Warriors in the name of the Cross

" God wants ! " The appeal launched by Pope Urban II in 1095 has a tremendous impact. Both nobles and poor people no longer endure the thought that the Holy City to be violated by infidels.

It was concord

In Europe, the tradition of pilgrimages began to work immediately after the reign of the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate (IV century). Christians wanted to go to the places where Jesus lived and went walking, trips lengthy and full of privations, without caring any time that I sacrificed nor the suffering that awaited them. It was, perhaps, a kind of listening literal words of the Savior and putting them into practice, "Who will leave his father and mother, wife and his children to come to me, you will get back a hundredfold and It will be his eternal life. "

When, in 638, the Arabs conquered Jerusalem, Christian pilgrimages are in no way affected, Bethlehem and Nazareth impanzinte continuing to be faithful arrived from overseas. 

The Burning of Jerusalem photo: realtruth.org

Except for one incident brutal (death, in 1009, the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, by Khalif El-Hakim of Egypt gesture fanatic corrected by his descendants, who allowed reconstructing the building) peaceful coexistence of Christians Western and the Eastern Muslims is not disturbed than chance.

Aspiration to eternal salvation pushes on eliminating both the noble and the peasants to grab on roads leading to the Holy Land. In 1054, for instance, could be counted some 3,000 pilgrims leave the Picardy and Flanders, who did not hesitate to brave the dangers of the journey and sporadic attacks of Bedouins. 

Gunthertuch photo: youtube

In 1064 hundreds of pilgrims Germans less fortunate, led by Bishop Gunther of Blamberg are destroyed by the same Bedouin. Age seems to balance close gates: August 19, 1071 Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantine armies in Malazgerd and get hold of Jerusalem, which until then under the domination of Arabs Fatimid Egypt. Pilgrimages to Holy Sepulchre are prohibited.

Dieu li volt!

Pope Urban II photo: wikipedia.org

The first crusade is launched at the urging of Pope Urban II (whose pontificate lasts from 1088 until 1099), which, in a sermon published in the November 27, 1095 - the tenth day of the Council of Clermont - call to arms breath the whole Christian faith if protection of threatened new invasions of Muslim conquest in Asia Minor and Nicaea. 



The cry of recognition assembly and then the fight is "Dieu li volt!" - "God wants."

Start the heap, without weapons and without skill or experience how pale in the war, with thousands marching peasants, recognizing the command of Peter the Hermit (Peter the Hermit), an "apostle" in Amiens touched fanaticism. Pilgrims have their historical consciousness time, imagines that Christ lived only a short time before them, so I'm rather tempted to they sense killers Hebrew as Savior (Rhineland massacres). Arriving in Constantinople in August 1096, are advised by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos to wait crusade lords and knights. Bursting with enthusiasm, pilgrims did not obey and rush back on the road to Jerusalem, but become easy prey for the Turks, who destroy or put them in chains.

Portrait of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081-1118) photo: wikipedia.org

Awaiting instructions of Urban II, the real warriors are preparing thoroughly campaign, weapons and victuals, then under the command pontifical legate Adhemar of Montheil, went to the Holy City. 

Not a few are killed by long marches, the heat of a relentless sun, disease, sieges, battles the Turks harassment and, not least, the repercussions intestines. Some of them, forgetting the oath of vassalage did Alexius, but the true purpose of the trip, he delineates own principalities: Bohemond of Taranto proclaimed prince of Antioch, and Baudouin of Flanders attacking the city Edes (Urfa or Osroene), beyond the Euphrates.

Siege of Jerusalem (1099)

Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, 15th July 1099" / Giraudon / The Bridgeman Art Library photo: wikipedia.org

The Siege of Jerusalem took place from June 7 to July 15, 1099, during the First Crusade. The climax of the First Crusade, the successful siege saw the Crusaders seize Jerusalem from the Fatimid Caliphate and laid the foundations for the Kingdom of Jerusalem

In 1099 of the 150,000 Crusaders - combatants or non-combatants - get around the walls of Jerusalem only a tenth. The city, weakened by divisions between Muslims, capitulates quickly and barons francs, elated, reconstruct spot feudal system Europe, sharing the achievements and establishing a domain Christian who will be led by Godfrey of Bouillon, who, with all modesty will be proclaimed "advocatus Sancti Sepulchri" but, in fact, will be master "Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem".

