Crusade (1095 CE -1271 CE)
What aggressive mission was conducted in agitated Asia Minor and Levant for 300 years by the Western force in the name of Crusade or Religious strife, can be termed as a military operation for worldly benefit and lesser for religious purposes. They were well aware that, the Islamic empire was turning to be ruined as they were gripped with mutual conflict and vengeance. On the other hand, social unrest along with financial constraints gripped Europe. With the view to dominate Greek temples, the pope of Roman Catholic temples had been waiting for scopes. Besides, the largest Byzantine empire of the Christians had been declining gradually. On the other hand, the Muslims conquered important lands of Spain and Sicily under Europe. Due to the failure of the Abbasids and the Seljuk Empire, a few Christian pilgrims were roughly behaved by miscreants, and the Western force revealed the information exaggeratedly.
All of such innumerable issues and incidents deteriorated the environment and then in 1095 CE, Pope Second Urban of the Roman Catholic Church declared a Crusade or Religious war. This declaration severely shacked and agitated the entire of Europe. Several Christian communities including Franc, Norman started a planned military operation in the name of Crusade. The first of such groups was comprised of poor farmers, immature youths, common people having no military experience, and the vagabonds. They were even unaware of the address of Jerusalem. On the way passing the middle of Europe, particularly Hungary, most of them were prey to merciless killing. They paid for the costly loss of lives due to their unplanned and unmannered expedition. However, the second group was much more well-managed. Because it was participated by various counts, princes, and knights, some of them were efficient as well as skilled in military education. They were the prime force of the Crusade. Though they started later, they planned to avoid Hungary and reached Constantinople through the Mediterranean Sea. They didn’t sustain a severe loss. As such tolerating suffering and trouble, in 1096 CE, about one and half lac Franc, Norman, and other European warriors reached Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Emperor of Constantinople was frightened sensing this huge force lest conquer his capital.
Byzantine emperor executed an agreement with them that explained, which states could be conquered by them, those would be included in the Byzantine Empire as feudal states. The Crusader consented positively and proceeded further. With scopes of the weakness of the Islamic states, they succeeded in conquering one after another area. Seljuk sultan Kilij Arslan succeeded in attacking a pioneer force of the Crusaders and destroyed them, who constituted the groups of ill-fated Walter and Hermit. However, subsequently, he was defeated by the second group of the Crusaders. The Crusaders initially conquered Nikiya, the capital of Kiliz Arslan, and later conquered Antioch. Through such proceedings, the Crusaders were capable of conquering Jerusalem in 1099 CE.
Imad Uddin Jengi was the first one to strongly resist the Crusaders. In 1144 CE, he succeeded in capturing Edessa which was occupied by the Crusaders earlier. As he was suddenly stabbed to death by his Christian servant in 1146 CE, initial resistance to the Crusaders ended instantly.
After the death of Imad Uddin Jengi, his son Nuruddin Jengi also strongly resisted the Crusaders. Asad Uddin Sherku, loyal to Jengi conquered Egypt. He was assisted by Salahuddin Ayyubi, son of his brother Nazam Uddin Ayyubi. As Sherku expired while living in Egypt, Salauddin took responsibility for Egypt. Subsequently, as Nuruddin died in 1174 CE, he returned back to Damascus. Al Salih, son of Nuruddin, died at the age of merely 18 years in 1181 CE, he took over the responsibility of the Jengid Empire. Salauddin married Ismat Uddin Khatun, the widow of Nuruddin Jengi. His empire was known as the Ayyubid Empire.
He also strongly resisted the Crusaders. In 1187 CE, he succeeded to re-capture Jerusalem at the age of about 50 years. As he expired in 1193 CE, resistance to the Crusaders ended instantly.
Subsequently, the Crusaders operated a number of wars; in most of those battles, they were defeated. Even two kings of France and Germany took part in that battle. Rukun Uddin Baibars, Mamluk Sultan of Egypt, succeeded in strongly striking against the Crusaders. Gaining the throne in 1260 CE, Baibars expedited one after another, and eventually, he succeeded in occupying all areas previously captured by the Crusaders. Due to his courageous expedition, the fall of the Crusaders was obvious. However, Though Baibars died in 1278 CE, most of the Crusaders left Anatolia, and the Levant were wiped out by the Sultan Qalawun within the year 1290 CE.
(OMAR KHALED RUMI)
Md. Monir Hossen
Ex-SAVP
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