The Crusades Trivia

1. Whether a law, rule, tradition or accepted custom, one practice affected history in most of the Old World for hundreds of years to varying degrees. What was it called?

From Quiz Knights in White Sackcloth

Answer: Male primogeniture

Male primogeniture was the rule and in some countries the law that governed inheritance. In many countries, because of extinction of the male line, and later in the 20th century by Act of Parliament, or by the laws being changed gradually for practical purposes, primogeniture was no longer presumed to be male but simply firstborn direct descendant. Matrilineal primogeniture was practiced more in Africa, but rarely in Europe or Asia unless considered a temporary arrangement till a suitable male became available. "Mater semper certa est" was the philosophy behind this as it means: the mother is always known. This was simply a biological assumption, and disregarded the behind scenes plotting of politics. "Pater" was never certain, but often assumed, politics again being the measure for its acceptance. Primogeniture left many younger sons with no fortune or estates, and to make their way in the world some took up knighthood - soldiers for hire. There were many forms of knighthood, some were the bold 'rock stars' of their day, others were little more than servants.

From Quiz The Crusades

Answer: 1095 to 1291 AD

Some crusaders headed East on their mission even after 1291, but not all of the crusade-like attempts to take Jerusalem have been counted as official Crusades. 306 to 337 is the time of Constantine's rule over the Roman Empire. 1455 to 1485 is the time of the War of Roses. And 1861 to 1865 is the time of the American Civil War.

From Quiz The First Crusade

Answer: The Battle of Manzikert

The Battle of Manzikert was a turning-point between the Turks and the Byzantines for the control of central Anatolia (present-day central Turkey). The battle had been a total disaster for the Byzantines, and so Emperor Alexius had written to the Pope for aid. The Cathar Heresy prompted the only crusade against Christians. The Cathars, also known as Albigensians, believed, amongst other things, that Christ was an angel with a phantom body, so therefore he did not suffer on the cross or rise again on the third day. Pope Innocent III ordered a crusade against the Cathars, most of whom lived in the south of France, in 1208.

From Quiz The First Crusade

Answer: Pope Urban II

Pope Urban II, who reigned rom 1088 to 1099, was motivated by religious impulse to issue the call for the Crusade. It was also a major political opportunity for Urban, attracting noblemen and royalty from many countries, and asserted the role of the Church as a unifying force. At the same time as the First Crusade, the Reconquista continued in Spain.

From Quiz The Crusades: A Brief Tour

Answer: Urban II

Urban preached the crusade in response to an appeal for help from the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor. What the Emperor got was more than he bargained for.

From Quiz From Pilgrims to Saracens and Crusaders

Answer: Helena

Galla Placida has her Mausoleum at Ravenna.She was the daughter of Theodosius the First, Emperor of Rome. Monica was Augustine's mother. She was born in North Africa at Tagaste.AD 333. Died at Ostia near Rome in 387. Theodora was the wife of Justinian I. The Church suspected her of being a secret adherent of the Monophysite heresy. Helena was Constantine the Great's mother. She is supposed to have been an inn-keeper originally.

From Quiz History of the Crusades

Answer: Nicolas III Kyrdinates

Nicolas III Kyrdinates was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 1084- 1111. Both Cosmas and Eustatius were prior to Nicolas where as John was after him.

From Quiz Knights in White Sackcloth

Answer: c. 1120-1312 AD

For about two hundred years the Knights Templar were at their peak. They became officially sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church in 1129 and became a popular charity throughout Europe and other areas where Christianity thrived. Their headquarters were at Temple Mount, Jerusalem, said to have been built over the ruins of Solomon's Temple.

From Quiz The Crusades

Answer: Pope Urban II

Pope Urban II delivered a sermon at the Council of Clermont that is considered by many scholars to be the motivation of crusaders. Pope Gregory VII was a part of the Investiture Controversy, John Paul II just passed away in 2005, and Alexander Pope was a poet and never a papal authority.

From Quiz The First Crusade

Answer: to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims

The declared aim of the First Crusade was to recapture the Holy Land from the Seljuk Turks, who were Muslims. Another aim was to reduce the threat to Byzantium. Emperor Alexius I (the Byzantine emperor at the time) appealed to Pope Urban II for aid. Another aim was to provide employment for the growing number of robber barons in Western Europe, who were becoming a conspicuous pest. There is also the view that the stated aim of the crusade was a cover for a war of personal gain by the nobles of Western Europe.

