cover of episode The Battle For Jerusalem

The Battle For Jerusalem

2024/10/3
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Pope Urban II's sermon in 1095 ignited the First Crusade, a massive military campaign by European Christians to seize Jerusalem from Muslim rule. Driven by religious fervor and the promise of salvation, tens of thousands journeyed to the Middle East, facing fierce resistance and suffering immense losses. Their eventual victory in 1099 marked a turning point in the conflict, raising questions about the true value of Jerusalem.
  • Pope Urban II's sermon ignited the First Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim rule.
  • The crusade was driven by religious zeal and the promise of remission of sins.
  • Tens of thousands of Europeans, including knights and commoners, embarked on the arduous journey to the Holy Land.
  • The Crusaders faced fierce opposition and heavy losses before finally capturing Jerusalem in 1099.

Shownotes Transcript

Today, the city of Jerusalem is seen as so important that people are willing to kill and die to control it. And that struggle goes back centuries. Nearly a thousand years ago, European Christians embarked on what became known as the First Crusade: an unprecedented, massive military campaign to take Jerusalem from Muslims and claim the holy city for themselves. They won a shocking victory – but it didn't last. A Muslim leader named Saladin raised an army to take the city back. What happened next was one of the most consequential battles of the Middle Ages: A battle that would forever change the course of relations between the Islamic and Christian worlds, Europe and The Middle East.In this episode, we travel back to the front lines of that battle to explore a simple question: What is Jerusalem worth?Love Throughline? Please help us out by taking this quick survey! npr.org/throughlinesurvey)To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline).Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)