What You Need to Know About the Crusades

The medieval Crusade was a holy war. For a conflict to be officially considered a Crusade, it had to be sanctioned by the pope and conducted against groups seen as enemies of Christendom. Initially, only those expeditions to the Holy Land (Jerusalem and associated territory) were considered Crusades. More recently, historians have also recognized campaigns against heretics, pagans, and Muslims in Europe as Crusades. How the Crusades Began For centuries, Jerusalem had been governed by Muslims, but they tolerated Christian pilgrims because they helped the economy. Then, in the 1070s, Turks (who were also Muslim) conquered these holy lands and mistreated Christians before realizing how useful their goodwill (and money) could be. The Turks also threatened the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Alexius asked the pope for assistance, and Urban II, seeing a way to harness the violent energy of Christian knights, made a speech calling for them to take back Jerusalem. Thousands responded, resulting in the First Crusade. When the Crusades Began and Ended Urban II made his speech calling for Crusade at the Council of Clermont in November, 1095. This is seen as the start of the Crusades. However, the reconquista of Spain, an important precursor to crusading activity, had been going on for centuries. Traditionally, the fall of Acre in 1291 marks the end of the Crusades, but some historians extend them to 1798, when Napoleon expelled the Knights Hospitaller from Malta. Crusader Motivations There were as many different reasons for crusading as there were crusaders, but the single most common reason was piety. To crusade was to go on pilgrimage, a holy journey of personal salvation. Whether that also meant giving up virtually everything and willingly facing death for God, bending to peer or family pressure, indulging bloodlust without guilt, or seeking adventure or gold or personal glory depended entirely on who was doing the crusading. Who Went on Crusade People from all walks of life, from peasants and laborers to kings and queens, answered the call. Even the King of Germany, Frederick I Barbarossa, went on multiple Crusades. Women were encouraged to give money and stay out of the way, but some went on crusade anyway. When nobles crusaded, they often brought huge retinues, whose members may not necessarily have wanted to go along. At one time, scholars theorized that younger sons more frequently went crusading in search of estates of their own; however, crusading was an expensive business, and recent research indicates it was lords and elder sons who were more likely to crusade. The Number of Crusades Historians have numbered eight expeditions to the Holy Land, though some lump the 7th and 8th together for a total of seven crusades. However, there was a steady stream of armies from Europe to the Holy Land, so it is nearly impossible to distinguish separate campaigns. In addition, some crusades have been named, including the Albigensian Crusade, the Baltic (or Northern) Crusades, the Peoples Crusade, and the Reconquista. Crusader Territory Upon the success of the First Crusade, the Europeans set up a king of Jerusalem and established what is known as the Crusader States. Also called outremer (French for across the sea), the Kingdom of Jerusalem controlled Antioch and Edessa, and it was divided into two territories since these places were so far-flung. When ambitious Venetian merchants convinced warriors of the Fourth Crusade to capture Constantinople in 1204, the resulting government was referred to as the Latin Empire, to distinguish it from the Greek, or Byzantine, empire they had claimed. Crusading Orders Two important military orders were established in the early 12th century: the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar. Both were monastic orders whose members took vows of chastity and poverty, yet they were also militarily trained. Their primary purpose was to protect and aid pilgrims to the Holy Land. Both orders did very well financially, particularly the Templars, who were notoriously arrested and disbanded by Philip IV of France in 1307. The Hospitallers outlasted the Crusades and continue, in a much-altered form, to this day. Other orders were established later, including the Teutonic Knights. Impact of the Crusades Some historians -- particularly Crusades scholars -- consider the Crusades the single most important series of events in the Middle Ages. The significant changes in the structure of European society that took place in the 12th and 13th centuries were long considered the direct result of Europes participation in the Crusades. This view no longer holds as strongly as it once did. Historians have recognized many other contributing factors in this complex time. Yet there is no doubt the Crusades contributed greatly to changes in Europe. The effort of raising armies and providing supplies for Crusaders stimulated the economy; trade benefited, as well, especially once the Crusader States were established. Interaction between the East and West affected European culture in areas of art and architecture, literature, mathematics, science and education. And Urbans vision of directing the energies of warring knights outward succeeded in reducing war within Europe. Having a common foe and common objective, even for those who didnt participate in the Crusade, fostered a view of Christendom as a united entity. This has been a very basic introduction to the Crusades. For a better understanding of this extremely complex and greatly-misunderstood topic, please explore our Crusades Resources or read one of the Crusades Books recommended by your Guide.