In bugle struggle for the Second Crusade blow in March 1146, one of the most famous and esteemed people of Western Christianity, Bernard of Clairvaux. 

Bernard of Clairvaux - Gutenburg photo: wikipedia.org

Reconquest of Edessa by the Turks of Western Christianity revived anger and raised to fight thousands of adventurers. But instead of get where she had proposed, hit in Damascus (1148), which suffer a bitter defeat. Relations between the United Crusader, Byzantine and Muslim rulers neighbors surroundings become more embittered than ever.


Jamais deux sans trois ...

Crusades - if we do not count Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars, children's crusade, a crusade poor or much later crusade against Hussites - were in number 8. Large and wide as two continents. Caused by the recapture of Jerusalem by Saladin of, in 1187, the Third Crusade failed to attach than the city of Acre. 

The Christians of the Holy City Defiling before Saladin photo: wikipedia.org

Ten years later, the fourth crusade has not even reached the Holy Land. After the Council of Lateran, Pope Innocent III called Quia bubble Major made public, calling to fight the Christian world. A fight, the fifth without European monarchs, almost all employees in their crusade. An absurd fight that will end without any struggle, in the Nile, which just flooded land of Egypt.

Sieges, dead, wounded and dusty roads and thirst, hunger, love God, love for Allah. Battle theaters change from Tunis back to Constantinople ... Carol Login scene of Anjou, Louis the Saint, King Edward of England, and the number is always bigger losers than the winners. An equation whose result is sanctioned and repetitive eighth and last Crusade, the majority of Christian soldiers die in Syrian border, non-potable water poisoned, killed by plague and dysentery.

A war between meanings

In Western Europe, the Crusades are considered traditionally some heroic feats. Not all historians seem but agree with this view. In the Muslim world, the Crusades are some attacks perceived as cruel, full of wild, of Christians against Islam. 

Even today, some speeches by Fundamentalist Islamic crusade use the word to describe their attacks against the West. It can be said that there are visions of orthodoxy that seem congruent with this perspective, attitude determined largely by looting Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.

Capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in 1204 photo: wikipedia.org

Here ought made an aside. Not all actions were heroic crusaders, even the eye perceived Western Christian. Crusaders committed atrocities not only against Muslims but also against Jews and even other Christians. 

Conquest Of Constantinople By The Crusaders In 1204 photo: wikipedia.org 

Fourth Crusade touted never made it to Palestine. Instead destroyed Constantinople, capital of Byzantine Empire. Many relics and valuables kidnapped there are now in the collections of the Venetian or the Vatican, and the fault line between Christianity and the Catholic Oriental was then deepened enormously.

Between Crusade and jihad terms there are some interesting consistent. In the West, the word crusade has positive connotations (for example, in the area of ​​social policy is successfully use the terms crusade against poverty, the crusade against drugs and so on), while the term jihad has connotations exclusively negative, being associated with a sacred war driven by fanaticism. In the Muslim world, the term jihad have positive connotations that include the sense of spiritual struggle against oneself.

Dictionary explanation of the word crusade is: "military expeditions undertaken between XI and XIII centuries, with its initial intention to drive out the Muslim holy places in Palestine and re-impose Christianity." Formula "original intent" is more than telling.

Knights of the Temple

Saint Bernard de Clairvaux, the Order's patron photo: wikipedia.org 

Born officially in 1118 in Jerusalem, Order of the Templars was to be closely linked to the life of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Crusades, before being dissolved at the beginning of the fourteenth century by Phillipe Le Bel (Philip the Fair). Crestininilor real regular army of the Holy Land, the Order was aware of his actions not only pontiff and was exempt from taxes and tithes by the clergy or laity owners. Official history has remembered that nine knights (Hugues de payns, Geoffroy Bisol, Payen of Montdidier, André de Montbard Godfrey of St-Omer, Rosal Archambaud St-Amand, Godemar and Geoffroy) in northeastern France and Flanders They gathered in Jerusalem and created the Order of poor Knights of Christ.

