4. Crusades and The Holy War Flashcards
What does Rosenwein mean by the ‘commercial revolution’ that took place during this period?
The commercial revolution involved the revival of urban life and the expansion of trade.
In the first half of the twelfth century, merchants got rights to trade in cities other than their own, tolls were lifted and in port cities along the Baltic, North Sea and Mediterranean coasts they were given special sites to use for warehouses and temporary residence. Very active ports include those of Alexandria (where spices from south Asia came via Red Sea), al-Anderlus and Almeria where timber, oil, fruit, gold and silk were exported.
This increased the number of businesses and increased Europe’s metal sources meaning there was an increase in forging techniques, iron was now used regularly in agricultural tools. Guilds were created for a range of professions from brewers to shoemakers. Merchant guilds and trade guilds. They gained rights as they had ranks a power structure based on abilities so easy to connect. Legitimises knowledge. Later they establish monopolies. Communes were the people who were self-governed and determined their own commerce laws were popular particularly in in France, Germany and Italy. This is urban particularism they want identity and autonomy to themselves eg through a saint and symbols.
Protocapatalism guilds closer to being an employee with a salary in comparison to working in the field
Tours
What are the consequences of urbanization and the creation of guilds on urban populations
* Guilds are a crucial element of conomic stenght of citities and start claiming privileges: creation middle class
* Citities themselves start claiming their own identity and autonomy from their regional overlorss: urban particularism
* Networks of trade further intensity around these cities and the fair they organise
What was the Gregorian reform
- Gregorian Reform, eleventh-century religious reform movement associated with its most forceful advocate, Pope Gregory VII (reigned 1073–85). Although long associated with church-state conflict, the reform’s main concerns were the moral integrity and independence of the clergy.
- begun with the cluniac reform which were a series of changes within medieval monasticism of the Western Church focused on restoring the traditional monastic life, encouraging art, and caring for the poor
- A parrallel movement around the papal circle occured which singled out nicolatism and simony. initiially this had support from German Emporer Henry III. He appointed Leo IV who set out to reform under papal control not imperial 1049-1054.
- leo had himself elected by ther clergy and the people to satisfy canon law. he left rome to preside over church councils and make the popes influence be felt out like in france and germany. He brought about gregory vii. Papal primacy was announced after the focus on the passage in mathews gospel where christ tells peter he is the rock of the church and the roman church was the successor of peter and inheirited his powers to impose penance and absolve from sins.
- this created a split between the roman church and the greek orthodox churches
- Greg was not afraid to clash with henry IV as he belived that laymen had no right to medal in church affairs but henry brought up that it was his fathers tradition to appoint bishops and popes.
- first colided over the appointment of the archbishop of milan. Greg disputed the right for henry to invest in the archbishop and give him land. called him a fake monk
- 1076 henry excommunicated and suspended from office in a synod the last part of the decree said anyone could rebel but was let back intro the church after henry humiliated himself but prince elected an anti king.
- the investitute conflict ended with a compromise: the condract of worms 1122. it relied on a conceptual distinction between the secular and spiritual during the investure. elections of bishops would take place withinthe presence of the king so he had some influence
- shows decentralisation
Investiture conflict and the relationship between the king and the pope
- Archbishops and bishops yield a lot of power and money struggle of power between pope and king
- Focused on the choise and investiture of the clergy
- Was a crucial moment for the pope to establish his authority
- Was a way for the pope to achieve papl primacy
- Resulted in a scission between European kings and the pope
- State and church grow apart in the end thyey will share the power of electing the clergy
Monasteries and church reform
- Monasteries provided valuabled in medical cultue.
- Prayers had a strong value in the medieval world as they supported the transition of the souls from purgatory into pradise in a transaction way (prayers for the dead)
- Rejection of wealth of theorer cluny
- Creation and spread of other monastic orders that focused on poverty
In this chapter, Rosenwein talks about ‘rulers with clout’. What does she mean by this, and which rulers is she referring to?
Rulers who turned their territories into states eg Matilda of Canossa or the Crusade states in the Levant and Antioch.
On a cultural level new forms of learning and of religious expression developed in the West. Explain what was new about this.
