The Holy War released trade
In the eleventh century, within the historical context of the Arab expansion, the Muslims conquered the holy city of Jerusalem. Faced with this situation, Pope Urban II called theFirst Crusade (1096), in order to drive out the"infidels" (Arabs) of the Holy Land.
These battles between Catholics and Muslims, known as the Holy War and lasted for about two centuries, leaving thousands dead and a large trail of destruction. While they were wars marked by religious differences, also had a strong economic character. Many crusading knights, to return to Europe, pillaged Arab cities and sold products on the roads, fairs calls and trade routes. In a way, the Crusadescontributed to the urban and commercial renaissance from the thirteenth century. After the Crusades, the Sea Mediterranean was open for business contacts.
What was the Holy War that particular moment?
By the time Pope Urban calls the faithful to the cross, there was a great interest in land. The nobility was no longer how to divide the land.Europe needed an expansion. At the same time the church needed to stop the advance of Islam, as he advanced in leaps and bounds over Europe, because I had reached the Iberian Peninsula and taken all North Africa. So the idea of you take the Holy Land where Jesus was born and died, and was in the hands of infidels, explains the religious motif of the cross. Do you have a religious reason that is strong at the time of the crusades. But there is also an economic motivation and a psychological motivation.
The Holy War changed Europe profoundly, bringing new elements that have changed the lives of European populations that time. The economy has changed radically. He stopped only to produce food; He met new products, learn new working methods; and enriched with new industries.
Politically, the cross sealed the ruin of the Feudal System. Before leaving the lords pawned their land to the peasants. The release of these easier. Moreover, there were lot of people who went and did not return.
With the Crusades, many farmers were able to leave the manor fields. The field lost population, and old cities received a good portion of those peasants who have left the manor fields.
Swallowing the suffered defeat, Christians had every reason to hate the Arabs. But this felt anger went with admiration and envy felt before a sophisticated enemy who had great knowledge for the Europeans were unknown.
The Holy War did not achieve its main goal, which was to ensure the Christian rule in Jerusalem. In contrast, the encounter between the two cultures fertilized Europe. The wonderful East door opened and the Arabs sent a lot of news to Western.
Imagine the feeling that a cross caused when returning to their land. In addition to stories about his military adventures, brought sensational gifts purchased from Arab merchants. Products beautiful, coming from places where no other European had ever trodden. Persian carpets, peppers, sugar, cloves and cinnamon Indian, Chinese porcelain, Japanese silk, fabrics, exotic perfumes, pearls ...
It is not difficult to conclude that these cross aroused the active trade between Europeans and Arabs. The Mediterranean Sea was again crossed by crowded ships goods.The places that have grown up with this were the Italian cities, especially Genoa and Venice.The sword gave way to profit. Just do not know which kicked off more blood .
The Holy War helped expand the business activities
Crusaders Oos were not the only ones to go the cruzadistas expeditions, traveling merchants were together, and thus served as suppliers of pilgrims with their products.
The Crusaders returned to their homelands with a taste for new luxuries and comforts discovered during the trip. The Italian cities, especially Venice and Genoa, were immensely rich with the trade of these products in Europe.
The great development of trade that cross propitiated was one of the factors of the profound changes that led the Feudal Mode of Production to the Capitalist Mode of Production in Europe during the following centuries; in other words, those great character expeditions primarily religious or allegedly prepared the end of the Middle Ages and the early modern period.
In many other respects the Holy War was a disaster! The Crusaders failed to definitively expel Muslims and it lasted for centuries, reaching our days.
Text written by Professor Patricia Barboza da Silva licensed by the Federal University of Rio Grande - FURG.
Bibliographic references:
FERREIRA, José Roberto Martins, History. Sao Paulo: FTD; 1997.
MORAES, José Geraldo. Way of Civilizations.Sao Paulo: Current. 1994.
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MORAES, José Geraldo. Way of Civilizations.Sao Paulo: Current. 1994.
Category: General history
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