How the Crusades shaped the modern world

The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought by Christians from all over Europe in an attempt to retake the Holy Land from the Muslims.

The wars began in 1095 and continued until 1291. While there were many short-term impacts of the crusades, such as increased trade between Europe and the Middle East, there were also several long-term effects.

The Crusades were primarily a military event, as hundreds of thousands of combatants clashed in the various battles that comprised the Crusading era.

As a result, military tactics, weapons, and expertise developed rapidly. Central to this development was the introduction of religious ideology into warfare.

This resulted in the development of new religious orders and institutions, such as hospitals and monasteries.

In addition, a new kind of religious group, known as 'military orders' were created.

Military orders were groups of knights who swore an oath to protect religious pilgrims as they made their way to the Holy Land.

Members of the military order saw it as their duty to defend these pilgrims from potential threats and, if they had to kill in order to protect them, they would.

The best-known military orders are the Knights Hospitaller, the Knights Templar, and the Teutonic Knights.

These orders were incredibly wealthy and powerful, and they played a major role in subsequent crusades.

One of the longest surviving orders was the Knights of St. John, which was founded during the First Crusade.

This order continued to exist until the early 19th century.

Another long-term impact of the Crusades was that many modern countries had their period of expansion or creation during this time. 

For example, Portugal was founded in 1143 as a result of the Spanish Reconquista.

The Crusades also had a significant impact on the development of Spain and France.

Most notably, several Christian kingdoms worked together to expel Muslims from Spain in the Reconquista.

The Byzantine Empire also expanded its territory during the Crusades, as they were able to take advantage of the situation and recapture some land from the Muslims during the First Crusade.

Unfortunately, ongoing conflicts with the European crusaders led to military clashes with Byzantine forces.

During the Fourth Crusade, the Byzantine capital itself was captured and began a period of decline in the empire.

In 1299, a new Muslim empire, known as the Ottomans, benefited from these events.

They were able to take control of much of the Byzantine Empire after the Fourth Crusade and continually expand into the 15th century.

In 1453, the Ottoman Empire captured Constantinople and brought the Byzantine Empire to an end.

Another long-term impact of the Crusades was the development of new technology.

This is most evident in the area of warfare, as Europeans were exposed to new weapons and tactics during their time in the Holy Land.

European knights also began using heavier armor, which made them more resistant to attack. 

In addition, advances were made in shipbuilding and navigation, which allowed Europeans to travel more easily to other parts of the world.

The Crusades also played a role in spreading ideas and knowledge between Europe and the Middle East.

During the Crusades, Europeans came into contact with new ideas, technologies and ways of life.

For example, crusaders returning from the East brought back books on a wide range of topics, such as medicine, astronomy and mathematics. 

In addition, they also introduced European scholars to Arabic learning. Muslim scholars had managed to save rare copies of written works from the Ancient Greeks and Romans, which had long vanished in Europe.

The rediscovery of this information, and its return to European centres of learning, would be an important fact in the birth of the Renaissance period of history. 

As a result of this increased contact and exchange of ideas, there was a significant increase in learning during this period. 

The Crusades also helped the Catholic Church develop in a number of ways. For instance, the Church became much more centralized and organized as a result of the Crusades.

The rise of centralised banking within the church was developed as a direct result of the Crusades, in order to manage the large amounts of money and resources that were flowing into the church. 

Additionally, the Church developed their understanding of old and new doctrines and practices, such as indulgences and pilgrimages, which would have a lasting impact on Christianity.

Finally, the Church became much more powerful and influential as a result of the Crusades, which helped solidify its position as one of the most important political institutions in Europe.

The Crusades had a number of economic impacts on Europe. One of the most notable is that European countries and cities benefitted financially from the crusades through taxes levied on crusaders, trade with the Middle East, and plundering. 

The Crusades also had an impact on currency, as silver coins from Arabic lands began to circulate in Europe during this time.

Cities like Venice and Genoa also became very wealthy as a result of their involvement in the Crusades.

Since they were both sea-faring nations, they were able to profit from transporting people and goods to and from the Holy Land.

During times of open warfare, Venetian traders became valuable sources of food and water for European armies.

There are also a number of national flags that have been influenced by the Crusades. Specifically, the use of a Crusading cross on a flag became popular during the Crusades.

For example, the flags of England, Scotland, and Estonia all feature crosses. The flag of Malta includes a cross that is similar to the one used by the Knights Hospitaller.

Additionally, the flag of Switzerland features a white cross on a red background, which is similar to the flags used by crusading armies.

In addition to its political and economic impact, the Crusades also had a significant impact on literature.

A number of authors wrote about the Crusades during this time, and their works helped shape the modern conception of both crusaders and Muslims. 

One notable author is Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote The Canterbury Tales, which includes a number of references to the Crusades. 

This inspired writers in later history as well, like Sir Walter Scott. Scott was a 19th century Scottish novelist who was responsible for creating many of the stereotypes and myths about crusaders and Muslims that are still prevalent today.

In his book The Talisman, Scott portrays Muslims as barbaric and cruel, and he romanticizes the Crusades as a battle between good and evil.

In recent years, there has also been a growing trend of criticising the Crusades and the role of the Medieval Church.

This is largely due to films and television shows that have portray crusaders in a negative light.

For instance, the film Kingdom of Heaven (2005) was criticized for its portrayal of crusaders as greedy murderers.

Similarly, the television show The Borgias (2011-2013) focused on Pope Alexander VI, who was involved in a number of scandals, and was used as a general criticism of the late medieval Church.

One of the most curious long-term impacts of the Crusades is that Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany played a role in the excavation of Saladin's tomb.

In 1898, Wilhelm II visited Damascus and requested to see where the Crusading-era Muslim leader was buried.

However, the tomb had been lost and forgotten over time, and it took a number of years to locate.

Once it was finally found, Wilhelm II helped finance the excavation of the tomb. Today, Saladin's tomb is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Damascus.

When Wilhelm II visited Saladin's tomb in Damascus, he left a wreath with the following inscription: "To the great Saladin, who in battle was never defeated, from his admirer, the German Emperor Wilhelm II."

Wilhelm was intentionally trying to align Saladin's memory with early 20th century German nationalism.

This is likely due to the fact that, at the time, Germany was in competition with England and France for colonial territory.

By associating Saladin with German nationalism, Wilhelm II hoped to gain support from Muslim countries in his quest for colonies.

Finally, the 19th century colonialism was often compared to the Crusades. This is because both involved Europeans expanding their territory into other parts of the world.

The British and French Empires were sometimes referred to as the 'crusaders' of the modern era.

This analogy was used in a negative way, as it suggested that these Empires were motivated by greed and power, rather than religion.

However, there have also been a number of nationalist movements that have drawn inspiration from the Crusades.

In the Middle East, there have been a number of Islamist groups that have used the Crusades as a rallying cry.

For instance, the group al-Qaeda used the Crusades in their propaganda to justify attacks on Western targets.

In George Bush's "War on Terror" speech, which was delivered following the September 11th attacks on New York, the US President called for "a new crusade", to defeat terrorists and bring "peace and democracy" to the Middle East. 

While most modern nationalist movements are not directly inspired by the Crusades, there are still a number of groups that use the Crusades as part of their rhetoric.

This shows that the long-term impact of the Crusades is still being felt today.

Despite the fact that the Crusades were a series of brutal wars, they have had a significant impact on both the European and Muslim worlds.

The Crusades have shaped our modern conceptions of both Christians and Muslims, and they have also left a lasting legacy on our political and economic systems.