There were many Crusades to re-capture the Holy Lands over many centuries and the First Crusade would be one of the most successful of them all
The First Crusade would be led by important Nobles from across Europe and not by Kings as was the case in many of the other Crusades of the Middle Ages
The Crusades spanned many centuries and were a series of Holy wars! Read more about the First Crusade 1099 – Amazing Timeline and Dates >>
See 3 maps of that show the journey taken by the crusader armies during the First crusade! Read more about the First Crusade Maps >>
The Nobility of Europe were in charge of the First Crusades, not Kings Read more about the Who Took Part in the First Crusade? >>
Discover the main leaders of the First Crusades to the Holy Lands Read more about the Who were the leaders of the First Crusades >>
The 1st crusade to the Holy Lands was led by Bishop Adhemar
There was a total of five armies for the first crusade and each army was led by a nobleman.
There were many wealthy nobleman across Europe that were sympathetic to the Christian cause of re-claiming the Holy Lands from Muslim Turk rule.
It was easy to recruit armies to fight for the Christian cause during the first crusade.
Many people wanted to be soldiers in the first crusade and there were many volunteers. The Pope had told criminals and ex-communicated people that they would be given a pardon and made free if they came back alive from fighting the Muslims armies in the first crusade.
The armies of the 1st crusade were truly heroic and fought against almost impossible odds. Just 30,000 crusaders troops were commanded by a warrior named Bohemond, under his direction these first crusade armies were able to keep at bay an army of 360,000 Muslim Turks.
The Crusader armies were very disciplined and organized and fought as one, however the Turkish armies were disorganized and undisciplined and there was much infighting within the Muslim armies ranks.
Map showing information on the Crusade routes
During the first crusade the Crusader armies were under immense pressure from the sheer numbers of Muslim Turk soldiers, and at one point they were struggling to hold them back.
this was considered to be a miracle among the Christian troops and this renewed and strengthen their resolve to win the battle.
There was a lot of rivalry and infighting among the Muslim armies who throughout history have never trusted one another.
Before the Christian crusaders could even reach the walls of Jerusalem, the Muslim Turks who were in control of Jerusalem at that time had been defeated in battle by Fatimid Muslims
The 1st crusade had been started to reclaim the Holy lands from Muslim Turks, it had not been decided to fight all Muslims many of whom had very different views on the world, and in fact the Fatimid Muslims were quite tolerant of Christian people are more willing to share the Holy city with the crusaders and give them safe passage to Jerusalem and Mount Zion Fatimid Muslims.
The battle hardened crusaders however were in no mood for negotiation and decided that they would capture the Holy lands of Jerusalem for the Christian faith against all Muslims, this would escalate the first crusades into a Holy war against all Muslims and the Islamic religion.
In 1099 the Christian crusaders were finally at the walls of Jerusalem and were in no mood to take any prisoners .
The crusaders used battering Rams and Siege towers to break through and scale the walls of Jerusalem.
Once inside the walls the crusaders went on a rampage slaughtering everyone in their path, it is described as being a bloodbath with bodies knee deep and blood everywhere.
At the end of the battle over 70,000 Muslims and Jews had been killed and Jerusalem was now officially a Christian city.
Saladin the Great Muslim leader
Learn More about the First Crusades at Wikipedia