme Muslims. The Crusades are not the only reason for political and religious tensions today, but it was a contributor to the current global state. The principles and influences behind the Crusades may not be of importance to a person, but these wars are partially responsible for the current life we live in. The Crusades impacted past societies, and these wars continue to make a significant impression on current

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