People+of+the+Crusades

People of the Crusades ﻿ ** Pope Alexius I: Born 1048, died 1118. Known for holding out the Normans. More importantly known for asking help to quell the now rising Seljuk Turks. He received more help than bargained for. The first group of soldiers he received were sent off to battle the Turks and were brutally killed by the Muslims in 1096. With the second group, that was led by Duke Godfrey was also sent to fight the Turks, with their target being Jerusalem. He made them pledge allegiance to him and that he himself would receive the cities and goods they plundered. In return he would supply them with much needed food. He then reigned over his kingdom until his death in 1118. **

** Pope Urban II **: To learn about Pope Urban II Click Here


 * Pope Gregory VII: Pope Gregory was born in the 1020's and became the pope in 1073. He stayed pope until his death in 1085. He was educated in Rome as a child. He succeed Pope Alexander II and his old name Hildebrand was replaced with Gregory. In 1076 Gregory was present at the council of Worms, as in his past he had clashed with the emperor. All throughout his life Pope Gregory worked on the idea that everyone should treat each other as a creature of God. He also proposed that the pope was the direct link to God and that anything done to himself would be like doing it to God. **


 * St. Bernard of Clarivaux: Born in Fontains, France in 1090. While St. Bernard was young his mother died and his father also died, while on a crusade. He was greatly known for his preaching skill, which is why many people would come to hear him preach. He also worked miracles of healing on those who were sick or infirm. He inspired many to found monasteries all over Europe, as he was the Abbot, or head monk, at the monastery of Clarivaux. St. Bernard was a key person in getting people to go on the second crusade. He was also chosen to lead the second crusade at first but then was replaced because he seemed unfit for the position. **


 * Saladin: In 1137 he was born at Tikrit by the Tigris river. He received his schooling in Damascus. He first served as a soldier under the command of his uncle and then took over in the task of defending Egypt from the impending crusaders. He also attained the feet of uniting his army with that of the Shi'ite Muslims. After the death of Nur Ad-Din Saladin married his widow and with her help united all the Muslim armies. The only major loss to the crusaders he suffered was at the battle of Montgisard in 1177. In 1187 Saladin finally marched on Jerusalem and defeated the Christians that were their. The crusaders had had control of the Holy City for over 85 years. Then the third crusade was launched. The crusaders managed to take back Acre and Saladin and his army were beaten by King Richard. Saladin and Richard respected one another greatly as military leaders. Saladin actually used his medical expertise to help Richard and Richard's sister even planned to marry Saladin's brother. The two finally signed the treaty of Ramla in 1192 which gave Muslims the city but Christians were free to enter in and out of the city without being persecuted. Saladin died in 1193 at Damascus. **


 * King Richard I Also known as Richard the Lion Heart: King Richard was born on September 8th, 1157 in Oxford, England. He then moved to France where he attended school. He and his brothers tried to revolt against their father but in the end failed and Richard had to pledge his loyalty to his father in 1174. On September 3, 1189 Richard was crowned King of England. During his rein he joined the third crusade. In may of 1191 Richard and his men took Lemesos. Later in 1191 King Richard and his army arrived at Acre and retook the city from the hands of Saladin. In 1192 Richard was taken hostage by the Duke Leopold, whom Richard had previously insulted during his crusade. He was released in 1194 but he never went back to his kingdom in England but rather stayed in France. **


 * Duke Godfrey of Bouillon: Godfrey was born in 1060 and is known best for his leadership of the first crusade. In August of 1096 he began the first crusade with about 40,000 men. Upon his arrival in Constantinople in 1097 he swore an oath to pope Alexius. During the first part of the crusade he is known for helping reinforce the crusader army at the Battle of Dorylaeum and stopped the Seljuk Turks from completely wiping out the crusader forces. He then pushed on with the crusader army to Jerusalem and on July 15, 1099 they defeated the Muslims there and he became one of the first to enter the city of Jerusalem. While there Godfrey was elected King of Jerusalem. He did not want to be called "The King" of Jerusalem because of how holy the city was so he took on the name of Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri, which means defender of the Holy Sepulchre. He reigned for only one year, dieing in 1100. His brother Baldwin took his place as King of Jerusalem. **