Richard I Vs. Saladin Quiz | Specialized History

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Many Crusades were fought in the Middle Ages between Christian Europeans and Muslim Middle Easterners. Richard the Lionheart (Richard I) and Saladin led their armies to battle in "religious" wars. During which of the Crusades did these men find themselves at odds with each other?

Answer: 3rd

There were actually NINE major Crusades, and a whole bunch of minor ones!
I had no idea... I only knew of three.

It was during the third set of Crusades that these two military leaders clashed.

2. Christians vs. Muslims and Jews. The First Crusade involved all three groups as they engaged in fighting, gouging, kicking, and stomping each other to death, all in the name of religion. A series of Christian-originated vicious attacks against the Jews took place in Europe, well before the involvement of men like Richard I or of his counterpart Saladin. Known as the "Persecutions of 1096" and "Gezeroth Tatenu", in what area of Europe did these attacks take place?

Answer: The Rhineland

The area generally known as the Rhineland essentially follows the Rhine River in Germany in the region that lies between France and the Netherlands.

In parts of France and Germany (as well as other places in Europe), Jews were hated by Christians almost as much as Muslims were. Moreover, some Christians had gone into debt, purchasing the weaponry that they needed for the Crusades by borrowing from Jewish money-lenders.

Feelings of anti-Semitism ran high, and that, coupled with ignorance, fear and suspicion of any people who did not embrace Christianity as their own religion simply fueled the flames of hatred that continually spilled over during the period of the Middle Ages and the Crusades that were spawned during them.

3. In the First Crusade, which alliance of religious groups defended Jerusalem against the invading armies who were attempting to gain control of the city?

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.

4. During the Second Crusade (a misnomer, because a minor, less successful Crusade had actually occurred in 1101), what area of Europe was "freed" of Muslim control?

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.

5. By the time of the Third Crusade, Muslim in-fighting had ceased to be as problematic as it had once been. Who was the man largely responsible for obtaining cooperation among his fellow Muslims?

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.

6. Just prior to the Third Crusade, Saladin and his forces re-took Jerusalem, inviting the Jews to come back in. The fall of Jerusalem prompted Richard I of England to begin a campaign designed to retake the city for the Christians. By what name was the financing of this Crusade known?

Answer: the Saladin tithe

"The Saladin tithe", also known as the "Aid of 1188", was essentially a tax that was implemented to help pay for the Third Crusade. The tax was quite literally a tithe, or a 10% tax that fell due on revenues and property. Unlike other government-generated taxes, this one was collected by the local priest or bishop of an area.

7. When Richard the Lionheart of England arrived at Acre, he assisted Guy of Lusignan in the conquest of that city. He and his men then conquered the coastal city of Jaffa. Richard then set his eyes on another prize. What city in the Holy Land did Richard attempt unsuccessfully to conquer next?

Answer: Jerusalem

Richard had made a great error in judgment in his conquest of Acre. He had taken nearly 3,000 hostages, hoping to use them as hostages to negotiate with Saladin, but for some unexplained reason he killed all of them before negotiations could even commence. Perhaps he feared a revolt among them; maybe he did not have means to feed them. Whatever the reasons were, the knowledge of this action strengthened Saladin's resolve to defend Jerusalem.

Richard eventually had to accept that Jerusalem would not be his. Agreement could not be reached even among his allies in their planning to take Jerusalem, so ultimately Richard was forced to retreat and was denied his prize.

8. Which battle of the Third Crusade which was fought in 1192 was the last to be fought between Richard and Saladin?

Answer: Battle of Jaffa

After the Battle of Jaffa the leaders of the combatants, Richard I and Saladin, negotiated the terms of a truce, and while Jerusalem had not fallen to the Christians, they were allowed to make pilgrimages to the city.

The determinations made concerning the Battle of Jaffa were significant in that they forced Saladin to make concessions that he had previously been loath to make. A three year truce was drawn up, as both sides had exhausted themselves in this final battle.

9. What caused the death of Richard I Lionheart?

Answer: he got gangrene caused by an arrow

Some sources indicate that a man killed him by firing a longbow at him. Others say it was a young boy. In either event, Richard died of gangrene that set up in the wound on April 6, 1199, just days after he had attempted to pull the arrow out himself. A surgeon then attempted to remove it, but badly mangled the king's arm in so doing. Gangrene set up and one of Richard's last acts was to provide for the clemency of the man who had attacked him out of revenge for killing his father and two brothers.

After Richard's death, however, a mercenary named Mercadier had the perpetrator flayed (skinned) alive and then hanged.

10. How did the Muslim military leader Saladin die?

Answer: fever

Not long after Richard the 1st had left the region of Palestine, Saladin died of a fever March 4, 1193, at Damascus, Syria. He was buried in a mausoleum in that city.

Source: Author logcrawler

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Richard I Vs. Saladin Trivia Quiz

Richard I vs. Sala"dean" is Quiz Number 3 of a series based on my teammates' names. They volunteered to be my guinea pigs. I volunteered to "experiment" on them! (Bwaa-haa-haaa!) (This one is for Dean ... as in Sala"DEAN". Hope you enjoy this series!

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