Mighty Monarchs III (the Crusades) Quiz

Answer: Romanus IV

Romanus IV (r. 1067-1071 AD) was captured and his army (more precisely those soldiers that did not desert or abruptly change sides during the battle) were massacred. He would be released after less than a month (the Sultan wanted a weak and grateful monarch on the Byzantine throne). During his brief captivity Michael VII (r. 1071-1078 AD) had assumed the throne and had Romanus hunted down and blinded before he could reach Constantinople. Nicephorus III (r. 1078-1081 AD) would continue to lose ground to the Turks. Alexius I (r. 1081-1118 AD) would begin to turn the tide during his reign.

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).

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.

Answer: an argument over the price of a pair of shoes

Shoes?

Answer: Antioch

Firuz was on watch in one of the towers when he lowered ladders down allowing a small contingent of Norman soldiers to gain access. They quickly seized the tower's gate and opened it. Before the sleeping citizens knew it the streets were filled with rampaging Normans. Bohemond, contrary to an earlier oath, would not return the city to Alexius I, Byzantine Emperor.

Answer: Jerusalem

The Crusaders first sighted Jerusalem on Tuesday June 7, 1099 AD. The siege began that very day and lasted til July 15, 1099 AD. After the city fell there was a wholesale massacre of the entire Muslim and Jewish population.

Answer: Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lower Lorraine

Godfrey would refuse to use the title of 'king.' Instead he took the title 'Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri' (Protector of the Holy Sepulchre).

Answer: Edessa

It would take the Pope a year to gather enough support from the monarchs of Europe before he officially declared the crusade (Dec 1, 1145 AD). He was aided in his efforts by St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Answer: Louis VII, the Young

Louis VII (r. 1137-1180 AD) was the son of Louis VI (r. 1108-1137 AD). Louis VIII reigned 1223-1226 AD). Louis IX (r. 1226-1270 AD) would lead the Seventh (1248-1254 AD) and the Eighth (1270 AD) Crusades.

Answer: Conrad III

Conrad III (r. 1138-1152 AD) was accompanied by his nephew Frederick, Duke of Swabia, on the crusade. Frederick would succeed his uncle as Holy Roman Emperor and reign til 1189 AD.

Answer: Eleanor

Considered one of history's greatest women! She would be Duchess of Aquitaine (r. 1137-1204 AD), Queen of France (1137-1152 AD), and finally Queen of England (1152-1189 AD). She ruled Aquitaine in her own right and both of her husbands (Louis VII of France and Henry II of England) would assume the title of 'Duke', but because she inherited the duchy from her father (Duke William X r. 1127-1137 AD) she would be the primary ruler (in theory).

She would associate her and Henry's son, Richard (the Lion-Hearted), in the rule of the duchy from 1172-1199 AD.

Answer: Salah al-Deen

Better known in Western history books as Saladin. Known to be fair and just to those he defeated he did have a savage streak. Upon defeating and capturing Guy, King of Jerusalem, at the 'Horns of Hattin' (Jul 4, 1187 AD) he had an audience with the king and the other leading captive nobles. Saladin, sensing the king's thirst, handed Guy a cup of water.

After drinking, Guy handed the cup to Reynald of Chatillon who proceeded to take a drink. In Muslim society to offer a defeated enemy food or drink meant that his life would be safe. Saladin, remembering Reynald's past behavior, began to shout that Guy had offered him the water and, seizing a sword, personally chopped off his head. Saladin quickly reassured Guy that he was safe ('a king does not kill a king').

Answer: after departing the Holy Land he traveled to Rome for an interview with Pope Celestine III

Upon departing the Holy Land his ship sank, forcing him to travel overland through the Duchy of Austria. He was seized by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, on December 11, 1192 AD for his insulting behavior towards the duke at the Siege of Acre. Interlude - after the successful capture of Acre by the Third Crusade, Leopold had raised his standard next to those of King Richard and King Philip II of France. Richard seized the standard and threw it in the dirt saying that no mere duke should be so arrogant. Leopold would soon depart the Holy Land seething with revenge. Back to the story - Leopold would turn his royal captive over to his own overlord Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, in March 1193 AD. Second interlude - Richard was the brother-in-law of Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony (one of the Emperor's primary enemies). Back to the story - He would be released in March 1194 AD after agreeing to pay a huge ransom.

He imposed harsh taxes on his people to keep his word. Epilogue - in reality he only saw his English Kingdom as a 'cash cow' to finance his Crusading dreams and his continental policies.

He spoke little or no English. And he actually did only spent 6 months in his kingdom.

