The First Crusade The main reason behind the first crusade was to re-capture Jerusalem.

The city was captured by the Muslims in 1076. The First Crusade began on November 27, 1095 with a proclamation from the current pope at that time, pope urban II. The popes proclamation was Christians, hasten to help your brothers in the East, for they are being attacked. Arm for the rescue of Jerusalem under your captain Christ. Wear his cross as your badge. If you are killed your sins will be pardoned." He delivered the proclamation to the clergy and the lay folk who gathered in a field in Clermont, in central France. The crowd responded which would become its war cry Dieu li volt, or God wills it. Pope Urban wanted the expedition into the east to be a military one. People who volunteered to fight the Muslims would cut out red crosses and have them sewn on there tunics. Many people however did volunteer to fight the Muslims. There were many different types of Christians who went into battle. One of groups of Christian went into battle because they believed that Jerusalem belonged to them. Another grough Christians were those who knew they commited a sin so they believed that this was the only way to be forgivin. Others believed that they would become wealthy from battling. The Crusaders had a difficult time traveling to Jerusalem because they couldnt go by water, they didnt control the ports and they had to travel thousands of miles in the scorching heat and had limited water. The first important target for the crusaders was the fortress city of Nicea. The city was taken control of without to much trouble. The second attack was on the city of Antioch, in turkey, it took them a seven month siege in order for the city to fall. The main leaders of there division of the army was, Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine, and Tancred the mirror of knighthood. The expedition included 700,000 men and of which 100,000 of them were knight. The Attack and capture of Jerusalem was done in the summer of 1099. They stood by the walls of the city and started to sing the words of the prophet Jerusalem, lift up thin eyes, and behold the liberater

who comes to break thy chains. By then they had about one-fourth of there original numbers. It was hard for them to attack because of it was defended by high walls. The first attack was unsuccesfull because of the lack of materials. A monk that witnessed the first crusade claimed that once the crusaders got over the wall the muslims ran away. He also claimed that the crusaders cut down anybody they could. Once the gate was opened the crusaders continued to kill whoever they wished. The Crusaders spent seven days slaughtering most of the people there. And by the time they where finished there was very little muslim faith left. The crusaders also took possessions from the houses of the infidels, and each soldier had a right to what he had first seized and placed his mark upon. The capture of Jerusalem did not end the crusades, The crusaders wanted to get rid of the rest of the muslims in the area which later led to the other crusades.