From Quiz Mighty Monarchs IX (Kingdom of Jerusalem)

Answer: Baldwin I

Baldwin I (r. 1100-1118 AD) had succeeded his brother and had no problem with assuming the title of king! Adelaide made harsh terms - if the marriage proved childless, her son Roger II would inherit the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The marriage was not popular with the king's subjects because Baldwin had not legally divorced his current wife yet! The marriage was annulled in 1117 AD. Baldwin had become seriously ill and claimed that to save his soul he must take his first wife back (in reality Sicilian aid had never materialized and he had already spent Adelaide's wealth). Baldwin was succeeded by his cousin Baldwin of Le Bourg (Baldwin II r. 1118-1131 AD).

From Quiz Mighty Monarchs III (the Crusades)

Answer: Alexius I

Alexius I (r. 1081-1118 AD) is considered the founder of the Comnenus Dynasty (even though his uncle Isaac I had been emperor earlier 1057-1059 AD). He was succeeded by his son, John II (r. 1118-1143 AD), his grandson, Manuel I (r. 1143-1180 AD), his great-grandson, Alexius II (r. 1180-1183 AD), and finally by a another grandson, Andronicus I (r. 1183-1185 AD).

From Quiz History of the Crusades

Answer: Walter Sansavoir of Poiss

Walter and Peter the Hermit managed to make it to Constantinople. Most of their army was wiped out in the area of Hungary. They were responsible for massive violence against the Jews in the Rhineland prior to their crusade.

From Quiz Richard I Vs. Saladin

Answer: Jews and Muslims

Jews and Muslims fought valiantly but unsuccessfully together as they attempted to defend Jerusalem from the marauding French and Norman Christians. Led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Baldwin of Bouillon, Tancred de Hauteville, Raymond of Toulouse, Robert Curthose, Stephen of Blois, Bohemond of Taranto, and Robert II, Count of Flanders, the Christians took control of the city on July 15, 1099. They then proceeded to massacre any remaining civilian Jews and Muslims, tearing down mosques and pillaging treasures to their hearts' content.

From Quiz Knights in White Sackcloth

Answer: Poverty, chastity, obedience

The order initially had 72 rules of conduct, and these were very particular in that a knight must always wear his white tunic with the red cross, that it be made of the poorest material available (not the best choice for battle perhaps), that he be chaste and avoid the company of less mature men and all women, even sisters and mothers. The rules covered what he ate, how often and how much. He had to be dressed properly (always in his white tunic) during meals, at prayers and in public, but never appear foppish or grand. He was not to bathe too often or exalt himself in any way, no long hair was permitted, no affected style of clothing or manner. He was to appear modest and humble at all times and serve only God. There was a Grand Master (or equivalent) at each major base, but ultimately all answered to the Pope. In later years these rules numbered in the hundreds and were de rigeur; breaking the rules could result in being stripped of one's knighthood.

From Quiz The Crusades

Answer: Peter Bartholomew

Bartholomew was put through an ordeal by fire in order to prove that he spoke the truth about the Holy Lance and the visions he said he was receiving from St. Andrew. He died because of it. Peter Abelard was a theologian of the same time period, Richard participated in another crusade, and Ptolemy was one of the diadochoi who inherited the territory of Alexander the Great.

From Quiz The Crusades: A Brief Tour

Answer: Acre

Acre fell in 18th May, 1291. After that date, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was a mere title without any land.

From Quiz Mighty Monarchs IX (Kingdom of Jerusalem)

Answer: Fulk of Anjou

Fulk (r. 1131-1144 AD) had previously abdicated his position as Count of Anjou (Fulk V, the Young, r. 1106-1129 AD) in favor of his son, Geoffrey Plantagenet, to go and help defend the Holy Land. Shortly after arriving (May 1129 AD) in the Holy Land he married Melisende, daughter of King Baldwin II (r. 1118-1131 AD). Fulk's claim to the throne was based on his marriage. This established the tradition that if the king died without a male heir, the succession passed on through the female line. This made the royal daughters a valuable political asset and at times a political liability, for when they died their husbands technically lost the throne. Fulk left two sons who succeeded him in turn - Baldwin III (r. 1144-1162 AD) and Amalric I (r. 1162-1174 AD).

From Quiz Mighty Monarchs III (the Crusades)

Answer: Peter the Hermit

After Urban II declared the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont (Nov 18-28, 1095 AD), Peter began to preach around France. He would also travel to Germany gathering more pilgrims. He reportedly arrived (Jun 1096 AD) at the border of the Byzantine Empire with about 60,000 people.

