Crusades - a common characteristic. Did women take part in the campaigns?

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Crusades

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The main goal of the crusades in the Middle East was the protection of the Holy Sepulcher, but the crusaders quickly forgot about their mission. Having captured Jerusalem, they founded a number of feudal states that existed there for almost two centuries ...

Protection or expansion?

During the First Crusade, 4 states arose one after another in the territory of the Levant - the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch and the County of Tripoli.

The crusaders did not dare to move deep into the mainland, where they were threatened by the Seljuk Turks, and therefore the state new formations were mostly located in a narrow strip along the Mediterranean Sea. The establishment of new orders by European settlers was accompanied by massive oppression of the local population.

Despite all the assurances of peaceful intentions, the Crusaders could not resist the temptation to plunder the wealthy Middle Eastern cities. The Arab chronicler Ibn al-Qalanisi describes the actions of Raymond of Toulouse, who led his army to the coastal fortress of Jbeil (in antiquity, Byblos):

“They attacked her, besieged and went inside, giving the townspeople life. But as soon as the city was in their power, they acted insidiously, and, not keeping the promise to protect the city, which they had given earlier, they began to oppress the population, seize property and treasures, inflict insults and inflict reprisals.

Western conquerors oppressed not only Muslims, but also local Christians. If, under the rule of the Seljuks, the Christian population of the region could freely practice their religious rites, now they are faced with the intolerance of the Catholic Church.

A significant part of the Arab population was exterminated, and the survivors were forced to leave their homes. Those who did not manage to escape were sold into slavery. On the slave market, the cost of one slave was equal to one bezant, which was three times cheaper than what was given for a horse.

County of Edessa

The first and largest crusader state in the East was the county of Edessa. It existed from 1098 to 1146. Due to its lack of access to the sea, the county was the least populated. The number of inhabitants of the city of Edessa did not exceed 10,000 people, in the rest of the state, with the exception of the fortresses, there were practically no settlements.

On the eve of the arrival of the crusaders, the Principality of Edessa was going through difficult times, being the object of contention between the rulers of Aleppo, Antioch, Samosata and Hisn Kaifa. The principality, which did not have a strong army, needed a reliable defender. It was in the person of Baldwin of Flanders that the Armenian population of Edessa saw the future patron of the principality.

Under pressure from the council of Armenian ishkhans, the ruler of the principality Toros of Edessa adopts a knight in order to share power with him and ensure the security of the lands. However, he soon came to regret his choice.

The power-hungry Baldwin, with the support of all the same Ishkhans, staged a coup in the principality, and to Thoros, who had entrenched himself in the citadel, swearing on the holy relics, he promised an unimpeded escape to Melitene. The promises of the crusader were worthless, and the Armenian prince who trusted him was executed.

During its short history, the county of Edessa has experienced many events, including internal strife, difficult relations with Byzantium and neighboring Arab states. Ultimately, the weakened county fell under the onslaught of the troops of the Seljuk atabek Nur ad-Din Mahmud.

Principality of Antioch

The Principality of Antioch was located on the northeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea (today the territory of Syria). By the XIII century, the population of the principality reached 30,000 thousand people, which mainly included Orthodox Greeks and Armenians, there were few Muslim communities outside the city. Among the Europeans who settled in Antioch, for the most part were immigrants from Normandy and Italy.

The conquest of Antioch was given to the crusaders with sweat and blood. As one of the soldiers wrote to his wife: “during the whole winter they suffered for the sake of our Lord Christ from exorbitant frost and terrible downpours.” Then sickness and famine came to the crusader camp. Warriors had to eat horses and even, according to some reports, dead comrades. Only after 8 months of the siege, thanks to cunning, the city gates were opened for the conquerors.

The new rulers of Antioch pursued a rather aggressive policy of annexing neighboring territories to the principality. So for some time, Bohemond I managed to capture the Byzantine cities of Tarsus and Latakia. However, further expansion into the Byzantine lands ended for the crusaders in defeat and the humiliating Treaty of Devol (1108), according to which the Principality of Antioch recognized itself as a vassal of Byzantium.

Byzantine suzerainty over Antioch lasted until 1180. But after the death of the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos, the alliance that defended the Antioch lands from the Muslims broke up.

However, thanks to the Italian fleet, Antioch protected its lands for some time and even repelled the attack of Saladin. However, in 1268 the crusaders were unable to oppose anything to the troops of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars.

