Grace Thompson
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The campaigns, which aimed to reclaim Jerusalem and its surrounding territories from Muslim rule, began with the First Crusade in 1095 and culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. The death toll from these expeditions varies according to different estimates, ranging from 1 million to 9 million. While some historians argue that only one in 20 Crusaders survived, others estimate a total death toll of 1.7 million. The higher estimates include the deaths of those who perished due to the chronic pestilence that plagued the region. The Crusades extended the reach of Christianity and Western civilization, increased the wealth of the Roman Catholic Church, and elevated the power of the Pope.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Death estimates for the Crusades | 1,000,000 (Fredric Wertham) |
| 2,000,000 (Charles Mackay) | |
| 3,000,000 (Matthew White, Fielding Hudson Garrison) | |
| 5,000,000 (Henry William Elson) | |
| 9,000,000 (John M. Robertson) | |
| Death estimates for the First Crusade | Tens of thousands |
| Death estimates for the conquest of Jerusalem | 1,700,000 |
| Time period of the Crusades | 1095 to 1291 |
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What You'll Learn
Death estimates range from 1 million to 9 million
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The death toll from these wars has been estimated to be anywhere from 1 million to 9 million people.
The lower estimate of 1 million deaths is provided by Fredric Wertham in his 1966 book, "A Sign for Cain: An Exploration of Human Violence." Charles Mackay, in his 1841 work, "Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds Vol. 2," estimates that 2 million Europeans died in the Crusades. Matthew White, in "The Great Big Book of Horrible Things: The Definitive Chronicle of History’s 100 Worst Atrocities" (2012), and Fielding Hudson Garrison, in "Notes on the History of Military Medicine" (1922), both place the death toll at 3 million.
Henry William Elson, in "Modern Times and the Living Past" (1921), estimates 5 million deaths, while John M. Robertson, in "A Short History of Christianity" (1902), gives the highest estimate of 9 million. He writes, "It is a reasonable calculation that in the two centuries from the first crusade to the fall of Acre (1291) there had perished, in the attempts to recover and hold the Holy Land, nine million human beings, at least half of them Christians. Misery and chronic pestilence had slain most; but the mere carnage had been stupendous."
These estimates vary widely due to the challenges of calculating death tolls for historical events, especially those that occurred centuries ago. The Crusades resulted in significant losses for both sides, with only one in 20 Crusaders estimated to have survived to reach the Holy Land. The conquest of Jerusalem alone resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians.
The Crusades were a brutal and violent chapter in history, leaving a legacy of bitter resentment among followers of Islam, Judaism, and other non-Christian faiths.
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The First Crusade
The Byzantine emperor, Alexius Comnenus, had asked the pope for help from the west as the Byzantines were struggling against the Seljuk Turks. The crusaders endured very difficult conditions, including a lack of food and water, and many men and horses died. A plague also broke out, killing many in the army, including the legate Adhemar. Cannibalism was reported among the crusaders, and there were disputes among the leaders.
There are various estimates of the death toll of the First Crusade. Jonathan Riley-Smith estimates a 37.3% overall death rate for crusaders during the First Crusade. Christopher Tyerman estimates a 33% death rate for aristocrats, with higher attrition rates for others, possibly as high as 70 or 80%. Jean Flori estimates a 66% overall casualty rate, while John France estimates a 75% overall death rate. These estimates are for the participants of the crusade, and do not include deaths among the general population.
Estimates of the total number of deaths across all the crusades range from one million to nine million. Fredric Wertham estimates one million total dead, Charles Mackay estimates two million dead Europeans, and Matthew White estimates three million total dead. John M. Robertson estimates nine million deaths across the two centuries from the first crusade to the fall of Acre in 1291, although modern historians tend to view such estimates with skepticism due to the challenges of accurately counting deaths over such a long period of time.
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The Children's Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these campaigns was to reclaim Jerusalem and its surrounding territories from Muslim rule. Beginning with the First Crusade, which culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, these expeditions spanned centuries and became a central aspect of European political, religious, and military history.
Estimates of the number of people killed in the Crusades vary widely. Some estimates place the death toll at around 1 million, while others put it as high as 9 million. Most estimates fall within the range of 1 million to 5 million deaths.
Now, the Children's Crusade was a popular religious movement in Europe during the summer of 1212. Thousands of young people took Crusading vows and set out to recover Jerusalem from the Muslims. The movement lasted only from May to September and ended in failure, with none of the participants reaching the Holy Land.
The traditional narrative of the Children's Crusade is likely a mix of historical and mythical events. It is said that a boy in France or Germany began to preach, claiming that Jesus had visited him and instructed him to lead a crusade to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. Through miracles and portents, he gathered a following of up to 30,000 children. They believed that the Mediterranean Sea would part upon their arrival, allowing them to walk to Jerusalem. However, this did not occur, and many of the children were sold into slavery in Tunisia or shipwrecked on San Pietro Island off Sardinia.
Despite lacking official sanction and not receiving papal approval, the religious fervor of the Children's Crusade helped to initiate the Fifth Crusade in 1218.
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The Venetian Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The Venetian Crusade, which took place from 1122 to 1124, was an important expedition to the Holy Land launched by the Republic of Venice that resulted in the capture of Tyre. This crusade was significant for several reasons and had far-reaching consequences.
The Venetian fleet, led by Doge Domenico Michiel, consisted of over 120 ships carrying more than 15,000 men. This crusade is notable for being the first time knights brought their horses with them. The Venetians were granted crusader privileges, including the remission of sins and protection for their families and property by the Church. The crusade culminated in the successful capture of Tyre in 1124, which expanded the Kingdom of Jerusalem to its greatest extent under Baldwin II.
While the exact death toll of the Venetian Crusade is unknown, it is estimated that the overall death toll of the Crusades was significant, ranging from 1 million to 9 million according to various sources. The Venetian Crusade contributed to this overall toll, though it is difficult to ascertain the specific number of casualties resulting from this particular campaign.
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The Eighth Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The first crusade culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, and across all social strata in Western Europe, there was an enthusiastic response. Various estimates place the death toll of the crusades between one and nine million people.
The idea behind the Eighth Crusade was to attack and defeat the Muslims in Egypt and then either reconquer or negotiate control of key Christian sites in the Levant, including Jerusalem. Tunis was chosen as the first target, from where the Crusaders planned to attack Egypt. However, the crusade ended in failure as Louis IX died of dysentery shortly after arriving in Tunisia. The Treaty of Tunis was negotiated, granting Christians commercial and some political rights, but no changes in territory were made. The Crusaders withdrew back to Europe soon after.
The failure of the Eighth Crusade, like its predecessors, inspired troubadours to craft responses in Occitan poetry. The death of Louis IX especially sparked their creative output, despite the hostility they had previously shown towards the French monarchy during the Albigensian Crusade.
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Frequently asked questions
Estimates of the number of deaths in the Catholic Crusades vary. Some estimates place the death toll at around 1 million, while others suggest a figure as high as 9 million. The majority of those who died were Christians.
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated and supported by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The goal of the Crusades was to reclaim Jerusalem and its surrounding territories from Muslim rule.
The Crusades began with the First Crusade in 1095 and culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. The expeditions spanned centuries and became a central aspect of European political, religious, and military history.