These paved the way for the growth of urban schools and new forms of religious expression in Europe:
* The commercial revolution
* Rise of urban centers
* Newly reorganized Church
* Close contact with the Islamic world,
* Revived polities of the early twelfth century
City Schools
* Money, learning, and career opportunities attracted many to city schools.
* There were seven liberal arts:
* Grammer
* Rhetoric
* Dieletic/Logic
* The first three form the three ancient arts of discourse then prerequisite to the next four
* arithmetic
* geometry
* Harmony/ music
* astromony.
Scholastics
* Scholars like Anselm attempted to understand God.
* Peter Lombard created the theology textbook The Four Books of Sentences.
* In the thirteenth century Aristotle was translated into workable latin and became the primary philosophical authority for the scholars of medieval European universities, known as the “scholastics.”
* The school subjects had practical consequences in training preachers and advising rulers. They were written down in manuals for priests, textbooks for students, and guides for laypeople.
* Particularly important for “rulers with clout” were the scholars at Bologna, where Gratian worked on canon law.
* Other scholars achieved fame by teaching and writing about Roman law.
* By the mid-twelfth century, they had made real progress toward a systematic understanding of Justinian’s law codes.
Rosenwein spends a lot of time in and around Modena Cathedral. Why?
It lay in countess Matilda’s territory and has architectural significance. The sculptures carved images of blacksmiths, musicians, a reaper and of sculptures shows a celebration of crafts. It is a Romanesque church with three stories the first has an arcade of arches.
Why and how did the almoravids participate in the spread of islam?
How can you compare these strategies with the one developed by the Christian church a few centuries earlier?
- The Almoravids found the city of Marrakeshc.1070: Sunni Muslims take over the Maghreb, extend across the western Sahara, and (after entering Spain 1085) straddle the strait of Gibraltar.
Seljuk
* Seljuk army’s humiliating defeat of the Byzantine emperor at Manzikert and occupation of jerusulum 1075
* Byzantine regions was accomplished by quieter methods, as Seljuk families moved in, seeking pastureland for their livestock. Like the Vikings, the Seljuks generally traveled as families
Compared to monasteries centres of knowledge. The islamic world had always supported elementary schools now madras typically attached to mosques served as centres of advanced scolarship. Young men attended lessons in law, relgion and literature
almoravids * Made common cause with local Sunni jurists and various tribal notables there, they took over cities bordering on the Sahara in the 1050s and soon had their eyes on the Maghreb. * Almoravids mined marble, silver, copper, and iron for use and export
Why and how did the almoravids participate in the spread of islam?
Religious Zeal: strict adherence to Sunni Islam and were influenced by the Maliki school of jurisprudence. They were deeply committed to spreading their interpretation of Islamic teachings. Saw themselves as champions of orthodox Islam, and their leaders, like Yusuf ibn Tashfin, sought to purify and strengthen the practice of Islam among the Muslim communities they encountered.
Jihad and Holy War: Like many other Muslim dynasties during this period, the Almoravids believed in the concept of jihad, which refers to the struggle or “holy war” in the path of Allah. They saw military conquest as a means to spread Islam and defend Muslim territories. The Almoravids engaged in military campaigns to extend the reach of Islam, often targeting regions where they perceived deviations from Sunni orthodoxy or where they believed Islamic practice needed reinforcement.
Political Expansion:
The Almoravids expanded their empire through military conquests, which naturally led to the spread of Islam. They conquered vast territories in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, including major cities like Marrakech and Cordoba then into muslim spain. The political consolidation of the Almoravid Empire helped create a more stable environment for the propagation of Islam. Their control over key trade routes also facilitated the movement of scholars, merchants, and missionaries.
Cultural and Educational Influence: The Almoravids were patrons of Islamic scholarship and established centers of learning in their capital cities. This facilitated the exchange of ideas, the preservation of Islamic knowledge, and the dissemination of religious teachings.
Scholars associated with the Almoravids played a role in the transmission of Islamic knowledge, contributing to the intellectual and cultural aspects of Islam in the regions they governed.
I
n summary, the Almoravids participated in the spread of Islam through a combination of military conquests, religious zeal, political expansion, and the promotion of Islamic scholarship. Their influence extended across North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, leaving a lasting impact on the development and propagation of Islam in the medieval period.
How can you compare these strategies with the one developed by the Christian church a few centuries earlier?