Kingdom of Jerusalem

The history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem dates back to the capture of the Holy City by the crusaders - in 1099. Formally, other crusader states in the East were also subordinate to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but in reality they had a sufficient degree of autonomy.

Nevertheless, Jerusalem became the center of Western civilization in the Middle East. With the Rearguard Crusade, a Latin patriarch appeared in Jerusalem, and the Italian city-states of Pisa, Venice, and Genoa established their monopoly on trade there.

In particular, the presence of Italian merchants, as well as the marginal lands of Palestine, radically changed the economy of the region - accents with Agriculture moved towards trade.

European feudal lords very quickly established their own rules in the kingdom. Local laws - "Jerusalem assizes", in particular, sharply limited the rights of the king. Without the "high chamber" - an assembly of large feudal lords - the king could not pass a single law. Moreover, in case of violation of the rights of any feudal lord, the "high chamber" could well "deny the king in service."

The capture of Jerusalem by Sultan Saladin in 1187 was a turning point in the history of the kingdom. Neither the Third Crusade nor the disagreements between the Muslim rulers of the city were able to regain the lost positions of the Europeans. When in 1244 Jerusalem fell to the onset of the Khorezmian troops, this was the end of Christian rule in the Middle East.

County of Tripoli

The last eastern state of the crusaders was the county of Tripoli, which existed from 1105 to 1289 (located on the territory of modern Lebanon). Its founder was Count Raymond of Toulouse. He did not hide that he was going to the Holy Land to get his own property there.

As a prudent politician, Raymond enlisted the support of Byzantium, thanks to which he received all kinds of assistance - food, construction material, gold, workers. All this noticeably supported the zeal of the Provencals in creating their own state.

The end of the existence of the county of Tripoli in 1289 was put by the Egyptian sultan Kilaun al-Alfi.

On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II delivered a sermon to those gathered at the cathedral in the French city of Clermont. He called on the audience to take part in a military expedition and free Jerusalem from the "infidels" - the Muslims, who in 638 conquered the city. As a reward, future crusaders were given the opportunity to atone for their sins and increase their chances of getting into paradise. The desire of the pope to lead a charitable cause coincided with the desire of his listeners to be saved - this is how the era of the Crusades began.

1. The main events of the Crusades

Capture of Jerusalem in 1099. Miniature from the manuscript of William of Tyre. XIII century

On July 15, 1099, one of the key events of the event, which would later become known as the First Crusade, took place: the crusader troops, after a successful siege, took Jerusalem and began to exterminate its inhabitants. Most of the Crusaders who survived this battle returned home. Those who remained formed four states in the Middle East - the county of Edessa, the principality of Antioch, the county of Tripoli and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Subsequently, eight more expeditions were sent against the Muslims of the Middle East and North Africa. For the next two centuries, the flow of crusaders into the Holy Land was more or less regular. However, many of them did not stay in the Middle East, and the states of the crusaders experienced a constant shortage of defenders.

In 1144, the county of Edessa fell, and the goal of the Second Crusade was the return of Edessa. But during the expedition, plans changed - the crusaders decided to attack Damascus. The siege of the city failed, the campaign ended in nothing. In 1187, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria took Jerusalem and many other cities of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, including the richest of them - Acre (modern Acre in Israel). During the Third Crusade (1189-1192), which was led by King Richard the Lionheart of England, Acre was returned. It remained to return Jerusalem-lim. At that time, it was believed that the keys to Jerusalem were in Egypt and therefore the conquest should begin with it. This goal was pursued by the participants of the Fourth, Fifth and Seventh campaigns. During the Fourth Crusade, Christian Constantinople was conquered, during the Sixth, Jerusalem was returned - but not for long. Campaign after campaign ended unsuccessfully, and the desire of Europeans to participate in them weakened. In 1268 the principality of Antioch fell, in 1289 the county of Tripoli fell, in 1291 the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Acre.

2. How campaigns changed attitudes towards war

Norman horsemen and archers at the Battle of Hastings. Fragment of a tapestry from Bayeux. 11th century Wikimedia Commons

Before the First Crusade, the conduct of many wars could be approved by the church, but none of them was called sacred: even if the war was considered just, participation in it was harmful to the salvation of the soul. So, when in 1066 at the battle of Hastings the Normans defeated the army of the last Anglo-Saxon king Harold II, the Norman bishops imposed a penance on them. Now, participation in the war was not only not considered a sin, but allowed to atone for past sins, and death in battle practically guaranteed the salvation of the soul and provided a place in paradise.