Their main concern was to protect all pilgrims coming to Jerusalem. Li was given a headquarters land located on the ruins of the Temple of Solomon. In this way, they become Knights of the Temple or Templars. In 1127, Pope convenes a council at Troyes, which enshrines the existing order and, above all, ensures total independence - moral and financial. The same council proclaims a new concept: the monk-soldier. The huge capital of sympathy that will make will enjoy the richest Templar order of time. Over the Crusades, many of them will leave their lives on the altar of faith.

Templar warrior photo: pinterest

The warriors will not know how to negotiate the conversion unlike Hospitaller after overthrowing the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Watch fiercely Phillipe Le Bel, for their wealth huge but also arrogance that we instill their full autonomy, all the Templars in France will be accused of heresy, and grand master of the order, Jacques de Molay, shall be burned living in the midst of Paris, the Ile de la Cité, at December 22, 1314.



Other articles on the same theme:

• After 500 years, Jesus' tomb was open again. '' I was amazed at what I found under the marble '

• 705 years since the dissolution of the mysterious Order of the Templars From Heroes of God to servants of the Devil

• Researchers were able to find out the secret of a papyrus 1,800 years old What is the connection to the Bible?

• Land of The Dead and the Power of Satan in Middle Ages

• Star of Bethlehem proof Jesus' divine origins ?

Strange text written on an Egyptian papyrus. It contains a magical invocation used by ancient Christians

A Greek papyrus dating back some 1,500 years from an ancient Egyptian city refers to Jesus' Last Supper and manna from heaven.

A small Egyptian papyrus discovered John Rylands library Research Institute of the University of Manchester, it contains one of the oldest "chants" which dates from the early Christian period.

Roberta Mazza stated that the document, which was worn as an amulet, containing a reference to the Last Supper and the "manna fallen from heaven".

It is among the few evidence which shows how the magic was used by Christians in Egypt.

Papyrus, which has existed for 1,500 years, contains fragments of Psalms and the Gospel of Matthew.

Here is the translation of the text:

The translated text on the papyrus reads:

"Fear you all who rule over the earth.

Know you nations and peoples that Christ is our God.

For he spoke and they came to being, he commanded and they were created; he put everything under our feet and delivered us from the wish of our enemies.

Our God prepared a sacred table in the desert for the people and gave manna of the new covenant to eat, the Lord's immortal body and the blood of Christ poured for us in remission of sins."

People of the time believed such passages had magical powers, Mazza told Live Science. Supporting that idea, creases can be seen on the fragment, Mazza said, suggesting the papyrus was folded into a rectangular packet measuring 3 by 10.5 centimeters (1.2 by 4.1 inches), and either placed into a box at home or worn around a person's neck.

Mazza says that when Christians believed that these texts have magical powers. She says the papyrus had been packed into a box of just 3/10 cm and was worn on the neck or kept in the house for magical protection.

Religious texts were written on the back of a document that was used to pay a fee for grain. Papyrus belonged to a tax collector Tertembuthis village, located near the town now called El-Ashmunein.

Interestingly, the person who wrote the text copied him but wrote him personally, because there are many grammar and spelling mistakes, Mazza added.

Papyrus is proof that Egyptians Christians of the past have long kept pagan magical practices while wearing and using amulets.


However, even now some Christians carry their images of saints who have written on various prayers behind you good luck.


