The Years After the First Crusade

Christians were in control of the Holy Land, but as the years passed, they became spoiled and lazy. When they did go back to central Europe, they brought with them riches, fine spices, exotic jewelry, beautiful women, wonderful fabrics and tales of adventure and land to be taken. On top of that, the newly seated pope, Paschal II, was preaching that more armies must go to reinforce the conquests earned by the First Crusade. According to Paschal, the fight against the Muslim people was not over, so many groups formed to continue and support the battle. Two of those were monks called the Knights Templar and the Knights of Saint John.

The Knights Templar were formidable and holy killers who vowed to protect all crusading travelers. They answered only to the pope and had very strict rules for themselves. Still, they managed to become very rich because nobles and common people who couldn’t crusade but wanted the church’s blessings gave them money. The Knights Templar wore long, white robes with red crosses over
their armor.

The Knights of Saint John were better known as the Hospitallers because they originally worked in a hospital and cared for travelers. They, like the Knights Templar before them, turned to violence and war to further the interests of Christians in the Holy Land. They also became very wealthy. They wore black robes over their armor and had white crosses sewn to their sleeves.

A Muslim leader named Zengi managed to overtake a large Christian city called Edessa. He killed all the invading western Christians, but spared the eastern, or Byzantine, Christians. Still, his act scared the western church. Pope Eugenius III announced that a new army must be raised. The year was 1144.