Answer: Philip II, Augustus

Personally Philip and Richard were friendly towards one another. But when it came time to put the interests of their kingdoms first, they were the bitterest of enemies.

Answer: False

The Third Crusade, though the most famous Crusade, was overall a failure. On Sep 2, 1192 AD Richard and Saladin signed a truce which would allow Christian pilgrims free and safe passage to visit the Holy City. He would depart for Europe (Oct 9, 1192 AD) refusing even to visit the city that he had failed to reclaim for Christendom.

Answer: Venice

The Republic of Venice, sometimes referred to as the Republic of St. Mark (their patron saint), was led by the Doge (Duke) Enrico Dandolo (r. 1192-1205 AD). He was responsible for diverting the Crusade away from Egypt and towards the conquest of Constantinople.

Answer: the Crusaders were unable to repay Venice for its support

Venice wished to add Zara, its trade rival in the Adriatic, to its maritime empire. Enrico Dandolo, Doge (Duke) of Venice, demanded that the Crusaders capture the city, since they still had not provided the money they had promised him. The city fell on Nov 15, 1202 AD. Upon hearing the news Pope Innocent III would excommunicate the Venetians but not the Crusaders.

Answer: Constantinople

They actually accomplished two successful sieges of Constantinople during the Crusade. They first laid siege to the capital in order to overthrow Alexius III and restore his brother, Isaac II, to the throne (along with Isaac's son Alexius IV). The walls of the city were breached on July 17, 1203 AD and Alexius III fled the city. Isaac II and Alexius IV assumed the throne.

They would themselves be overthrown by a son-in-law of Alexius III in Feb 1204 AD. This man was yet another Alexius and was crowned Alexius V.

The Crusaders, who still had not been paid for restoring Isaac and his son to the throne, demanded redress from the new emperor (with no results). The second siege of Constantinople began on Apr 6, 1204 AD and ended six days later. This time the Crusaders showed no mercy! They would strip the churches bare and desecrate their altars.

A prostitute sat on the throne of the Patriarch (of the Greek Orthodox Church) and sang dirty songs.

Answer: Francis of Assisi

Sultan al-Kamil would offer to return the city of Jerusalem (in Muslim hands since 1187 AD) if the Crusaders would evacute Egypt. THEY REFUSED!

Answer: Frederick II

Frederick II had been excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX (c. 1227 AD) for failing to depart for the Holy Land at an earlier date. The Treaty of Jaffa (Feb 18, 1229 AD) gave the cities of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth back to the Christians. Once in Jerusalem he crowned himself King of Jerusalem (on Mar 18, 1229 AD) though his son technically was king. Reason - Frederick's wife, Isabella, was the daughter of John I, of Brienne, the last King of Jerusalem, and the title came through her. Thus Frederick had been considered the uncrowned king since his marriage in 1225 AD but when his son, Conrad, was born in 1228 AD the child legally received the title. Frederick would retain the title til 1243 AD when he finally turned it over to his son. Conrad would never set foot in his kingdom (he died in 1254 AD). Ironically the Holy City of Jerusalem would be excommunicated by the Archbishop of Caesarea for aiding and abetting Frederick!

Answer: Damietta

Louis IX would travel to the new capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Acre) upon his release. Jerusalem had earlier been recaptured by the Muslims (Aug 23, 1244 AD). He would not depart for Europe til Apr 24, 1254 AD.

Answer: he died from a disease spreading through the Crusader's camp

Louis IX died on August 25, 1270 AD hours before his brother Charles I, King of Sicily, arrived.

Answer: Edward I, King of England

Kind of a tricky (but simple) question. Edward was the first Edward (since the Norman Conquest of 1066 AD) and he was king. He once was a prince but his great-grandson was 'the Black Prince.' He was known as 'Longshanks' (not Longpanks) because of his heighth.

He also was known as a 'Hammer' but not 'of the Welsh.' He was known as the 'Hammer of the Scots.' Sorry. In all fairness he did subdue the Welsh by promising them he would raise his newly born son, also named Edward (the future King Edward II), as a Welshman and would give him the title of 'Prince of Wales.' This started the tradition of bestowing this title to the heir to the throne of England. So presently, whenever Queen Elizabeth II dies (or abdicates) Prince Charles will become king and his son, Prince William, will become the new Prince of Wales.

Answer: True

The 'Children's Crusade' ended in disaster for the expedition from France when the children were tricked and eventually sold into slavery by their ships' captains (Hugh the Iron and William the Pig) in Muslim North Africa.

Answer: Catharism

It was known as the Albigensian Crusade because the city of Albi was the center of Catharism. The fighting was extremely brutal and savage (on both sides).