Where the Crusades just a reaction to Muslim Jihads?

Answer 1

The eight holy crusades, 1095-1270 A.D., were a direct result of Muslim imperialism into the Holy Lands.

"The Koran or the Sword" was the Islamic battle cry as hordes of fanatic Mohamedians raped, looted, and burned their way across Christian territory and north Africa. The Caliphs bragged they would invade & burn France, and invade the Vatican and capture the Pope.

It was only the Crusades which halted the Islamic infidels as far as they had got, up to half of Spain.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm

Answer 2

No they were nothing to do with jihads or Arabs
Since the time of Constantine, Christians had gone on pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Even though Moslems had ruled Jerusalem since 638, Christians were still allowed to visit the city. By the 11th century, the situation had changed. Just as the number and frequency of pilgrimages to Jerusalem was at new peaks, the Turks took over control of Jerusalem and prevented pilgrimages.
Viewed in the light of their original purpose, the Crusades were failures. They made no permanent conquests of the Holy Land. They did not retard the advance of Islam. Far from aiding the Eastern Empire, they hastened its disintegration. They also revealed the continuing inability of Latin Christians to understand Greek Christians, They fostered a harsh intolerance between Muslims and Christians, where before there had been a measure of mutual respect.

Answer 3

No. The First Crusade was an invasion of the Middle East to recapture Jerusalem, but you've got to rember there were 5 of them. When the Christians took Jerusalem, they killed everyone down to the last woman and child. This was not a "reaction" this was an aggression.

The truth is, it was part a reaction to Muslim expansion, part an attack and xenophobic assualt on non-Christians. Don't forget, that on all of the Crusades, the Crusaders stopped and massacred colonies and towns of Jews as well.

Answer 4

No. As even the past president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, correctly stated in response to criticism of Christianity for the crusades, the crusades where mostly about politics and had little to do with religion. So they weren't a response to Muslim Jihad.

Answer 5

In part, yes. You have to remember the context of the crusades. in the 10th and 11th centuries, the Byzantine Empire still existed. It was a Christian empire that had ruled for 600+ years (and before that it was the Eastern Roman Empire, also Christian), and included the land that is now called Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, etc.

In the 7th and 8th Century, Islam came into existence and emerged out of what is now Saudi Arabia -- they Muslims over the next couple hundred years made huge gains throughout the middle east and even tried to conquer Constantinople itself (the capital of the Byzantine Empire). They even invaded Spain, the Balkans and were finally stopped from entering western Europe at Vienna and Tours. They conquered the Holy Land and held it.

The Crusades were a response to all this.

Answer 6

Religious war was secondary.

Crusades was an opportunity for European barons and lords to escape economic stress and also for them to claim land in and around the holy city.

Hence, the rampage and genocide of Muslims, Jews and other religions by the Crusaders. Christians learnt a lot about civilisation and modern warfare from the Muslims.

Answer 7

That's overly simplistic. It is true that jihads in the form of invasions pre-date the Crusades by several hundred years (notably the Moorish occupation of Spain beginning in 723 a.d.), but at the time of the Crusades such jihads had not taken place in recent memory.

There were multiple causes for the Crusades.

Answer 8

Are you trying to blame the victims again? If it was in response to Muslim Jihads, then why did they practice on Jews and other "heathens" on the way to the Middle East?

Christians of those days were never held accountable for their crimes. What about Christians of today?
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Answer 9

Crusades were a battle and dispute mainly over land that was heightened by muslim jihad.

Answer 10

The Crusades were the Catholics way of converting all people at the risk of death. This was thought right because the Pope at the time did not fully understand the concept of Thou shall not kill, (6Th commandment) This was a very dark time in our history as Catholics and we owe the Jews and Muslims of the time the sincerest apology for their mistreatment.