Key Idea: The Crusades (1095 to 1291) were Christian wars to win and hold the Holy Land. The first succeeded, later ones mostly failed, and united Muslim leaders took the crusader states back.
Each crusade and its trigger
| Crusade | Trigger | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| First (1096 to 1099) | Call to help Byzantium and free Jerusalem (1095) | Nicaea, Antioch and Jerusalem taken |
| Second (1145 to 1149) | Fall of Edessa (1144) | Failed at Damascus (1148) |
| Third (1189 to 1192) | Saladin takes Jerusalem (1187) | Coast recovered; Treaty of Jaffa |
| Fourth (1202 to 1204) | Debt to Venice | Sack of Constantinople |
Key leaders
- Nur al-Din united Muslim Syria and began to surround the crusader states.
- Saladin won Hattin (1187) and united Egypt and Syria.
- Richard I won Arsuf.
- Baibars stopped the Mongols at Ain Jalut (1260) and took Antioch (1268).
The crusaders won while Muslims were divided and lost once Nur al-Din, Saladin and Baibars united them.
Why did the First Crusade succeed? Muslim disunity, Byzantine help and crusader discipline.
Which crusade never touched Muslim land? The Fourth.
Which crusader state came first and fell first? Edessa, founded 1098 and lost 1144.
What did the military orders do? Templars and Hospitallers kept permanent garrisons and paid for castles like Krak des Chevaliers.