what was the reason for the childrens crusade

The Children's Crusade was a failed popular crusade by European Christians

to establish a second Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Holy Land, said to have taken place in 1212. The crusaders left areas of Germany, led by Nicholas of Cologne, and Northern France, led by Stephen of Cloyes.

Full Answer

What is the children’s Crusade?

For the full article, see Children’s Crusade . Children’s Crusade, (1212) Religious movement in Europe in which thousands, including many children and young people, set out to take the Holy Land from the Muslims by love instead of by force. The events of the Crusade are disputed.

What is the traditional narrative of the Crusades?

The traditional narrative is likely conflated from some factual and mythical events which include the visions by a French boy and a German boy, an intention to peacefully convert Muslims in the Holy Land to Christianity, bands of children marching to Italy, and children being sold into slavery in Tunis.

What happened to the Crusaders after the First Crusade?

Few of the Crusaders returned from their journey; most died of hunger or thirst or were drowned at sea, while others were sold as slaves. The chroniclers’ story carried a clear message: God did not will it. Be this as it may, the Children’s Crusade did confirm Innocent III’s belief that Crusading enthusiasm was far from dead.

What happened to the French Pueri after the crusade?

The Crusade. At this point the French pueri disappear from the historical record, their whereabouts uncertain, but it is possible that some of them arrived in the German city of Cologne about July 14–18. Contact with the French pueri is the most likely origin of the Children’s Crusade in Germany, which began about that time.

Why did the children's crusade take place?

Children's Crusade, popular religious movement in Europe during the summer of 1212 in which thousands of young people took Crusading vows and set out to recover Jerusalem from the Muslims.

What is the main idea of the children's crusade?

Children's Crusade, (1212) Religious movement in Europe in which thousands, including many children and young people, set out to take the Holy Land from the Muslims by love instead of by force.

What ended the children's crusade?

Despite the violence, children continued to march and protest in an organizing action now known as the Children's Crusade. The crusade ended after intervention from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Who started the Crusades?

Pope Urban IIOn November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II makes perhaps the most influential speech of the Middle Ages, giving rise to the Crusades by calling all Christians in Europe to war against Muslims in order to reclaim the Holy Land, with a cry of “Deus vult!” or “God wills it!”

What were three main causes of the need to reform the church?

The Formation of Western EuropeQuestionAnswerWhat were the three main causes of the need to reform the Church?-many village priests married and had families. such marriages were against church rulings -bishops sold positions in the church (SIMONY) -using lay investiture, kings appointed church bishops.19 more rows

What was the outcome of the children's crusade 1963?

The marches were stopped by the head of police, Bull Connor, who brought fire hoses to ward off the children and set police dogs after the children. This event compelled President John F. Kennedy to publicly support federal civil rights legislation and eventually led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

When did the Crusades start?

1095 – 1291Crusades / Period

How old were the kids in the children's crusade?

Bevel, undeterred, told the children to gather at 16th Street Baptist Church on May 2, 1963. More than 1,000 students skipped school to participate in the protest. The youth, ranging from ages 7-18, held picket signs and marched in groups of 10 to 50, singing freedom songs.

What was the Children's Crusade?

The Children's Crusade was a failed popular crusade by European Christians to establish a second Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Holy Land, said to have taken place in 1212. The crusaders left areas of Germany, led by Nicholas of Cologne, and Northern France, led by Stephen of Cloyes. The traditional narrative is likely conflated from some factual and mythical events which include the visions by a French boy and a German boy, an intention to peacefully convert Muslims in the Holy Land to Christianity, bands of children marching to Italy, and children being sold into slavery in Tunis.

Who gave the account of the Children's Crusade?

Steven Runciman gives an account of the Children's Crusade in his A History of the Crusades. Raedts notes that "Although he cites Munro's article in his notes, his narrative is so wild that even the unsophisticated reader might wonder if he had really understood it.".

How many sources are there for the Crusade?