From Quiz Richard I Vs. Saladin

Answer: Portugal

In 1147, Lisbon, Portugal was retaken from Muslim control. Several preachers had called for this Crusade, most notably Bernard of Clairvaux. While the excursions of this Crusade were largely unsuccessful in Jerusalem and Damascus, Syria, this victory sustained the Crusaders with a feeling of accomplishment.

From Quiz Knights in White Sackcloth

Answer: Protecting Christian pilgrims

The prime responsibility of the knights was to protect the 'Holy Land' and all Christians making pilgrimage to or from there. Their sole allegiance was to God and the pope. No king, country or territory had any authority over them after the papal bull of Pope Innocent II in 1139. The 'Omne Datum Optimum' exempted all knights and members from adherence to territorial or earthly laws, so they could not only cross easily from one country into another, but were also exempt from all taxes. The 'Holy Land' was holy to other religions besides Christianity, and therefore much fought over. Many pilgrims of all faiths were killed on their way to or from Jerusalem.

From Quiz The Crusades

Answer: Constantinople

At this time, Constantinople was the seat of the Byzantine Empire. The Crusaders sacked the city when they arrived, and the Pope responded by ex-communicating Venice. But the Venetians benefited by taking control of the lucrative trade routes that ran through Constantinople.

From Quiz The Crusades: A Brief Tour

Answer: He was kidnapped

Richard was shipwrecked in the Adriatic, seized while passing through Austria and held for ransom by the Emperor Henry IV. His ransom was collected, despite the efforts of his brother John and King Phillip Augustus of France to prevent his release.

From Quiz From Pilgrims to Saracens and Crusaders

Answer: a little palm-tree branch

A tiny bag with a particle of wood from the Holy Cross. Pilgrimages were declared 'useless' in 1530 by the Augsburg Confession - the first Protestant declaration of 'articles of faith'. That such pilgrimages were not without danger may be illustrated by the case of Vesalius, the Flemish anatomist, who as a punishment for his 'sacrilegious' dissecting of corpses was sent to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. On the return trip his ship capsized and most of the pilgrims were drowned. For the author of "De Humani Corporis Fabrica" the "pilgrimage sentence" had become a death sentence. Pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela attached a seashell to their outfit.

From Quiz Richard I Vs. Saladin

Answer: Saladin

Saladin's name was actually Yusuf (Joseph in modern English), but he acquired the sobriquet "Salah ad-Din" meaning "Righteousness of the Faith" due to his devout Muslim faith. He was born to a Kurdish family in Tikrit, Mesopotamia. Although he was an outstanding military leader, many people believe that he was much more interested in religion than in military matters.

From Quiz Knights in White Sackcloth

Answer: Permission from their spouse

In times of need, married men became knights, some for only a set period of time, generally when a fighting presence was required during the Crusades. A married man was not allowed to wear the white mantle. The Order had an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 members at its height. The divisions were: the noble knights (about 10%), a nobleman choosing to become a Templar had to already be a knight and was to wear the white tunic at all times, so to be recognised for his purity and celibacy; the non-noble sergeants, who were needful as builders, horse tenders, blacksmiths and administrators - these wore brown or black clothing; the Chaplains, ordained priests who saw to the spiritual side. All three wore the red cross on their clothing. The Knights were equipped with horses, squires (not members of the Order, but hired as needed) and heavy arms. The Knights and their forces were considered fierce fighters and usually in the forefront of battle. They were sworn to keep fighting so long as their flag had not fallen. In different battles, with different allies, they were to continue fighting until no friendly force's flag was visible.

From Quiz The Crusades

Answer: Kings' Crusade

The Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, was also a part of this crusade. Unfortunately, he drowned in a river on the way. Some say that he drowned because he leaned down to the water for a drink and his armor was so heavy that it he could not rise again. The Popular Crusade is the name of the First Crusade, the Children's Crusade is a sad story and was never counted as an actual crusade. The Last Crusade is one of the Indiana Jones movies.

From Quiz The First Crusade

Answer: massacred Muslims and Jews

It's ironic. Although Crusading was supposed to be an act of religious penance, there was a huge massacre of the Muslim and Jewish residents of the city. It didn't matter whether you were a man, woman or child. Everyone was killed and in fact some Christians already in Jerusalem were ill-treated and robbed. The Jews retreated into a synagogue which was set on fire. The Muslims went into a mosque and were slaughtered.

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Last Updated Nov 30 2024 5:45 AM

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