The Rise and Fall of the People’s Crusade

The real First Crusade

(By Jean Colombe — http://www.unf.edu/classes/crusades/image/BNF-massacreofpeterhermitsarmy-1490.jpg uploader was Stbalbach at en.wikipedia 2004–12–07, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3161226)

When Pope Urban II gave his fateful speech in 1095 calling the forces of Christianity to rise up and liberate Jerusalem from the hands of foreign powers, he imagined a grand effort orchestrated by the papacy. The motivation for the calling of the First Crusade was numerous and layered. Pope Urban II was hoping to strengthen and legitimize the Reform Papacy movement. He was also hoping to regain influence within Constantinople by aiding the Eastern Roman Empire in its fight against local Muslim forces. The pope imagined gaining sway over the various lords and knights of Western Europe.

The pope had spent months laying the groundwork for his grand scheme and had already swayed numerous clergy and local lords to his cause before he ever uttered a word about liberating Jerusalem to the general public. This was going to be a centralized affair not seen in Europe since the days of the Old Roman Empire. The official launch date for the crusade was set for August 15th, 1096.

However, there were many peasants and paupers who did not get that message.

Pope Urban’s message spread far and wide in 1095 and reached the ears of many impoverished peasants hoping for a better life. Images of loot swam in their minds, and the promise of eternal salvation rang in their ears.