Other articles on the same theme:

• Mysterious inscriptions reveals a Dark Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses I

• 4,000-Year-Old Ancient Babylonian Tablet is Oldest Customer Service Complaint Ever Discovered

• Creepy assassination of Ramesses III. After thousands of years, Egyptologists reveals how great king was killed

• Deciphering the past - 8 writings still unknown

Story source:


The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Live Science . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length

St. Justus of Beauvais was only 9 when he was beheaded for being a Christian in France Century III. ( His body took up his head, and he began to say a prayer )

St. Justus photo: tamisuitdekunst 

St. Justus was only 9 when he was beheaded for being a Christian in the third century France. However, his body took up his head, and he began to say a prayer. This would have frightened the soldiers who beheaded him, and tried to attack him again, then fled. Boy's body was found by his father, holding his head in his hands, and then began to speak again. His head became a holy object of worship.

Other such examples are those of Saint Denis in Paris, considered the most famous, for that bore his hands head six miles from Montmartre to the place where the basilica was to be built, the Holy Gires de la Jara or Walles the Holy Winnifried the community. The number of cases is 120, those who went through this experience being martyred by the Church.

Saint Denis, a martyr turned legend in Montmartre photo: studiosparis

Christian saints are not the only ones whose head has survived after being separated from the body in Celtic culture there are fixated on this side of the body, and some stories before Celtic Christians evoked also the subject, what makes us inquire story of these Christians took as inspiration the elements of Celtic culture? Or arose independently? Christian saints are not the only cases. In ancient Greek myth, Orpheus's head separated from the body by maenads (trace priestesses of Dionysus), he continued to send prophets. Welsh legends is found also this idea.

It is tempting to believe that the legend of Justus is closely linked to Celtic culture, especially the Celtic winter holidays are likened to Christmas. But art historian Scott Montgomery has studied this issue and found a number of legends that had the same theme and, potriivit him, signifies the power of the saints after death and locates them in a position of superiority, divinizându them. In his view, there is absolutely no connection between Celtic culture and legends of saints Christians, and why they made this connection lies in the geographical distance between the two kinds of legends and circumstances in which they were running. "We have no evidence that anyone knows these legends Celtic, who are isolated from the western part of the British Isles before this practice to occur in Italy or France. The place where this method appeared not related to the legends have appeared, "he said.

There oo clear proof to the fact that Celtic culture, which spread to Europe and the British Isles until held the Roman conquest, several hundred years before the first millennium AD to begin, there was a also fixated on the head separated from the body. However, the evidence on Celtic religious culture are extremely fragile, and scientists have become increasingly skeptical about how these legends can give us valuable information about past Celtic culture.





Story source:


The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Atlas Obscura . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Top 10 - atrocities committed in the name of religion including Forced Conversion to Islam, Aztec sacrifices, Inquisition or Roman persecutions

Top 10 - atrocities committed in the name of religion, religion, jihad, inquisition, Mormon, Buddhist, burma, crusades, witch, sects photo: pinterest

Different people who have lived in periods distant from both a historically and geographically, people who worshiped different Gods and killed by violence and sadism peers, hiding in the protective shadow of religion that they have embraced it. A question should be: are religions globe foment violence or doctrines that are mere instruments through which people satisfy their pleasure to kill, with the excuse that they serve a noble purpose?

10. Buddhists in Burma

Photo: wikipedia.org

In 1850, Burmese Buddhists monks still performing it through the ritual in which human sacrifices. Once moved the capital to Mandalay, 56 people thought to be "blameless" were killed and buried beneath the city walls to become patrons of the new settlements. 

Buddhists Sacrifice photo: Britannica

Soon, two of the graves were found empty, which made him the royal astrologers to give a verdict radical: 500 people have killed and buried under the walls, otherwise the capital will be evacuated. Until the intervention of British Governors that ended the sacrifices, had been killed 100 people already.

9. Mountain Meadows Massacre

Mountain Meadows monument at burial site for some victims (near site of siege)  photo: law2

With the war in Utah, the Mormons from all over gathered in a short time, to fight the US military, who suspect that aims to eradicate Mormon population. Amid these tensions, there were rumors in Fancher-Baker train, carrying emigrants from Arkansas to California, were enemies who participated in the persecution of several Mormons. 

