chronological

In Palestine the mild rule of the first Muslim conquerors had for centuries allowed a Christian protectorate (first established under Charlemagne) to exist in Jerusalem, and Christian pilgrims were allowed to come and go quite freely. But this state of affairs was ended in 1010 by the fanatical caliph, Hakim, who destroyed the sanctuary. The protectorate passed in 1021 to the Greek Church, and after 1071 the Saracens were themselves overcome by a rougher people, the Seljuk Turks. Christian pilgrimage became difficult and dangerous.
In 1095 the appeals of Pope Urban II led to the undertaking of an enterprise which in various forms had already been proposed by more than one pope. The turbulent feudal knights of Europe received a new outlet for their energies. Instead of being restrained by the Church with peaceful admonitions, as in the institution of the Truce of God, their warlike ardour was encouraged, organised, and dedicated to what was proclaimed to be the highest and holiest service. In July 1099, after a five-week siege, the knights of the First Crusade and their rabble army captured Jerusalem, massacring most of the city's non-Christian inhabitants. Barricaded in their synagogues, the Jews defended their quarter, only to be burnt to death or sold into slavery.



	The Crusader Period, illustrated - 1
	**Also read our extensive non-illustrated (pre) Crusader Period (post) \| 1094 and before** \| \| 1095-1099 \| 1100-1149 \| 1150-1188 \| 1189-1199 \| 1200-1249 \| 1250-1299 \| \| 1300 and the post-Crusader era \| \| Other sites with an overall overview \| Timeline through Arab eyes \|
In Palestine the mild rule of the first Muslim conquerors had for centuries allowed a Christian protectorate (first established under Charlemagne) to exist in Jerusalem, and Christian pilgrims were allowed to come and go quite freely. But this state of affairs was ended in 1010 by the fanatical caliph, Hakim, who destroyed the sanctuary. The protectorate passed in 1021 to the Greek Church, and after 1071 the Saracens were themselves overcome by a rougher people, the Seljuk Turks. Christian pilgrimage became difficult and dangerous. In 1095 the appeals of Pope Urban II led to the undertaking of an enterprise which in various forms had already been proposed by more than one pope. The turbulent feudal knights of Europe received a new outlet for their energies. Instead of being restrained by the Church with peaceful admonitions, as in the institution of the Truce of God, their warlike ardour was encouraged, organised, and dedicated to what was proclaimed to be the highest and holiest service. In July 1099, after a five-week siege, the knights of the First Crusade and their rabble army captured Jerusalem, massacring most of the city's non-Christian inhabitants. Barricaded in their synagogues, the Jews defended their quarter, only to be burnt to death or sold into slavery.
During the next few decades, the Crusaders extended their power over the rest of the country, through treaties and agreements. But mostly by bloody military victories. The Latin Kingdom of the Crusaders was that of a conquering minority confined mainly to fortified cities and castles. When the Crusaders opened up transportation		CRUSADERS IN BATTLE Miniature from a late twelfth-century German manuscript	routes from Europe, pilgrimages to the Holy Land became popular and, at the same time, increasing numbers of Jews sought to return to their homeland. Documents indicate that 300 rabbis from France and England arrived in a group, with some settling in Acre, others in Jerusalem.
After the overthrow of the Crusaders by a Muslim army under Saladin in 1187 \| Read a timeline through Arab eyes \|, the Jews were again accorded a certain measure of freedom, including the right to live in Jerusalem. Although the Crusaders regained a foothold in the country after Saladin's death (1193), their presence was limited to a network of fortified castles. Crusader authority in the Holy Land ended after a final defeat (1291) by the Mamluks, a Muslim military class which had come to power in Egypt.