This new attitude towards war is illustrated by the history of the monastic order that arose shortly after the end of the First Crusade. At first, the main duty of the Templars - not just monks, but monk-knights - was to protect Christian pilgrims who went to the Holy Land from robbers. However, very quickly their functions expanded: they began to protect not only pilgrims, but also the Kingdom of Jerusalem itself. The Templars passed many castles in the Holy Land; thanks to the generous gifts of Western European Crusade supporters, they had enough funds to keep them in good condition. Like other monks, the Templars took vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, but, unlike members of other monastic orders, they served God by killing enemies.

3. How much did it cost to participate in the hike

Gottfried of Bouillon crosses the Jordan. Miniature from the manuscript of William of Tyre. XIII century Bibliothèque nationale de France

For a long time it was believed that the main reason for participating in the Crusades was a thirst for profit: allegedly, in this way, the younger brothers, deprived of their inheritance, corrected their position at the expense of the fabulous riches of the East. Modern historians reject this theory. Firstly, among the crusaders there were many rich people who left their possessions for many years. Secondly, participation in the Crusades was quite expensive, and almost never brought profit. The costs corresponded to the status of the participant. So, the knight had to fully equip himself and his companions and servants, as well as feed them during the entire journey back and forth. The poor hoped for the opportunity to earn money on the campaign, as well as for alms from the more wealthy crusaders and, of course, for booty. What was stolen in a major battle or after a successful siege was quickly spent on provisions and other necessary things.

Historians have calculated that a knight who gathered for the First Crusade had to collect an amount equal to his income for four years, and the whole family often took part in the collection of these funds. I had to mortgage, and sometimes even sell my possessions. For example, Gottfried of Bouillon, one of the leaders of the First Crusade, was forced to lay a family nest - Bouillon Castle.

Most of the surviving crusaders returned home empty-handed, unless, of course, you count the relics from the Holy Land, which they then donated to local churches. However, participation in the Crusades greatly raised the prestige of the whole family and even its next generations. A bachelor crusader who returned home could count on a profitable party, and in some cases this made it possible to correct the shaken financial situation.

4. What did the Crusaders die from?

Death of Frederick Barbarossa. Miniature from the Saxon World Chronicle manuscript. Second half of the 13th century Wikimedia Commons

It is difficult to calculate how many crusaders died in the campaigns: the fates of very few participants are known. For example, of the companions of Conrad III, King of Germany and leader of the Second Crusade, more than a third did not return home. They died not only in battle or subsequently from their wounds, but also from disease and hunger. During the First Crusade, the shortage of provisions was so severe that it came to cannibalism. Kings also had a hard time. For example, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa drowned in a river, Richard the Lionheart and King Philip II Augustus of France barely survived a serious illness (apparently, a type of scurvy), from which hair and nails fell out. Another French king, Saint Louis IX, had such severe dysentery during the Seventh Crusade that he had to cut out the seat of his trousers. And during the Eighth Campaign, Louis himself and one of his sons died.

5. Did women participate in campaigns

Ida Austrian. Fragment of the genealogical tree of the Babenbergs. 1489-1492 years Participated with her own army in the Crusade of 1101.
Stift Klosterneuburg/Wikimedia Commons

Yes, although their number is difficult to count. It is known that in 1248, on one of the ships that carried the crusaders to Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, there were 42 women for 411 men. Some women participated in the Crusades with their husbands; some (usually widows, who enjoyed relative freedom in the Middle Ages) traveled by themselves. Like men, they went on campaigns to save their souls, pray at the Holy Sepulcher, look at the world, forget about domestic troubles, and also become famous. Poor or impoverished women during the expedition earned their living, for example, as laundresses or lice seekers. In the hope of earning God's favor, the crusaders tried to maintain chastity: extramarital affairs were punished, and prostitution, apparently, was less common than in the usual medieval army.

Women took an active part in the fighting. One source mentions a woman who was killed by gunfire during the siege of Acre. She participated in filling the moat: this was done in order to roll up the siege tower to the walls. Dying, she asked to throw her body into the ditch in order to help the crusaders besieging the city in death. Arab sources mention female crusaders who fought in armor and on horseback.