KnoWhys - Book of Mormon Central

The episode, remained in history as "mountain Meadows Massacre", was completed execution of a large number of immigrants on September 11, 1857. Mormons attacked the train with the help of Paiute Indians of the tribe. Two of those who had important roles in local military organization, Isaac C. Haight and John D. Lee orchestrated the attack, disguising and people seem so an attack by Native Americans. After the siege, the Mormons managed to convince immigrants to surrender. 

Mormons and Indians photo: Native American Netroots

Unwilling to let witnesses of their involvement in the attack, 120 people, men, women and children were executed. Of the latter, only 17 were spared. Only 20 years later, on March 23, 1877, one of the two leaders, John D.Lee, he would be convicted and executed on the site of the massacre.

8. Witch Hunt in Massachusetts

Salem Witch Trials photo: wikipedia.org

With their arrival in Massachusetts, around 1600, the Puritans created a religious police who prosecuted and punished any doctrinal deviance. "Sinners" were whipped, put in the pillory, hanged, they were cutting ears or holes are languages with a hot iron. On the other side were adept at Quaker religious faction, some of the biggest enemies of the Puritans, whose religion was considered a blasphemy. 

What can we learn from the Salem Witch Trials? photo: The Art Newspaper

Quaker caught practitioners were hanged. In 1690, fear of magic and its effects i made the Puritans to condemn to death 20 witches and throwing in jail other 150 people suspected of witchcraft. In the entire period of persecutions, which lasted from 1484 until 1750 thousands of people were burned alive or hanged. According to official statistics, 80% of victims were women.

7. Sect killings Thuggee

photo: npr..rg

To appease goddess Kali brutal blood, Thugee sect practitioners in India have developed since 1500 a religious practice where people were jertifi on its altar. Most victims were killed by strangulation during rituals. 

Thuggees – the Cult Assassins of India photo: Ancient Origins

It approximates that 2 million people have fallen victim over time. Only in 1800 were about 20 000 lives cut short, until the intervention of the British authorities put an end to these practices. The number of victims has diminished, although in 1840 a member Thugee trial for the murder of 931 people. Currently, some Hindu priests still practice this ritual, but people place on the altar of sacrifice was taken by goats.

6. Roman persecutions

Roman Persecution of Christians photo: pinterest

One of the first persecution against Christians was spent in the year 64 d. Cr., By order of

 Emperor Nero. It is the same year that Rome was engulfed in one of the largest fires in history. Because many rumors indict himself Nero of the disaster, he ordered all Christians to be arrested and killed on suspicion of being sparked a devastating fire. 

Many have been torn by beasts during the bloody spectacles novels or were burned alive. In the coming years, actions directed against Christians continued, reaching its peak during what was called the "great persecution". It began with a series of four edicts banning Christian religious practices and went to mass execution of practitioners. The persecution ceased with the enthronement of Emperor Constantine I in 306, who was to legalize Christianity seven years later, in 313.

5. Crusades

Defined as military conflicts with a religious character, medieval Crusades were fought against enemies both external and those internal. Not only Muslims or pagan Slavs were targeted, and Greek Orthodox Christians, Cathars, Hussites or anyone Interest "status" enemy of the Popes. The initial purpose of the Crusades was the recovery of the Holy Land from the Muslims and preventing Turkish expansion. 

The Crusades were fought against the pagans, heretics or those who were excommunicated for religious, economic or political. Soon, however, they began to serve and other purposes, mainly political. Organize a crusade meant the huge mobilization of military forces and struggles assumed an extraordinary violence, resulting in a large number of casualties. The idea of ​​a religious war that serves a noble cause fevered minds of the laity, so it makes the late eleventh century, some of the people engaged in these battles, becoming after swearing "church soldiers ." It seems that by 1291, the death toll had reached 20 million, but this is only an approximate figure, in the absence of accurate records. It is likely that the figure may have been much higher, augmented by numerous crusades occurred over a long period of time.

