First Crusade Pope Urban II

statue of urban ii in clermont-ferrand

the pope s movement took first public shape @ council of piacenza, where, in march 1095, urban ii received ambassador byzantine emperor alexios komnenos asking against muslim (seljuk) turks had taken on of formerly byzantine anatolia. great council met, attended numerous italian, burgundian, , french bishops in such vast numbers had held in open air outside city of clermont. though council of clermont held in november of same year focused on reforms within church hierarchy, urban ii gave speech on 27 november 1095 broader audience. urban ii s sermon proved highly effective, summoned attending nobility , people wrest holy land, , eastern churches control of seljuk turks.

there exists no exact transcription of speech urban delivered @ council of clermont on 27 november 1095. 5 extant versions of speech written down time later, , differ 1 another. versions of speech except fulcher of chartres influenced chronicle account of first crusade called gesta francorum (written c. 1101), includes version of it. fulcher of chartres present @ council, though did not start writing history of crusade, including version of speech until c. 1101. robert monk may have been present, version dates 1106. 5 versions of urban s speech reflect more later authors thought urban ii should have said launch first crusade urban ii himself did say. better means of evaluating urban s true motivations in calling crusade holy lands, there 4 extant letters written pope urban ii himself: 1 flemish (dated december 1095); 1 bolognese (dated september 1096); 1 vallombrosa (dated october 1096); , 1 counts of catalonia (dated either 1089 or 1096–1099). urban ii s own letters, rather paraphrased versions of speech @ clermont, reveal actual thinking crusading. nevertheless, versions of speech have had great influence on popular conceptions , misconceptions crusades, worth comparing 5 composed speeches urban s actual words. fulcher of chartres has urban this:

i, or rather lord, beseech christ s heralds publish everywhere , perse people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers , knights, poor , rich, carry aid promptly christians , destroy vile race lands of our friends. present, meant absent. moreover, christ commands it.

the chronicler robert monk put mouth of urban ii:

... land inhabit, shut in on sides seas , surrounded mountain peaks, narrow large population; nor abound in wealth; , furnishes scarcely food enough cultivators. hence murder 1 another, wage war, , perish mutual wounds. let therefore hatred depart among you, let quarrels end, let wars cease, , let dissensions , controversies slumber. enter upon road holy sepulchre; wrest land wicked race, , subject yourselves ... god has conferred upon above nations great glory in arms. accordingly undertake journey remission of sins, assurance of imperishable glory of kingdom of heaven.

robert continued:

when pope urban had said these ... things in urbane discourse, influenced 1 purpose desires of present, cried out of god! of god! . when venerable roman pontiff heard that, [he] said: beloved brethren, today manifest in lord says in gospel, 2 or 3 gathered in name there in midst of them. unless lord god had been present in spirits, of not have uttered same cry. for, although cry issued numerous mouths, yet origin of cry one. therefore god, implanted in breasts, has drawn forth you. let war-cry in combats, because word given god. when armed attack made upon enemy, let 1 cry raised soldiers of god: of god! of god!

pope urban ii preaching first crusade @ council of clermont

within fulcher of chartres account of pope urban’s speech there promise of remission of sins whoever took part in crusade.

all die way, whether land or sea, or in battle against pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. grant them through power of god invested. o disgrace if such despised , base race, worships demons, should conquer people has faith of omnipotent god , made glorious name of christ! reproaches lord overwhelm if not aid who, us, profess christian religion! let have been accustomed unjustly wage private warfare against faithful go against infidels , end victory war should have been begun long ago. let long time, have been robbers, become knights. let have been fighting against brothers , relatives fight in proper way against barbarians. let have been serving mercenaries small pay obtain eternal reward. let have been wearing out in both body , soul work double honor. behold! on side sorrowful , poor, on that, rich; on side, enemies of lord, on that, friends. let go not put off journey, rent lands , collect money expenses; , winter on , spring comes, let them eagerly set out on way god guide.

it disputed whether famous slogan god wills or of god (deus vult in latin, dieu le veut in french) in fact established rallying cry during council. while robert monk says so, possible slogan created catchy propaganda motto afterward.

urban ii s own letter flemish confirms granted remission of sins undertaking enterprise liberate eastern churches. 1 notable contrast speeches recorded robert monk, guibert of nogent , baldric of dol lesser emphasis on jerusalem itself, urban once mentions own focus of concern: in letter flemish writes, [the turks] have seized holy city of christ, embellished passion , resurrection, , blasphemy say—have sold , churches abominable slavery. in letters bologna , vallombrosa refers crusaders desire set out jerusalem rather own desire jerusalem freed muslim rule. urban ii refers liberating church whole or eastern churches rather reconquering jerusalem itself. phrases used churches of god in eastern region , eastern churches (to flemish), liberation of church (to bologna), liberating christianity [lat. christianitatis] (to vallombrosa), , asian church (to catalan counts). coincidentally or not, fulcher of chartres s version of urban s speech makes no explicit reference jerusalem. rather more refers aiding crusaders christian brothers of eastern shore, , loss of asia minor turks.

the important effect of first crusade urban himself removal of clement iii rome in 1097 1 of french armies. restoration there supported matilda of tuscany.

urban ii died on 29 july 1099, fourteen days after fall of jerusalem crusaders, before news of event had reached italy; successor pope paschal ii.