6. What board games did the Crusaders play?

Crusaders play dice near the walls of Caesarea. Miniature from the manuscript of William of Tyre. 1460s DIOMEDIA

Board games, which were almost always played for money, were one of the main entertainments of both aristocrats and commoners in the Middle Ages. The crusaders and settlers of the crusader states were no exception: they played dice, chess, backgammon and windmill (a logic game for two players). According to the author of one of the chronicles, William of Tire, King Baldwin III of Jerusalem liked to play dice more than befits royal honor. The same Wilhelm accused Raymond, prince of Antioch, and Joscelin II, count of Edessa, that during the siege of the castle of Shaizar in 1138 they only did what they played dice, leaving their ally, the Byzantine emperor John II , to fight one, - and in the end, Shaizar could not be taken. The consequences of the games could be much more serious. During the siege of Antioch in 1097-1098, two crusaders, a man and a woman, played dice. Taking advantage of this, the Turks made an unexpected sortie out of the city and took both prisoners. The severed heads of the unfortunate players were then thrown over the wall into the camp of the crusaders.

But the games were considered unholy business - especially when it came to holy war. King Henry II of England, having gathered in the Crusade (as a result, he never took part in it), forbade the crusaders to swear, wear expensive clothes, indulge in gluttony and play dice (in addition, he forbade women to participate in campaigns, for except for laundresses). His son, Richard the Lionheart, also believed that games could interfere with the successful outcome of the expedition, so he set strict rules: no one had the right to lose more than 20 shillings in a day. True, this did not concern the kings, and the commoners had to receive a special permit for the right to play. The rules that limited the games were also among members of the monastic orders - the Templars and the Hospitallers. The Templars could only play at the mill and only for fun, not for money. Hospitallers were strictly forbidden to play dice - "even at Christmas" (apparently, some used this holiday as an excuse to relax).

7. With whom did the Crusaders fight?

Albigensian Crusade. Miniature from the manuscript "Great French Chronicle". Mid 14th century The British Library

From the very beginning of their military expeditions, the crusaders attacked not only Muslims and fought battles not only in the Middle East. The first campaign began with mass beatings of Jews in northern France and Germany: some were simply killed, others were offered the choice of death or conversion to Christianity (many preferred suicide rather than death at the hands of the crusaders). This did not contradict the idea of ​​the Crusades - most of the crusaders did not understand why they had to fight against some infidels (Muslims) and spare other infidels. Violence against the Jews accompanied other crusades. For example, during the preparations for the third pogrom, we took place in several cities in England - more than 150 Jews died in York alone.

From the middle of the XII century, the popes began to declare Crusades not only against Muslims, but also against pagans, heretics, Orthodox and even Catholics. For example, the so-called Albigensian Crusades in the southwest of modern France were directed against the Cathars, a sect that did not recognize the Catholic Church. Their Catholic neighbors stood up for the Cathars - they basically fought with the crusaders. So, in 1213, King Pedro II of Aragon died in a battle with the Crusaders, who was nicknamed the Catholic for his success in the fight against the Muslims. And in the "political" Crusades in Sicily and southern Italy, the enemies of the crusaders from the very beginning were Catholics: the pope accused them of behaving "worse than infidels" because they did not obey his orders.

8. What was the most unusual hike

Frederick II and al-Kamil. Miniature from the manuscript of Giovanni Villani "New Chronicle". 14th century Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana / Wikimedia Commons

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II vowed to take part in the Crusade, but he was in no hurry to fulfill it. In 1227, he finally sailed for the Holy Land, but fell seriously ill and turned back. For breaking his vow, Pope Gregory IX immediately excommunicated him from the church. And even a year later, when Friedrich boarded the ship again, the pope did not cancel the punishment. At this time, internecine wars were going on in the Middle East, which began after the death of Saladin. His nephew al-Kamil entered into negotiations with Friedrich, hoping that he would help him in the fight against his brother al-Mu'azzam. But when Frederick finally recovered and sailed again to the Holy Land, al-Muazzam died - and al-Kamil's help was no longer needed. Nevertheless, Frederick succeeded in persuading al-Kamil to return Jerusalem to the Christians. The Muslims had the Temple Mount with Islamic shrines - the "Dome of the Rock" and the al-Aqsa mosque. This treaty was achieved in part because Frederick and al-Kamil spoke the same language, both literally and figuratively. Frederick grew up in Sicily, most of whose population was Arabic-speaking, spoke Arabic himself and was interested in Arabic science. In correspondence with al-Kamil, Friedrich asked him questions on philosophy, geometry and mathematics. The return of Jerusalem to Christians through secret negotiations with the "infidels", and not open battle, and even an excommunicated crusader, seemed suspicious to many. When Frederick came from Jerusalem to Acre, he was pelted with giblets.