4. Islamic Jihad

Forced Conversion to Islam photo: Frontpage Mag

The meaning "holy war" were born over time a lot of controversy. Some Muslims understand jihad by using all resources to follow Islamic doctrine and to it please Allah. It is an ongoing process through which they learn to control their own desires and fight evil thoughts. For them, jihad is inside the being and materialized by bringing justice and remove the evil from society. These precepts were known shortly an extension, which was materialized against infidels.

But a certain passage from the Koran, Sura 25, verse 52 bore many debates in the Islamic world. Many have used in the past and currently use it as an excuse to commit crimes hidden behind a religious doctrine, "Do not give up against unbelievers, but fight vigorously against them."

Holy war, mentioned in the Qur'an, made many victims for 12 centuries. It seems that in history, the number of victims killed in the name of Islam has approximately 200 million. In the early years, Muslim armies spread rapidly: in eastern India to western Morocco. Soon, various religious factions have brought their mutual accusations, declaring jihad against each other: Kharijis fought with Sunni Azariqis declared dead all sinners and their families. In 1850 a Sudanese mystic, al-Hajj Umar, has initiated a jihad in order to convert pagan African tribes.

3. Aztec sacrifices

photo: pinterest

The Aztecs theocracy began developing in the 1300s, marking the golden era of human sacrificed. About 20 000 people were sacrificed to the gods, especially the sun god, who should ensure daily ration of blood. In rituals, the heart was removed victims and their bodies were eaten. Other victims were drowned, beheaded, burned or thrown from above. In a ritual dedicated to the rain god, who used to cry often children were killed as their tears slowly bring rain. To please a goddess of corn, a virgin had to dance for 24 hours, then was murdered and his skin was abraded. A scrap mentions that the coronation of King Ahuitzotl, 80 000 prisoners were slaughtered in order to satisfy the gods.

2. Inquisition

photo: wikipedia.org

The first inquisition movements were caused by the attitude of the masses to Christianity, particularly of the Cathars and valdensienilor. The torture began to be used after the year 1252. At that authorized the use of torture was Pope Innocent IV, by a papal edict known as Ad exstirpanda. But decree forbade bloodshed, mutilation or death. 

One method often used was "strappado", which involved tying the hands of the accused at the back and suspend it in the air, arms up in a fracture. Method known "improvements" in some cases add weight to the legs, which led implicitly to their dislocation. But things did not stop there. In 1568 the Spanish Inquisition Tribunal ordered extermination of 3 million people in the present territory of the Netherlands, the Spanish field, on charges of rebellion. Another example of religious fervor is the famous Spanish inquisitor Torquemada, who was on his conscience at least 10 220 souls.

1. Hindus massacre

photo: Daily Mail

The Mohammedan conquest of India was described by W. Durant history as the bloodiest episode in history. In some parts of Europe and Asia, conquered nations opted instead for converting to Islam who expect certain death. In India things were not as conquerors and wished Muslims because Hindu religion who took his place in life and culture of the people more than 4,000 years ago. 

Faced with an unusual resistant, Muslim conquerors did not hesitate to burn entire cities and massacring the entire population of them. Each such campaign increased the number of victims with thousands of souls and all the many were thrown into the clutches of slavery. Each invader they literally could build a hill of skulls Hindu followers. 

The horrendous details of the brutality of the massacre of Hindus by the Muslim Rohingya Armed Group photo: NewsBharati

The conquest of Afghanistan in the year 1000 resulted anihiliarea Hindu entire population of this territory. Bahmani sultans of central India had made a rule of Hindus to kill 100 000 per year. In 1399, Teimur killed 100 000 people in one day than most other occasions. Koenraad Elst teacher calculations, the number of Hindu population has declined since 1000 to 80 million in 1525.




Other articles on the same theme:

•  The Church Of Thor And Odin,Zoroastrianism,Tu’er Shen,Pagans Of Russia,followers Of The Greek Gods,Nahua Aztec religion and more.

• 5 Myths About Christianity

• The story of the last wich ( Enriqueta Martí 1913 

• How old is the Bible? We include Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other religious movements such as the Rastafari

Story source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Descopera . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.