Your philosophical view of the Crusades

[Stratiotes]

What is your view of the crusades?

 

[Garyjohn2]

You’d have to write a book to get a full view of the crusades, and I don’t think it’s fair to sum it up in one sentence. That’s why I chose the last option.

I think in order to judge the crusades, you’d have to look a motivations (what was intended) and outcomes (what was done). There were many crusades, and they had different motivations and outcomes, though some had significant similarities. There were also many crusaders whose motivations were as diverse as the lands they came from. The most accurate answer, in my opinion, is the last option (it was a combination), though it was a combination of more things than listed in the poll!

 

[lemondiesel]

I don’t think it’s fair to sum it up in one sentence.

misuse of papal power

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

misuse of papal power

Actually, it was a response to Muslim attacks on religious pilgrims to the Holy Land (Jerusalem). And to Muslim expansion itself, as well.
Were there injustices and atrocities committed on BOTH sides? Sure-------but the original reason for them was noble and pure.

 

[Garyjohn2]

misuse of papal power

Like I said, that’s not a fair summary at all.

Here’s a timeline that puts it in a different perspective, from another post:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=550466

(Is this “cross-posting”? Is that ok?)

 

[Stratiotes]

I agree with the idea that it was some sort of mix but, from the standpoint of history, there seem to be some underlying presuppositions in any history you read of them. So your own presuppositions are what I’m getting at… Some would take the extreme liberal (and I think anachronistic) presupposition that it was an act of intolerance on another religion. Others seem to base their views on the cynical presupposition that it was all about power and money…of course, those people probably have that view about all of history - being the cynics they are .