According to Peter Raedts, professor in Medieval History at the Radboud University Nijmegen, there are about 50 sources from the period that talk about the crusade, ranging from a few sentences to half a page. Raedts categorizes the sources into three types depending on when they were written:

What is the movie based on the children's crusade?

Gates to Paradise (1968), a film version by Andrzej Wajda of the Jerzy Andrzejewski novel. Lionheart (1987), a historical/fantasy film, loosely based on the stories of the Children's Crusade. Children for Sale, a Gumby episode featured in the 1995 film Gumby: The Movie. Crusade in Jeans, a.k.a.

How many children were in the Children's Crusade?

Through a series of portents and miracles, he gains a following of up to 30,000 children. He leads his followers south towards the Mediterranean Sea, in the belief that the sea would part on their arrival, which would allow him and his followers to walk to Jerusalem. This does not happen. The children are sold to two merchants (Hugh the Iron and William of Posqueres), who give free passage on boats to as many of the children as are willing. The pilgrims are then either taken to Tunisia, where they are sold into slavery by the merchants or else die in a shipwreck on San Pietro Island off Sardinia during a gale .

What did Nicholas say about the Crusade?

Rather than intending to fight the Saracens, he said that the Muslim kingdoms would be defeated when their citizens converted to Catholicism. His disciples went off to preach the call for the "Crusade" across the German lands, and they massed in Cologne after a few weeks. Splitting into two groups, the crowds took different roads through Switzerland. Two out of every three people on the journey died, while many others returned to their homes. About 7,000 arrived in Genoa in late August. They immediately marched to the harbor, expecting the sea to divide before them; when it did not many became bitterly disappointed. A few accused Nicholas of betraying them, while others settled down to wait for God to change his mind, since they believed that it was unthinkable he would not eventually do so. The Genoese authorities were impressed by the little band, and they offered citizenship to those who wished to settle in their city. Most of the would-be Crusaders took up this opportunity. Nicholas refused to say he was defeated and traveled to Pisa, his movement continuing to break up along the way. In Pisa two ships directed to Palestine agreed to embark several of the children who, perhaps, managed to reach the Holy Land. Nicholas and a few loyal followers, instead, continued to the Papal States, where they met Pope Innocent III. The remaining ones departed for Germany after the Pontiff exhorted them to be good and to return home to their families. Nicholas did not survive the second attempt across the Alps; back home his father was arrested and hanged under pressure from angry families whose relatives had perished while following the children.

Who concluded that the Children's Crusade was a psychological event?

Norman Zacour in the survey A History of the Crusades (1962) generally follows Munro's conclusions, and adds that there was a psychological instability of the age, concluding the Children's Crusade "remains one of a series of social explosions, through which medieval men and women—and children too—found release".

When did the Children's Crusade take place?

The Children’s Crusade followed the Fourth Crusade, which took place between 1202 and 1204, occurring eight years afterwards.

Who led the children's crusade?

There have also been accounts of a German Children’s Crusade taking place in 1212. This was purportedly led by a child called Nicolas, who said he had 20,000 followers. He was thought to have the same dream as Stephen, and planned to take Jerusalem back from the Muslims.

Why did the Fourth Crusade fail?

A failure, the Fourth Crusade had not even seen the crusaders reach the Holy Land as a result of being more concerned with plundering, as witness in the Sack of Constantinople. However, the lack of long-term success by the crusaders and not damaged the believe that Jerusalem should be recaptured by the Christians.

What happened to the crusaders when they crossed the Alps?

Despite that, their dangerous journey across the Alps led to many dying from cold, including the adults. However, those who made it across pushed onto Italy. Having arrived in Rome, the remaining crusaders met with the pope who praised their bravery.

What did Stephen do to the children?

Stephen was undeterred by the response, taking to the streets and preaching to children about the message from Jesus and stating that they should fulfil their duty and accompany him to the Holy Land.

Where did the Crusaders set off?

