Top 5 Myths About the Crusades

Written by Q.V. Hough

Top 5 Myths About the Crusades

When the Pope offers redemption through aggression, you know it’s going to get ugly. Welcome to WatchMojo’s Top 5 Myths, the series that finds the biggest myths people actually believe, and dispels them one by one. In today’s instalment, we’re taking a look at some common misperceptions about The Crusades.

#5: The Crusaders Exclusively Fought Muslims

What were “The Crusades?” Well, how about this: Christians! Conversion! And War against Muslims! Well, hold up now, because the Crusaders didn’t wage battle exclusively against Muslims like you might believe. Essentially, The Crusades were about territory. And the First Crusade transpired when Pope Urban II organized a mass pilgrimage to the Holy Land. “Deus Vult” or “God Wills It” functioned as the11th century hashtag of the time, yet the primary goal for many wasn’t to fight Muslims – it was to wash away their own sins in the name of Christianity. And while large numbers of Muslims were killed, Jews were also murdered, most notably when the German Count Emicho initiated community slaughters within his own country. And by the end of the 4th Crusade, even Orthodox Christians were murdered during the Sack of Constantinople.

#4: All Crusaders Wore White with a Red Cross

Believe it or not, there was no official dress code for The Crusades. And given that peasants and plenty of sketchy individuals were recruited for the First Crusade, well, they just wore what they had. Remember, one of Pope Urban’s promotional tools was the offering of indulgences. Meaning, the most troubled of peasants could be forgiven for their sins. Of course, the popular image associated with The Crusades involves some white threads, complemented by a blood red cross. And sure, plenty of folks dressed up as such – they were called rich knights. So, Christian crusaders weren’t exactly turned away for their weak or questionable style.

#3: The "Children's Crusade" Was a Thing

If you’ve seen the 1987 film “Lionheart” or even “The Gates to Paradise” by the great Andrzej Wajda, then perhaps you’re familiar with the supposed Children’s Crusade of 1212. After all, it’s a well-known tale. On paper, the narrative is intense: 11thcentury German kids feel inspired and embark on a rather lengthy hike to The Holy Land via Italy. But they had one major obstacle: the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, the entitled “Children Crusaders” apparently expected the water to dry up for them. And, well, it didn’t. In reality, this crusade is documented as being a “youth” movement rather than a child one – and furthermore, it wasn’t officially sanctioned by the pope so…it…wasn’t exactly a crusade to begin with.

#2: The Crusaders Lost More Than They Won

Let’s be clear: the Crusaders lost from time to time. And given some of the major fails of the Third and Fourth Crusades – i.e. the failure to take Jerusalem – it’s easy to designate the Christian crusaders as just a bunch of violent nuts that freaked out over religion and territory. Yet the Crusaders had enormous success early on, especially given the internal conflict within the Seljuk Empire. In fact, the Crusaders DID manage to secure Jerusalem in 1099, closing out the First Crusade and establishing Crusader “states” in Tripoli, Antioch, Edessa and, of course, Jerusalem. And so, the concept of “crusading” only grew from there, as politics, religion and territorial control evolved into a larger beast of burden for everybody involved. And by the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart employed only knight crusaders, a tight little unit that understood strategy. They lost quite a bit, but their synergy and affinity for castles gave them an upper edge over their more disorganized enemies.

#1: The Crusades Were Exclusively a Holy War

It’s impossible to get inside the head of Pope Urban II. But as the First Crusade began, the ultimate goal was to bring Christianity to the Holy Land. As mentioned, the Crusaders slaughtered Jews and they most definitely killed Muslims in their quest. Territory was the name of the game, and the various factions of crusaders bonded through a shared interest towards a common goal. And while religion was obviously part of the conversation, the crusaders didn’t seek to convert Muslims or Jews, nor did they pillage and provoke them based solely on religion. Of course, this was made blatantly clear by the end of the Fourth Crusade, as the crusaders sacked the Byzantine-controlled Constantinople, which didn’t go over too well back in Rome. And so, The Crusades were not a holy war, but a war for territorial control. So, what myth have you long believe to be true about The Crusades? For more educational top 10s and historical Top 5s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.