Harrison Breault

World History
Fett
December 4, 2013
The First Crusade

The First Crusade was an event that took advantage of the

desperate minds of a people that had little to turn to. Their loyalty was
given to the highest bidder, in that the Pope first offered them a clean
slate on their life. Their fealty to the secular powers of the Byzantine
Empire were their next following after Alexiuss reinforcements came to
aid, but the Siege of Antioch was their final turning point of loyalty
back to the Church.
In an address to the Church, Pope Urban II said, Then as a
suppliant hetry fully to restore the Holy Church, (CFC, pg. 6). This
spawned the idea for the First Crusade, to take back the Holy Land in
the name of Jesus Christ and restore strength to the Church. Their
campaign against the Muslims was spawned from the heathens that
were destroying churches and alters, raping women, and torturing
Christians. The Pope stated that any man who goes on this quest out of
devotion to the Lord will be absolved of all sins he commits prior to and
during the journey. This was a large deciding factor for the soldiers who
chose to follow his lead. In these times, the most people had to look
forward to was heaven, a paradise in the afterlife. This journey offered
them an easy way to secure their place in heaven by taking away any
guilt and connection to the sins they have committed. Devotion to the
Church was low at this time, and the capture of the Holy Land was
theorized to restore faith and the liberty of the churches (CFC, pg.
26).
During the siege of Nicaea, Alexius came to the aid of the
crusaders. Failed to storm the city, whose surrender was eventually
negotiated by Alexius Iland and water, (CFC, pg. 108). Alexius
responded to the call for help by the crusaders by helping them take
control of Nicaea. By doing this, their loyalty to the secular powers of
the Byzantine Empire were restored. Their belief in might and the
strength of an army were solid after this. Bohemund was also a great
ally in this time. The crusaders lacked rations and a loaf cost 20 or 30
pence, (CFC, pg. 109), but the valiant Bohemund ordered that
provisions be brought to the soldiers by boat, and All Christs army
enjoyed great abundance, (CFC, pg. 109). By doing this, the soldiers
realized that power quite literally comes from power. Tangible things
such as munitions and food are what may help them survive and

continue to fight for their God, but before they may fight, those
resources aforementioned are required; therefore what they see and
eat and feel are the things that first capture their attention. This
change in whom they fought for also changed their actions and how
they acted towards battles and upon plundering cities.
Their change in style and ferocity turned them to sin. Their
rations depleted, and men began to disband due to this. Battles began
to end in stalemates, there was a large loss of life, and morale was all
but lost. As if to add insult to injury, Kerbogas massive army began to
appear around the walls of the city, (CFC, pg. 144) giving the city
what seemed to be an indomitable garrison. Noticing the drop in
morale and the absolute need of a miracle, Peter Bartholomew took it
upon himself to visit the Cathedral of St. Peter to recover the Holy
Lance; the spear that pierced the dead body of Jesus Christ. Upon
finding this lance, the Christian leaders took oaths of fealty to the
Church stating that against no odds will they give up, including the fear
of death and death itself. This boosted morale within the ranks of the
crusaders. This newfound symbol of hope led them to defeating the
Turks at the Siege of Antioch and resulting in the continuation of the
First Crusade. This, in turn, restored faith in the God, once again
turning their loyalty to the Church.
The soldiers involved in the First Crusade were very indecisive of
where their loyalties lie. The beginning address of Pope Urban II
brandished the power of Christ and was the kindle to the flame that
charged the souls of the crusaders. The siege of Nicaea and Alexiuss
reinforcements and negotiations showed the army that secular power
holds sway in this Crusade, however, after the discovery of the Holy
Lance during the Siege of Antioch, morale rose ultimately facing loyalty
back to God.