In 1212, a group of crusaders set of from France and embarked upon a crusade to the Holy Land (and by some accounts another set off from Germany in a move known as Nicolas’s Crusade). It was not considered particularly unusual for this group to have set off on a crusade as many had already done so before them.

Did the children of Marseilles return to their homes?

There is no proof that any of these accounts were true as none of the children who left Marseilles ever returned to their homes. As a result, it’s impossible to know what happened to those who did take part in the Children’s Crusade.

What was the Children's Crusade?

In essence, the “Children’s Crusade” was an urban migration of mostly poor young people who were influenced by the popular acceptance of the Crusading movement. The Church showed little interest in this youth movement, as there were neither condemnations nor public pronouncements of support. What is known about the “Children’s Crusade” has been ...

What is the Crusade of Children?

Like the Fourth Crusade’s sack of Constantinople, the “Children’s Crusade” is one of the most often recalled episodes of Crusading history by modernity. The modern false understanding of the Crusades in general, and the “Children’s Crusade” in particular, has its origins in the writings of anti-Catholic Enlightenment thinkers.

Why is it difficult for Catholics to refute the false narrative?

It is difficult for most Catholics to refute this false narrative because the very phrase “Children’s Crusade” engenders a mental picture of toddlers running wild with broadswords and crossbows and raises questions of how and why the Church could have supported such an endeavor. However, the Catholic armed with the real story ...

Where did the children's crusade take place?

What is known for certain about the misnamed “Children’s Crusade” is that between Easter and Pentecost of 1212, young people in the Chartrain region of France near Paris, motivated by religious fervor, took the cross. The movement grew in strength and numbers when a charismatic youth from Cloyes named Stephen became its de facto leader.

What was Nicholas' motivation?

There is nothing known for certain about Nicholas’s background or motivations, but it is well accepted that he was a pious man who attracted thousands of people to join him in an expedition to liberate Jerusalem.

Where did the Rhineland youths go?

Nicholas’s objective was to march to the sea to find transport to the Holy Land, and so he led the youths of the Rhineland across the Alps and into Italy in late July 1212. The group arrived in Piacenza and then continued on to Genoa. Once in Italy, the movement began to dissolve as initial enthusiasm waned with the weariness of travel and the recognition of reality. As a result, many of Nicholas’s followers decided to end their participation by settling in Genoa, while others continued on to Pisa. Still others, perhaps the remaining French element, left Italy for Marseilles, where they hoped to find transport to the Holy Land.

Where did the young people go during the Crusade?

The remaining youth went to Rome, where they requested release from their Crusade vow from Pope Innocent III.

Where was the Children's Crusade?

Kelsey was one of the thousands of young people who participated in a series of non-violent demonstrations known as the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama, during the first week of May 1963. For many African American children in Birmingham, the civil rights movement was already part of their lives.

What was the Birmingham Children's Crusade?

The Birmingham Children's Crusade of 1963. The pivotal event of the civil rights movement opened the eyes of the nation through the courageous activism of its youngest citizens. The pivotal event of the civil rights movement opened the eyes of the nation through the courageous activism of its youngest citizens.

How old were the children when the Birmingham bombings happened?

And thousands of children, some of them as young as seven or eight years old, had kept the momentum of the struggle going in its most pivotal hour.

Why did the children leave the 16th Street Baptist Church?

Thousands of children were trained in the tactics of non-violence, and on May 2, they left the 16th Street Baptist Church in groups, heading throughout the city to protest segregation peacefully.

What happened to the children in the protest?

On the first day of the protest, hundreds of children were arrested. By the second day, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor ordered police to spray the children with powerful water hoses, hit them with batons and threaten them with police dogs.

What was the purpose of the Birmingham protests?

The goal of the plan was to use tactics of non-violent protest to provoke Birmingham civic and business leaders to agree to desegregate. The demonstrations started in April 1963 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Reverend Ralph Abernathy and local leader Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth led thousands of African American protestors in Birmingham.

What Caused The Children's Crusade?

Children's Crusade History

Who Led The Children's Crusade?