Sources

• Brundage J. Crusades. Holy Wars of the Middle Ages.
• Luchitska S. Image of the Other. Muslims in the Chronicles of the Crusades.
• Philips J. Fourth Crusade.
• Flory J. Bohemond of Antioch. Fortune knight.
• Hillenbrand K. Crusades. View from the East. Muslim perspective.
• Asbridge T. Crusades. Wars of the Middle Ages for the Holy Land.

Let's try to give a general description of the crusades, describing the main features of their military strategy, the features of the states created in the East as a result of them, and the influence that Christians were subjected to in Muslim Asia.

The crusades were Christian military expeditions organized by the pope, head of the entire Catholic world; every crusader was an armed pilgrim, to whom the church, as a reward for this pilgrimage, forgave all the church punishments he deserved. Members of the crusades gathered in large militias around a king, a powerful lord or even a papal legate, but they were not subject to any discipline, they freely moved from one militia to another or even completely left the expedition when they considered their vow fulfilled. Thus, the crusading army was nothing more than a collection of detachments that chose the same path. They advanced in disorder and slowly, mounted on heavy horses, burdened with baggage, many servants and marauders, forced to put on heavy chain mail before each battle.

Members of the crusades spent whole months on the passage of the Byzantine Empire and on the wars with the Turkic horsemen of Asia Minor. In the steppes and deserts, where there was no water or where it was impossible to get food, people and horses fell from hunger, thirst and fatigue. In the camps, lack of care, deprivation and fasting, often replaced by excesses in the use of food and drink, gave rise to infections that exterminated the crusaders by the thousands. Only a tiny fraction of those who went on the crusade reached Syria. Thus, on the way to the Holy Land, especially in the XII century, a huge number of people died. In the end, the crusaders abandoned this disastrous land route; in the thirteenth century everyone was already going by sea; Italian ships for several months transported them to St. land where the real war began. This change of course fundamentally changed the very nature of the Crusades.

In battles with Muslims, the crusaders, with an equal number, usually prevailed: on their large horses and in impenetrable armor, they formed dense battalions, which the Saracens on their small horses and armed with bows and sabers could not break through. True, the victories of the crusaders did not have lasting results; the victors returned to Europe, and the Muslims again became the masters of the country.

The armies of the Crusades, which appeared from time to time in the Holy Land, could conquer it, but they were not strong enough to keep it behind them. But along with the crusaders who went to St. land only to bow to holy places, both knights came here, striving to acquire money, and merchants looking for profit; it was important for them to keep the country. To them the crusades owe all their success, since they used the momentary strength that the masses of pilgrims represented for lasting conquests. They directed military operations, built siege engines, took cities and fortified them in order to be able to repulse the enemy when he returned. The crusaders themselves were completely incapable of waging war in distant countries; magnificent expeditions led by sovereigns, every one ended in the most deplorable way. The only crusading armies that were really successful (the first crusade, which led to the conquest of Syria, and the fourth, which resulted in the conquest of Byzantium), were led - one by the Italian Normans, the other by the Venetians. The enthusiasm and courage of the crusaders was a blind force that needed the guidance of experienced people. Thus, the religious enthusiasts of the Crusades were only tools; the true founders of Christian states were adventurers and merchants who, like the emigrants of our time, went to the East in order to firmly settle there.

These emigrants were never so numerous as to populate the country; they were a military camp among the natives. In each of the Christian principalities, the ruling class to the end consisted of several thousand French knights and Italian merchants. Principalities created as a result of the Crusades, could never reach the strength of the European states that comprised an entire nation. They were like those states founded by Arab or Turkish leaders, where the population remained indifferent to who governs it, and where the state merged with the army and perished with it. These principalities lasted about two centuries, that is, longer than many of the eastern states. Only a powerful emigration could give them the strength to hold out in the struggle against Muslim Asia and Byzantium; but medieval Europe could not nurture such an emigration.

