Europe: The First Crusade - The People’s Crusade - Extra History - Part 1

📜 Europe’s First Crusade - Part 1 - Extra History In 1095CE, Pope Urban gathered the leaders of the Christian community at the Council of Clermont. Urged on by Emperor Alexius Comnenos of Constantinople, he called for a crusade to retake the Holy Land from the Muslims who occupied Jerusalem. Muslims had occupied the Holy Land for over 400 years, but the timing was politically right for the Pope and the Byzantine Emperor. Pope Urban wanted to re-unite Christendom after the anti-Pope kicked him out of Rome, while Alexius Comnenus wanted to retake the territory he had recently lost in Anatolia from the Seljuq Turks. As incentive, the Pope offered crusaders a plenary indulgence: complete forgiveness for past sins in the eyes of God and the church. It worked too well. While the official armies of the Crusade prepared, a charismatic leader named Peter the Hermit began breaching directly to the people, claiming Jesus had sent him to lead them on Crusade. Walter sans Avoir joined him in France, and a man named Count Emicho of Leiningen emulated him in Germany. Both peasant groups met with and created disaster: Walter Sans Avoir’s group pillaged Belgrade while Count Emicho’s group turned on the local Jewish population as an excuse to slaughter them. Thus the First Crusade began with a disastrous People’s Crusade. * Watch Extra History ad-free & get 1-week early access on *NEBULA* * Suggest & Vote on our next episodes, get exclusive content & 24-hour early access on *PATREON* * Show off your fandom with *MERCH* from our store! *Interested in sponsoring an episode?* Email us: extracredits@ TWITTER: I FACEBOOK: INSTAGRAM: I TIKTOK: GAMING: @extracredits I TWITCH: *Miss an episode in our First Crusade Series?* Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Series Wrap-up & Lies Episode - Thanks for the high-quality conversations & for following our community guidelines here: Artist: Heather McNabb I Writer: James Portnow I Voice: Daniel Floyd I Editor: Carrie Floyd ♪ Extra History Theme by Sean & Dean Kiner I ♪ Music by Demetori: #ExtraHistory #FirstCrusade #History