Pope Urban II Preaching the Crusades at Clermont 1095

Pope Urban II preaching the crusades at clermont 1095

There are many reasons as to why Pope Urban II preached the crusades at clermont in 1905, although no one can ever be 100% sure why he did it or what he seeked to gain from doing it, there are many theories as to why he did it. Here we are going to look at the views of: Toby purser who pubished an AS level book of 'The first Crusade and the Crusader states 1073-1192', Fulchers of Chartres account of the speech, and also Thomas asbridge's view from his book 'The First Crusade'

From reading Toby Purser's account of the first crusades, we can tell that he feels that the main reason for pope urban preaching the crusadeds at Clermont was to spread the infulence of the Roman Catholic Church, we can tell this when he says 'The speech at Clermont was a calculated attempt by Urban, a cluniac reformer, to assert papal power and authority not only over the western european leaders and people, but to assert the influence of Rome onto the Byzantine and Muslim East'. Toby purser feel that the movement from the Pope was a very tactical move, not only to spread the influence but also to make the Pope look more powerful than the important rulers of Europe, and also hoping to create peace in Europe.

Fulchers of Chartres account of the speech is probably the most accurate account in a sense that he lived in the era of Pope Urban II, he was present at the speech in clermont and also accompanied the army as chaplain throughout the Crusade to several northern French princes, although we cannot say that indefinatley he is right because he could be very biased or influenced at the time. What we can tell from his account is that he feels that the main reason for Pope Urban II preaching thr crusades was to Carry out the will of God, he feels that the crusades were for the peace and truce of God, aimed at