Essay on August Wilsons Fences - 961 Words

August Wilson’s Fences was centered on the life of Troy Maxson, an African American man full of bitterness towards the world because of the cards he was dealt in life amidst the 1950’s. In the play Troy was raised by an unloving and abusive father, when he wanted to become a Major League Baseball player he was rejected because of his race. Troy even served time in prison because he was impoverished and needed money so he robbed a bank and ended up killing a man. Troy’s life was anything but easy. In the play Troy and his son Cory were told to build a fence around their home by Rose. It is common knowledge that fences are used in one of two ways: to keep things outside or to keep things inside. In the same way that fences are used to keep†¦show more content†¦In the play when Cory and Troy fight, Troy kicks Cory out of the house saying, â€Å"Cory: Tell Mama Ill be back for my things. Troy: Theyll be on the other side of that fence. (Henderson) It is in this particular passage that Troy uses the fence physically to represent the dividing line between Cory and him, but more specifically the emotional barrier he’s put between him and his family. Troy grew up with an abusive father which makes his complete emotional disregard towards his family logical. If the man that raised you taught you keep your emotional guard up even with your family, you would probably treat your family the same way that Troy treated his; with complete emotional neglect and disregard. The fence working as barrier could also symbolize Troy trying to protect himself from feeling too deeply towards things which could end up disappointing him or already have. For instance, when Troy became passionate about becoming a Major League Baseball player he suffered extreme disappointment when he was rejected because of his race. It was this life lesson that reinforced Troy’s upbringing of emotional disregard towards things he could grow to either want, lov e, or feel passionate about like his family and friends. Troy’s philosophy in building the fence was that if you don’t grow an emotional attachment to something then it cannot hurt you, and he stayed by philosophy till his death. The fence also became symbolic of the barrier Troy wanted toShow MoreRelatedEssay on August Wilsons: Fences2481 Words   |  10 PagesAugust Wilson’s: â€Å"Fences† In â€Å"Fences†, August Wilson tells the story of an ex-negro league baseball hero, Troy Maxon. Troy is a bitter man, withering away in his own hatred for the way things â€Å"are†, as well as his inability to see the world has changed. Troy has an â€Å"iron grip† on his family in the beginning, however as the story progresses the family breaks loose of the physical and emotional ties that are holdingRead MoreThe Symbolic Importance of the Fence in August Wilson’s Fences1179 Words   |  5 Pages Alan Nadel argues that the object of the fence in August Wilson’s play, â€Å"Fences† symbolizes a great struggle between the literal and figurative definitions of humanity and blackness. The author summarizes the play and uses the character Troy to explain the characterization of black abilities, such as Troy’s baseball talents, as â€Å"metaphoric,† which does not enable Troy to play in the white leagues as the period is set during segregation (Nadel 92). The author is trying to use the charactersRead More August Wilsons Fences - Building Fences Essay3028 Words   |  13 PagesAugust Wilsons Fences - Building Fences The first time I read August Wilsons Fences for english class, I was angry. I was angry at Troy Maxson, angry at him for having an affair, angry at him for denying his son, Cory, the opportunity for a football scholarship.I kept waiting for Troy to redeem himself in the end of the play, to change his mind about Cory, or to make up with Ruth somehow. I wanted to know why, and I didnt, couldnt understand. I had no intention of writing my research paperRead MoreFeminist Criticism In August Wilsons