The travels of Ibn Jubayr is a travel account by a Muslim man who currently resides in Granada, as Ibn Jubayr travelled back from a pilgrimage to Mecca between 1183 and 1185, and wrote about the cities that he travelled through. In this section he is stopped in Sicily on his way home to Grenada. As this is a travel account, there must be some skepticism applied when reading this account because there are many factors that could influence the way that this document was written. Travel documents are also a valuable resource for historians as they can provide an outsider’s perspective and provide insight into things that locals may not have thought to write about. This document allows historians to gain an insiders perspective on the Mediterranean …show more content…
In Ways of the World by Robert Strayer, the Third crusades took place between 1189 until 1192, and reached Sicily at this time (Strayer 435). This document is also set in Sicily just before this crusade, and there is ample evidence that this was already a heavily Christian area. Ibn Jubayr states that the town of Messina is “teeming with worshippers of the Cross, it chokes its inhabitants, and constricts them to almost strangling” (Broadhurst 338). This not only directly acknowledges the presence of Christians, it displays the less kind feelings that Ibn Jubayr has for the Christians at this time, admonishing those who do not worship the same god as him. This is also seems to be reciprocated in the way that he is treated as he mentions that others are wary of him at all times of day because he does not speak the same language or uphold the same set of manners. These differences are part of the reason the crusades happened as they are religious wars, trying to spread Christianity across …show more content…
If people believe that they have a say in the decisions being made for them, or at least someone who will make decisions to benefit people like them, then they are less likely to fight back and require a large military presence to keep contained. The king may have even tried to win over the favor of those on Ibn Jubayr’s ship, by paying off the Muslim’s landing fees that they were too poor to afford. In doing this he may have also secured more support from those Muslims already living on the island. Overall, while there are obvious differences in the status of Muslim citizens, the effort that the King puts in to reducing the tension and fear of the Muslims, indicates that the island of Sicily was Christianized shortly before the arrival of Ibn
Ibn al-Athīr, in full Izz al-Dīn Abū al-Ḥasan Alī ibn al-Athīr, born May 12, 1160, in what is now Turkey, was an influential Arab historian whose chief work was a history of the world, al-Kāmil fī al-tārīkh (“The Complete History”), starting with the creation of Adam. He also wrote a work titled al-Bāhir, a history of the former Seljuq army officers, called atabegs, who founded dynasties, drawn from his own experience and from that of his father, who held office under the Zangids of Mosul. Ibn al-Athīr spent a scholarly life in Mosul, but often visited Baghdad, and was, for a time, with Saladin’s army in Syria, later living in Aleppo and Damascus, dying in Mosul, Iraq in 1233. Ibn al-Athīr, writing many years after the occurrence of the events that he describes, and long after the city of Jerusalem and be...
Foss explains, “What Urban needed was an enterprise, clearly virtuous in serving the ends of Christiandome… in these moments of reflection, the popes mind turned towards Jerusalem.” Urban II reflects back on the first taking of the Holy City after the defeat of the Byzantine Empire in 1071, and begins to question what his people know about the Turkish race and really the ideology of Islamic thought. Foss goes on to examine the ignorance of westerners and needed to be “reminded [by the pope] of the infamous heathens, their cruelty and hatred of Christians,” hoping this would justify the first Holy Crusade. However, Foss identifies the creativity of the Pope’s language to persuade the knights and army of the people to embark on the Holy Crusade based on the Muslims cruel actions turned onto their fellow Christians. Claiming the Muslims “Killed captives by torture…poor captives were whipped…and others were bound to the post and used as a target for arrows.” Foss examines the Popes words as an effective effort of persuasion in creating an army of crusaders to help clean “…Holy places, which are now treated with ignominy and polluted with Filthiness” and any sacrifice in Jerusalem is a “promise of a spiritual reward… and death for
The First Crusade, for instance, was justified as being a response to the plea for help from Emperor Alexius Comnenus in repelling the Seljuk Turks who had invaded Byzantine territories in Anatolia. Equally, the Third Crusade was called to reconquer the lands captured by Saladin in an effort to preserve Christian rule in the region. In this essay I will argue that the Crusades were a complex series of campaigns which cannot be arbitrarily defined as solely defensive or expansionist exercises. Rather, their interpretation should be more nuanced; with each Crusade intended for both the expansion and defence of Christian territories to varying degrees. I shall be primarily investigating the expansion or defence of the boundaries of Christendom from a Traditionalist perspective within the First and Third Crusades, before taking a Pluralist view in studying the Iberian campaigns to determine whether Holy
Brian. A Catlos’ novel, Infidel Kings and Unholy Warriors: Faith, Power, and Violence in the Age of Crusade and Jihad, provides a detailed account of various sites of inter-religious interaction throughout the medieval Mediterranean from the 10th to 12th centuries. Throughout the novel, Catlos illustrates the influence of religion on the relationships and coexistence between the three Abrahamic religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - and the role it plays in the immense violence of the period. The varying perspectives demonstrate how religion acted more as a bridge between cultures than a barrier, and how conflicts deemed as of religious origin were oftentimes driven predominantly by the mundane factor of greed and self-interest rather than existential resentment of opposing groups.
