Crusades..... genocide?

Question

Do you think that the crusades were a medieval version of genocide if you say yes can you give me a book name with aurthor and or a website thank you

Answer 1

G'day Gamer2u.

Thank you for your question.

I would say that it would be ahistorical to say that the Crusades were a from of genocide. Genocide is officially described as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

The Crusades were waged in the name of Christendom and usually sanctioned by the pope. The original aim was to recapture Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Islam. However, the aim was not always fulfilled. The fourth crusade ended up capturing Constantinople. There were often massacres of Muslims and Jews but it would be ahistorical to use a concept to developed in the 20th century for something that occurred in the Middle Ages. I am not aware of anyone who has done so and would be sceptical of their views.

I have attached sources for your reference.

Regards

Answer 2

No because genocide means to exterminate an entire race of people. The Crusades weren't trying to eliminate a race of people but anyone who was non-Christian.

Answer 3

I say yes but i was learning about it in history and genocide is the persecution of a certain groups or religion. The crusades (except the 5th) were to rid the world of Muslims so therefore it was genocide....Sorry i can't give any references.

Answer 4

All history books, if you read them and see between lines you find out that the crusades were a combat of the Catholic church to demolish the orthodox church! Although the popes were saying it was a holly war against the muslims, in reality it was a holly war against the orthodox christians.