The Crusades
The Crusades During the 11th century, feudal Europe underwent revivals of both expansive commerce and religion. Pilgrimages to Jerusalem and other holy places in the East became increasingly popular. At the same time, the Byzantine Empire, with its capital at Constantinople (now Istanbul), was being threatened by the rising power of the Seljuk Turks. The Byzantine emperor turned to Europe, specifically to the pope of the Roman church, for aid. At the church council meeting at Clermont in 1095, the Pope called for a Christian army to aid Alexius and to recapture the Holy Sepulcher. Armies were raised by such knights as Hugh of Vermandois, Bohemond, Raymond of Saint-Gilles, and Robert of Flanders. Smaller, generally ill organized bands were collected by sundry lesser warriors, adventurers, and zealots. Over the next two years they assembled in and around Constantinople and prepared to march south across what today is Turkey. After a long siege they captured the heavily fortified town of Antioch in 1098. On July 15, 1099, Jerusalem fell to the crusaders, and its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants were slaughtered.