This is coolbert: Now, the conventional history books will tell you that the Pope Urban II preached a Crusade. And this led to the first invasion of the Holy Land by the Crusaders from western Europe. This teaching of the "preaching" is usually portrayed as being something cynical, and hypocritical for a churchman to be engaging in, especially one so esteemed as the Pope. Well, what is the truth about this? Let the reader click here to see the five versions of what Urban actually said to the "faithful".

In my opinion the word "preach" is just way overblown and inappropriate. Several reasons for this. The conference that the Pope was at in Clermont, France had been going on for two days. This was a special meeting of ranking prelates and nobles from all over western Europe to discuss matters of a religious nature. And this was done. It was only at the end of the two day conclave that the Pope began to speak about matters in the Holy Land. And this was done seemingly as an after thought. NOT as a matter of the most pressing nature. From what I read, it went something like this. Urban is speaking here: "We have received this letter from Alexis, the Emperor of the Byzantines. He reports that his army has been destroyed by the Turks [Battle of Manzikert]. His best lands have been taken from him [Anatolia], and his people are desperate. Further threat to all of Christendom exists and will exist. Now, if some of you nobles and men-at-arms feel worthy and are willing to go and fight on his behalf and for all Christianity, we give you are leave." And that was it. Not really a preaching by my standards. I don't think that Urban or any other church leaders actually expected to happen what actually did happen. They were surprised at the reaction itself. That it became the enterprise that it did.

And it is also interesting that for about two centuries prior to the actual invasion of the First Crusade, large bands of Christian pilgrims escorted by numbers of heavily armed knights had been traveling to the Holy Land for pilgrimage. Armed escorts were needed because of the constant danger of brigandage. The phenomenon of armed western Europeans traveling all the way to Jerusalem was not a new one. What was new was the scale and the intent. This new group [Crusaders] came as invaders to conquer and claim back what they felt was theirs. And do so because of provocation.

coolbert.