Fences732 Words   |  3 PagesWithin August Wilson’s Fences, the conflict between the authority figures within the Maxson household was prevalent. At this time in history, misogyny was widespread, and men typically held a large majority of the authority positions in society. Some scenes from Wilson’s Fences would include times in which Troy Maxson would depict seemingly oppressive authority over his family members. Troy often acted in a rather arrogant manner, which contribu ted to the strong sense of patriarchy that was presentRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of August Wilsons Fences758 Words   |  4 PagesRhetorical Analysis Paper August Wilson’s play, â€Å"Fences†, is a play about a father who is trying to make do to support his family as well as come to terms with his boisterous upbringing and the collapse of his Major League Baseball career. The Father, Troy Maxson, resents his son’s painless childhood and chances to pursue a college level football career. In multiple excerpts from the play, Troy brutally lectures his son Cory about life and adulthood. He uses short and incomplete sentences, rhetoricalRead MoreSpirituality Religion in August Wilsons Fences1072 Words   |  5 PagesFen Spirituality amp; Religion | In August Wilson’s â€Å"Fences† | | Mia Savage ENG 102 Essay #3 | 11/11/2011 | Introduction: â€Å"Fences† is one of ten plays written by August Wilson that document historic periods in Black American life. It is a colorful and thoughtfully written piece that tells the story of one family’s struggle in Civil Rights Era America, an empowering and complicated time for lower and middle class blacks struggling to attain an ideal of the â€Å"American Dream†. TroyRead MoreAnalysis of August Wilsons Fences706 Words   |  3 PagesHow would you feel if you witness that your life has been a complete failure? This is the question that Troy Maxson, the leading character in the drama Fences written by August Wilson, had to live with for the rest of his existence. It is the year of 1957 in Pittsburgh, where African descendants escaped from the savage conditions they had in the south. They were living in a world without freedom. While the play develops, the author shows the 1950s as a time when a new world of opportunities forRead MoreCharacter Analy sis of August Wilsons Fences879 Words   |  4 PagesIn the play Fences, by August Wilson, the main character, Troy Maxson is involved in numerous relationships with family members throughout the entire eight years that the story takes place. Troy is a father, husband, and brother to other characters in the play. Unfortunately for Troy, a strong-minded and aggressive man, he constantly complicates the relationships with his family members. Troys hurtful actions and words make it nearly impossible for him to sustain healthy relationships with not onlyRead More Religion in August Wilsons Fences Essay examples814 Words   |  4 PagesIn August Wilsons play, Fences, the character, Troy Maxson, is by no definition a religious man. He has created his own religion through his own philosophies, especially baseball. Sandra G. Shannons critical analysis, The Good Christians Come and Gone: The Shifting Role of Christianity in August Wilson Plays, gives analogies for the way Troy deals with h is own spirituality. It is agreeable that Troy, like other Wilson characters, deals with religion in his own way. Shannon assertsRead MoreAnalysis of August Wilsons Short Story Fences2029 Words   |  8 Pageswhat it means, other than life is hard (Calvert, n.d.) In so many ways Fences is such an ordinary story that its power comes from the ways in which ordinary people hear and view it. There is no doubt but that the metaphor of the fence prevails, working its way across work, family, friendship and the emotional pain of living a life literally dependent on garbage for survival. This is what Wilson wrote about in his Fences of the 1950s. In retrospect, however, it doesnt take a lot to put some of

Of Mice and Men is a novel Essay Example For Students

Of Mice and Men is a novel Essay Of Mice and Men is a novel written in 1937 by an author called John Steinbeck, a rising novelist after other successes as Tortilla Flat and Dubious Battle. The focus of these books as well as Of Mice and Men is of the migrant workers. Of Mice and Men is set during the height of the great depression where unemployment and widespread droughts had forced thousands of workers on to the road in search of work, moving from ranch to ranch harvesting the crops and moving on again. This is the exact situation that two of the novels main characters are in, Lennie and George. Despite there being so many, the migrant workers share similar characteristics. As the name might suggest, migrant workers migrated around the country in search of work on ranches. When all of this work had been done and all of the crop planted and harvested, they would move on. Workers would get work by going into employment offices and getting a little slip. We know this when George said They give us work cards. Moving around a lot meant that the migrant workers could not hold down friendships. Leading them to become selfish and self-centered. But George and Lennies situation is different. They have developed a strong relationship over time, with George being the brains and Lennie the braun, with them both looking out for each other. This is well displayed when Lennie said; But not us! An why? Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you. Their friendship contrasts with the average migrant worker, as the boss of the Ranch suspects George is using Lennie. Say, what you sellin? Arguably the best example of a lack of friendship was when Candy said to George. A guy on a ranch dont never listen nor dont ast no questions. Reflecting the isolated loneliness they all feel. With finding friends being such a hard task, it should come as no surprise that permanent women were a rarity. It was socially accepted that because migrant workers were constantly on the move and could not settle down, they would contact women via brothels or cat houses as they were more commonly known. The migrant workers can do what they want to and move on, without any responsibilities or ties. They would prefer to have real girlfriends but they cant as they are victims of their circumstances. The brothels to them were home substitutes where they could interact socially as you would in a house, sit, talk and generally relax. The migrant workers were so desperate for a home substitute because they are always constantly on the move. This meant that the migrant workers had no real sense of home or family and no contact with them. We know this when George says Guys like use, that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They got no place.

Misunderstanding Life Essays - Nelle A. Coley, Pedagogy,

Misunderstanding Life Misunderstanding life There were three words that changed my intellectual life and the way I had perceived things. Think about it! Those were the words that were said to me, the phrase think about it didn't have such a powerful meaning until that day. I would have never thought that three words could change a person's life, it changed mines. These words think about it became the most influential words I've ever heard. It was the person who said it and the way he said it that made me take the words in a serious way. My life in elementary was taking a turn for worst I was a bad, carefree, and a want be hard core kid. Even with my mother in the school working as a teacher assistant my behavior was at a low for about eight hours a day at school. My sixth grade teacher on the first day said I'm not going to have any loud mouth punks in this class. This is my class if you or anyone else don't like what I'm doing in here they will be asked to leave. When he announced that I believe that he was talking about me. What the teacher said to me during that time seemed to me as a bunch of garbage and it didn't effect me, I knew what I was going to do (be a pest) and not do (be a angel). Even though this was the meanest teacher that was in the school and we disagreed on many things, I felt that he sensed that I respected him. In the middle of the school year I was often catching myself doing things that I wasn't supposed to, just to test my boundaries. The process of my intellectual life changing came about b ecause of a thing that I did to a girl. One day a girl and I were walking back to class after gym, the gym was in the basement and our class was on the fourth floor. I think just because she was a girl and I had a reputation of being bad, I had to do something to her that would make her laugh or get a reaction out of her. So as we walked up the stairs I turned around and put my hands were they was not supposed to be. I heard her scream and I ran up the stairs faster than Carl Lewis. When she screamed it echoed and everyone in the building could probably hear. I ran away my classroom because I knew that the teacher would be waiting for me, he would have suspended me if she had told him what I did. So I ran to the second floor to the cafeteria were a stage was located, I know that I would have never been caught there. In the back of the cafeteria the stage was located with curtains, behind the curtains there was a closet in which no one used anymore, it had old pianos and instruments in it. The closet was so scary because it was wet from the ceiling leaking, dark, narrow, and you never knew what was in there. I waited and waited in the closet for my teacher to come in and find me but he never did. I wanted to get out of the closet and let everyone know where I was, but I knew that I would get in trouble and my mom would beat me in school if they had found me there. While I was in the closet everyone was looking for me in the school. I began to think to myself that when I get out of the closet I would be considered a coward, pervert, or a nasty little rapist. I said to myself that the sooner I came out of hiding the easier my punishment would be. I was in the closet for a long t ime when I went in it was about 10:45 and when I showed my face it was about 2:00. I guess when your in trouble time goes by fast and when your in a boring situation time goes by slow, well it flew by for me because I took