Crusader states in the East

For half a century, the Christian states created as a result of the Crusades had to fight only with the petty princes of Syria and the Mosul Atabek; Egyptian Muslims lived in peace with them. It was their heyday. But when the place Cairo Caliphate, destroyed Saladin, the military state of the Mamelukes occupied, the Christians, pressed by Egypt, could not resist for a long time, as the victories of Saladin prove. If the remnants of the crusader states held out for another century, it was only because the sultans made no attempt to destroy them. For both Muslims and Christians, this war was without a doubt a sacred one, often interrupted by truces of several years. It should also not be thought that all Christian princes rallied against all Muslim princes. Political interests usually prevailed over religious hatred. The wars of Christians against Christians, Muslims against Muslims were constantly going on. Often even some Christian prince entered into an alliance with a Muslim leader against another Christian prince.

In the Christian camp there has never been complete agreement. The religious enthusiasm that united the participants in the crusades did not drown out in them either commercial rivalry or racial hatred; between the princes of various states, between the French, Germans and English, between the Genoese and Venetian merchants, between the Templars and Hospitallers there were eternal bickering, more than once leading to armed skirmishes. In 1256, a war broke out in Saint-Jean d'Acre between the Venetians and the Genoese over a monastery built on a hill that separated their quarters. The Hospitallers, Catalans, Anconians and Pisans sided with the Genoese; The Patriarch of Jerusalem and the King of Cyprus supported Venice, the Genoese destroyed the tower of the Pisans, the Venetians burned the Genoese ships and stormed their quarter.This war lasted two years.

The same eternal quarrels went on between the crusaders, who came from Europe, and the Syrian Franks. Living among the Saracens, the Franks who settled in the East after the Crusades adopted their customs, baths, fluttering clothes; they organized light cavalry, armed in Turkish style, and recruited Muslim soldiers (Turkopols); they tended to treat Muslim princes as neighbors and not attack them without reason. The Western knights, who brought with them from Europe an inveterate hatred against the infidels, would like to exterminate them all and resented this tolerance. As soon as the troops of the new crusade landed, they rushed into Muslim territory, thirsting for battle and plunder, often against the advice of native Christians who were better acquainted with the nature of Eastern warfare. Western writers of the Middle Ages look at the Christians of the Holy Land as traitors and attribute to them the blame for the destruction of the Syrian states.

Are these accusations true? No doubt these Frankish adventurers, having quickly enriched themselves and lived in luxury among a corrupt population, must have been infected with many of their vices, especially those born in Syria (they were called poulains). But it was not for the European crusaders to judge them. They themselves, through their short-sightedness and lack of discipline, have done more harm than the Syrian Christians did by their effeminacy.

In contact with

Ultimately, these lands were conquered by the Muslims.

The purpose of the crusade was proclaimed to be the fight against the infidels for the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem from under their power, and the first victim of the crusaders was the ruler of Christian Edessa Thoros, with the overthrow and murder of which the counties of Edessa were formed - the first state of the crusaders in the Middle East

Levant

Greece

During the 4th Crusade, the Byzantine Empire was partially conquered by the crusaders, who founded four states on its territory.

• Latin Empire
• Kingdom of Thessalonica
• Duchy of Athens
• Principality of Achaean
• Senoria Negroponte

In addition, the Venetians founded the Duchy of the Archipelago (or the Duchy of Naxos) on the islands of the Aegean Sea.

These states faced attacks from the Greek successor states of Byzantium.

Thessalonica and the Latin Empire were recaptured by the Greeks in 1261.

The heirs of the crusaders continued to rule in Athens and the Peloponnese until these lands were captured in the 15th century.

Mediterranean Sea

The spiritual and knightly order of the Hospitallers settled in 1310 on the island of Rhodes, and several other islands of the Aegean archipelago, in 1522 was expelled by the Ottoman Turks to Malta.

Prussia

However, the crusaders managed to create the most durable state not in Palestine, but in Eastern Europe.

In 1217, Pope Honorius III announced a campaign against the pagan Prussians, and in 1225 the Polish prince Konrad of Mazovia himself invited the knights of the Teutonic Order to help him in the fight against troubled neighbors.

During the XIII century. the order seized not only the lands of the Prussians, but also part of the lands of the recent Poles allies.

A theocratic Catholic state was created on this territory with its capital first in Marienburg (now Malbork in Poland), later in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad in Russia).

In the XV century. the decline of the order began. In 1410, he was defeated by the united Polish-Lithuanian army (which also included Russian squads from the Western Russian lands that were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania).