Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Social Sciences, Humanities and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Crusading Vows before and During the First Crusade
Prof. Paul Aitchison
ABSTRACT:
Crusader vows before and during the First Crusade affected the military campaign in ways not yet understood. The primary sources state that while religious vows to conduct military actions occurred in the decades prior to the First Crusade, the armed pilgrimage that began in 1096 was the first continental wide movement that saw large scale religious vows and oaths being sworn to conduct violence against other religions. Originally used as a sign highlighting to others the free choice in going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the form of a cloth cross, potentially proclaimed the willingness to fight for God. The vow meant one was willing to fight against Muslims, heretical Christians, and pagans in lands far distance from Western Europe.
keywords: Religious History, Military History, Western European History, Mediterranean History, Islamic History, Christian History