The Crusades were the first tactical mission by Western Christianity in order to recapture the Muslim conquered Holy Lands. Several people have been accredited with the launch of the crusades including Peter the Hermit however it is now understood that this responsibility rested primarily with Pope Urban II . The main goal of the Crusades was the results of an appeal from Alexius II, who had pleaded for Western Volunteers help with the prevention of any further invasions. The Pope’s actions are viewed as him answering the pleas of help of another in need, fulfilling his Christian right. However, from reading the documents it is apparent that Pope Urban had ulterior motives for encouraging engagement in the war against the Turks. The documents and supporting arguments now highlight that the Pope not only sought to recruit soldiers to help but also to challenge those who had harmed the Christians community and annihilate the Muslims. He put forth the idea that failure to recapture this lands would anger God and that by participating, God would redeem them of their previous sins.in a time of deep devoutness, it is clear this would have been a huge enticement for men to engage in the battle. Whether his motives were clear or not to his people, Pope Urban’s speeches claiming that “Deus vult!” (God wills it) encouraged many Christians to participate and take the cross.
The emphasis of the Catholic religion during the Crusades resulted in the spreading of Christianity across many regions in Europe, and also resulted in an increase in trade. The Crusades were fought in order to take back the land of Jerusalem from the Muslims, and also to protect the Catholic Church. The Crusades began when Pope Urban II stated that “...an accursed race utterly alienated from God … has invaded the lands of the Christians and depopulated them by the sword, plundering, and fire. Tear that land from the wicked race and subject it to yourselves,” in which he blames the Muslims for the loss of their holy land. Then, sea routes towards Jerusalem were closed due to Muslim conquests. This changed Christopher Columbus’ original plan, which was to reach Jerusalem by sailing west. In order to continue his voyage, he sailed to the Americas, which were seen as a new opportunity to make up for the loss of the holy land during the Crusades. Also, the religious Order of Christ, which was set up in 1319 by King Denis of Portugal in order to continue the war agai...
...so that they are even more divided because their holy books are very different. Consequently, because of these differences in the holy books, it is even less likely or not possible for these people to really coexist at this point in time. Even though these religions are very similar, the different saviors and holy books that they worship make it so that it is not possible for one to believe that they can really coexist in a diverse society.
A main cause of the Crusades was the treatment of Christian pilgrims. They were robbed, beaten, and then sold. The main group of Turks, the Seljuk Turks, were threatening and growing in power. The Byzantine Emperor, Alexus I, began to become worried and sent out an urgent plea to Pope Urban II, in Rome. He requested for Christian knights to help him fight the Turks. Pope Urban II did agree to his appeal although Byzantine Emperors and Roman Popes were longtime rivals. He also did agree with Alexus I, in fearing that the Turks were expanding. Pope Urban encouraged French and German Bishops and Nobles to also take part in this. “ An accused race has violently invaded the lands of those Christians and had depopulated them by pillage and fire.” This is when Pope Urban II called for a crusade to free the Holy Land. Urban did agree to this having some of his own motives in mind. He was hoping his power would grow in ...
In the year 1095 the First Crusade was just beginning. Pope Urban II called Christians to liberate the Holy Land from Muslim oppressors. He promised indulgences and the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven for fighting in the holy war. Those that answered the call were peasants, beggars, the poor looking for riches and the unknown looking for glory. What started out as a pilgrimage to help fellow Christians secure their borders and repel foreign invaders soon became the first of many Holy Wars for the Kingdom of God.
The crusades impacted them all greatly for they were all a key part of the Crusades. Some had to lie just to get their people to believe them and others had to kill their own children...This is how the crusades impacted Christians, Muslims and
The world religions of Islam and Christianity may have their differences to the naked eye, but when you take a closer look into their histories similarities arise. They both went through transformations that had drastic impacts on the way they were controlled and the way that the religion was taught to the followers. Christianity and Islam have both experienced splits between their members due to the fact that followers thought that their beliefs were the correct way to practice the religion. While these transformations are long in the past, the splits that have occurred within each religion continue to have lasting effects on Islam and Christianity to this day.
... of their crusades, they both gained political support by promoting fear. A final comparison can be seen regarding dehumanization that is present in both situations.
differences, it is easy to see each religion as a monolithic entity existing separate from
He uses the Banu Hudayl family to show that people of high status such as Zubayda have doubts of religion. Ali tries to diminish religion altogether by the many examples of fake conversions to Christianity which provides a sense that everyone has flaws, even the most devote Muslims. The fear which lead to the false conversion of many Muslims can directly correlate with the reasoning behind the expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain in 1609 under the rule of King Phillip III. Ali does not directly state this but hints at it throughout the novel by revealing many false converts and the tension that Cisneros feels towards these fake Christians. Ali also expresses his beliefs of equality through the many examples of sins and impurities among Muslims and Christians. Ali is trying to argue that we are all imperfect and selfish people, even if we have religion there will always be good and bad people. While there are many instances of noble sacrifice, such as Zuhayr going to fight for his family and for the town he loves, Hind points out that he only does this noble act out of
Christianity and Islam are two religions that grew from the same central idea of one divine being; they also originate from Jerusalem. However, the two religions bear great disparity but they also hold a few similarities. Both Islam and Christianity believe in Abraham as the forefather of both religions; they believe Him to be the founder of the two religions. The two religions have a holy book; Islam uses the Quran while Christians use the bible. Even though the two books do not bear the same teachings they are considered sacred in both religions. However, Christianity and Islam share a great deal of differences starting from the holy books, their beliefs, and the information contained in the respective holy book (Kavanaugh, 5).