WHEN CULTURES CLASH

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The Spread of Christianity by 600 C.E.

Islam was expanding rapidly by 1000 C.E.

The Arab controlled lands around Jerusalem were considered Holy

Lands to Christians

The Arabs let Christians make pilgrimages to these lands.

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In 1070, a new group, the Seljuk Turks, took control and stopped Christian

pilgrimages.

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In 1095, Byzantine Emperor Alexius I asked Pope Urban II to mount a crusade

against the Seljuk (Muslim) Turks

• supplied a long list of terrible deeds that the Seljuk Turks supposedly had committed, some were true; others were not

• also claimed that all of Asia Minor and Byzantium was about to fall to the Turks

In 1096, Pope Urban II issued a call for nobles, knights and peasants to take up battle in the name of God.

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60,000 to 100,000 Crusaders responded.

• Some joined to serve God.• Some joined to get rich.• Some joined to get revenge against Muslims

http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/images/people/godfreybouillon.gif

So began a clash of cultures -

• Christians believed they were fighting Crusades in the name of Jesus to take back the Holy Lands from infidels.

• Seljuk (Muslim) Turks believed they were defending land that was theirs and that the Christians were brutal invaders.

How does perspective affect the way people react to conflict?