What was the church's justification for the Crusades?

Question

Did they really kill anyone that wouldn't convert?

Answer 1

Yes and No. There were a total of 5 Crusades, so saying there was one justification for the crusades paints too broad a picture. The announced justifications were for the reclaimation of the Holy Lands (Isreal) and the Holy City, Jerusalem, and to foster Christianity in heathen lands. That said, there were several economic and political reasons to do so. By the time of the first Crusade, the Catholic church had been around long enough to foster factionalism within the church between various groups that wanted various directions taken by Christendom. The Crusades were used as a uniting factor of the Christian nations, under the authority of the Pope.

Further, the middle east and Jerusalem were key on the so-called "Silk road" to Asia for spices and other valuable trade. This economic factor was a key in finding the motivation to take Middle Eastern Lands from the burgeoning Muslim empire.

The first crusade, started in France with the blessing of the pope, did in fact slaughter wontonly when they met resistence. Key to understanding each crusade's true motivations is looking at their actions. Though the first crusade failed (they did not take Jerusalem), they did commit Pogroms against Jewish communities located in the path they took to the Middle East. When they actually took Jerusalem, they killed every Muslim, man woman and child, that could not or would not escape. They did not, however, repeat this in later Crusades. They did not kill anyone who did not convert, but not converting made you open to being killed.

Hope that helps for a primer, but there's alot of facinating history that's too much to cover in this forum.

Answer 2

The justification was that they were going to free the Holy Land from the infidel, so that the places where Jesus walked and performed his miracles could be in the hands of Christians and not defiled by followers of Islam.

I think, however, being honest, it's not correct to say they would kill those who would not convert. The reality is, that they killed everyone in their path, including many people who were already Christian. Jerusalem as well as many of the other cities of the middle east were filled with Eastern Christians, and they fell under the sword just as soon and just as brutally as did the Muslims. They defiled churches, stole Eucharistic vessels to melt down for gold, and they brought horses and prostitutes into the churches.

All the way around, the Crusades were a tragic and horrendous blot on the Western Christian Church, the Roman Catholics.

Answer 3

They wanted to seek safe passage for pilgrims into the Holy Land. The intent was ok the it was the conduct of the crusaders that was a discredit to Christianity. At times they killed Jews and other Christians and pilaged villages enroute.
On the other hand, if you take the Islamic commandment to kill the infidel seriously, the use of force is appropriate.

Answer 4

The newly invented religion of Islam was capturing the Holy Lands and kidnapping and murdering Christian pilgrims traveling to the land of Christ's birth.

The Moslem infidels were imperialists and taking over land they had no right, kidnapping and killing Christians along the way.

The Pope's response to these heathen infidels was the six Holy Crusades. Those Crusades were totally justified.

Please carefully read: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm

Answer 5

Islamic world really didn't initially interest the church. Byzatine empire asked the Church for help in fighting the Muslims who were attacking them. And the Church wanted to get rid of all their stir crazy knights so they made it seem an religious affair.

And beyond that it was more for power and money among the nation-states.

Answer 6

John's right. Plus the Pope and the Christian monarchs of Europe needed to do something with the bored, restless, armed noblemen who were acting like thugs instead the noble knights we read about in the romances. So, they offered pardons and dispensations and forgiveness of past crimes if the knights would go off and kill foreigners in the name of religion.

Answer 7

To reclaim the Holy Land, and later to establish protection for the pilgrims traveling to the holy sites.

Answer 8

No.
The point was at first to gain control of Jerusalem from the Arabs. Then it led to continuing violence for a long time.

Answer 9

i suppose so, and not. :)