The strategies employed by the Almoravids in the spread of Islam share some similarities with the strategies pursued by the Christian Church in the earlier centuries, particularly during the medieval period. Both Islam and Christianity were expansive religions that sought to extend their influence, and their respective political and military contexts shaped their approaches. Here are some comparisons:
Military Conquests and Political Expansion:
Almoravids (11th-12th centuries): The Almoravids engaged in military campaigns to conquer and consolidate territories, using military force to spread their interpretation of Islam. The conquest of key cities and regions played a crucial role in their strategy.
Christian Church (Medieval period): The Christian Church, particularly during the medieval period, also witnessed the use of military campaigns for expansion. The Crusades, for example, were a series of religious wars initiated by the Latin Church to secure control over holy sites in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Jihad and Crusades:
Almoravids: The Almoravids believed in the concept of jihad as a means of spreading Islam. While the term “jihad” has different connotations in Islam, it often includes the struggle in the path of God, which, in some cases, involves military action.
Christian Church: The Crusades were a manifestation of the Christian concept of holy war. In response to calls from the Church, European Christians participated in military expeditions to reclaim Jerusalem and other holy sites from Muslim control in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cultural and Educational Influence:
Almoravids: The Almoravids were patrons of Islamic scholarship, fostering centers of learning in their capital cities. They contributed to the preservation and dissemination of Islamic knowledge.
Christian Church: The Christian Church, particularly through monastic institutions and cathedral schools, played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating knowledge in medieval Europe. Monasteries were centers of learning, and cathedral schools contributed to education and scholarship.
Conversion and Missionary Activities:
Almoravids: While the primary means of spreading Islam for the Almoravids was through political and military means, conversion efforts likely occurred through the influence of scholars, missionaries, and the establishment of Islamic institutions.
Christian Church: The Christian Church engaged in missionary activities, sending missionaries to various regions to convert non-Christians. Monastic orders, such as the Benedictines and Franciscans, were actively involved in spreading Christianity through preaching and education.
Trade and Cultural Exchange:
Almoravids: The Almoravids controlled key trade routes, facilitating cultural and economic exchange. Trade routes often served as conduits for the exchange of ideas and the dissemination of religious teachings.
Christian Church: While not as directly involved in trade, the Christian Church indirectly influenced cultural exchange through the spread of Christianity. The monastic system, for example, played a role in preserving manuscripts and transmitting knowledge.
While the specific historical contexts and religious doctrines differ, the strategies employed by the Almoravids and the Christian Church in their respective efforts to spread Islam and Christianity share some common elements, including military conquests, educational initiatives, missionary activities, and the influence of trade and cultural exchange.
What is a Crusade?
The crusades were holy wars fought, adherents insisted, in response to the will of God on behalf of the Christian faith in defence of lands, people or religion
How does the Strack deal with the fact that we have different versions of Urban’s sermon?
Analysed these versions in light of the tradition of papal synodal preaching of the eleventh century instead of just comparing them.
His approach:
* Little attention has been paid to the genre of papal synodal sermons in the Middle Ages. In his article strack focuses on the tradition of papal oratory, using this background to look at the call for crusade from a new perspective.
* Firstly he analyse the versions of the Clermont sermon in the crusading chronicles and compares them with the only address held by Urban II known from a non-narrative source.
* Secondly he discusses the sermons of Gregory VII as they are recorded in synodal protocols and in historiography.
* The results support the view that only the version reported by Fulcher of Chartres corresponds to a sort of oratory common to papal speeches in the eleventh century
Many historians start their study of Urban II’s call for the Crusade from the extant historiographical record. Strack, however, uses a different genre to try and figure out the pope’s intentions. What are the pros and cons of his approach?
Pros
* New sources or new way of looking at the sourcesgives a fresh interpretation that prevously may have been overlooked
* Contextualisation of the speeches
* His comparative approach can help identify discrepancies, variations, and potential biases in the different accounts, contributing to a more nuanced interpretation.
Cons
* Concluding that only the version reported by Fulcher of Chartres corresponds to a common oratory style in papal speeches in the eleventh century carries a risk of generalization. The diversity of historical contexts, audiences, and purposes behind different papal sermons may not be fully captured by focusing on a single source or a small set of sources.
* Strack’s reliance on a limited set of sources, such as the Clermont sermon and Gregory VII’s sermons, may be a limitation. The availability and reliability of these sources can impact the robustness of the analysis.
