The First Crusade and the Creation of Outremer
Introduction
The First Crusade is the best-documented of all the Crusades, so we will spend all of Unit One looking at that. We will examine in detail who went, why they went, and what they did along the way. We will also look at some concepts, such as pilgrimage and penance, that are vital to an understanding of the events.
You aren't going to understand the First Crusade completely in a mere three weeks; or rather, your opinions are likely to change later in the course. A better understanding requires knowing what was going on in Europe at the time, as well as in Byzantium and Islam. But we cannot learn everything all at once, so I defer the wider context for later, preferring to plunge you headlong into the First Crusade itself.
A couple of remarks that apply to all the units: first, you will encounter words and phrases about which you will be uncertain. Some will be strange words where you know that you don't know, but many will be familiar words used in particular ways. Don't be shy about asking about these in discussion.
Finally, a word about popular myths. When you hear someone make a statement about "the Crusades", you will find it is nearly always about the First Crusade. So study this one carefully and then, as we move through the semester, take note of how the other crusades differed from this one. And keep your eyes and ears open as you watch TV, read the newspaper and books, watch movies, and so on. Watch for references not only to the Crusades themselves, but to all the many people and institutions associated with them (e.g., Richard the Lionhearted, the Templars, etc.). Most of it will be bad history, but it's fun to catch the references.