Fulcher of Chartres Version of Urban’s speech
- legal oratory
- FoC: French Prior cleric who wrote 5- 10 years after being in Jerusalem
- Tries to retell the events as clearly as he could
- A journalist intention behind his writing in the cronicles
Characteristics of a legal document:
* The first part is the Narratio: an account of circumsrances that led to the speeches neccessity and production. Basically explaining that the clerics have been bad.
* second part is a rhetorical question explaining what happens when you are bad and what you should be doing
* third part is a disposition where they state the details on what they are going to have to do. Basically saying if you don’t do that you aren’t going to heaven. This is seen in the second speech its already broken up into paragraph.
* To highlight, the Narratio and disposition is the if you go you will be free from sins part and then the concluding paragraph
“After these and various other matters had been attended to, all who were present, clergy and people, gave thanks to God and agreed to the pope’s proposition” shows that it is a promise
Dispositive section- “be careful that simony does not take root among you, lest both those who buy and those who sell [church offices] be beaten with the scourges of the Lord through narrow streets and driven into the place of destruction and confusion” Addressing what the clergy should/ shouldn’t do after this legal bit then he starts talking about the crusade he follows the same structure starts narrating about what happened in the east, says they should help and shows disposition when
Starks analyses:
* This is is typically for a pope to speak like this in this context and follows other document. During council, the speeches were pretty functional instead of floral. The cruisade part is less but still connected to the speech still pretty typical
* Only a few attended the speech most heard through text which served as a motivation to go on the crusades doesn’t represent how the people who went on the crusade perceive the speech
Robert the monk
- A battle speech
- Rewriting of Gesta Francorum
Dramatic - Was speaking to all the franks but they spoke latin most people wouldn’t have understood and it would have been difficult for them all to hear
- You can see some similarities to the first speech like dispositive but more of a battle speech of motivating all Franks to fight instead of just addressing Christians like the first speech
- Writes for franks as they would be the ones to read this English nobles for example would not have been interested
- Shows Charles the great and louis as a role model uses cultural references that the franks in particular are going to attached to
- Talk about not having enough space but there is deforestation happening to make more room
- Unlikely Gregory vii would have spoken like that
Balderic of Dol
- A sermon
- Has a bigger audience in mind than just the franks
- More emotional and religious “your Christian brothers” more flowery language “sorrow” shows sad tragic language
- Bible references, rhetorical questions similar to charters
People started crying showing that people agree with the pope emotion in the middle ages has symbolic meaning that the sermon has reached his goal to create emotion in sinner to help them change. Compunction- pain for sins remorse - Address to consul and nobles
Renaissances
Carolingian Renaissance:
* churches invested their profit from their manors into books
* Carolingians created the Caroline minuscule- new cursive letter forms that were easy to read and write
* Wanted to revive roman culture they encourage written music so all churhces could sing the same tunes- the ones sun at rome. This led to the development of music scores
* chelles a center of manuscript production where nuns wrote of the role of women in the rise of the carolingians.
* Dhuoda’s maual shows that laywomen could have recieve an education as she knew of the bible, church fathers, Alcuin and gregory the great.
* a range of artistic styles from britian ,rome and byzantium
* Carolingian scholarly culture Lucretius De rerum natura the most A religious text a poem of how nature works and what it is. It’s a materialist view of the world no god or higher power mention only matter in its tiniest form atoms
Italy:
* Petrach travelled europe to collect manuscripts of ancient writings tht monks had copied like that of cicero and other humanist whose morality depended on themselves not god
* A century after Petrach was Pico della Mirandola who wrote the oration on the dignitiy of man which was a retelling of the book of genesis where god wanted someone to ponder the plan of so great work and showed what man become was up to there free will
* lorenzo valla analysed the evolution of the latin language and proved that the donation of constantine, a major prop of papal claims to power, was fake
* Amedea degli Aleardi wrote “Ah, Do not be Jason” where the woman forges her own path and threaten to kill herself is love does not return so whilst renaissance writers admired and borrowed from classics they often sought to imporve ancient traditions as in the greek story she is a witch and a monster.
Charlse Homer Haskin argued that everything b taught took place in the 12th century not 15th and 16th. In the 12th century people had be reading classics
