Crusades Timeline

The First Crusade

1096

The First Crusade happened in 1096. Four armies were formed from troops of different Western European regions lead by Raymond of Saint-Gilles, Godfrey of Bouillon, Hugh of Vermandois and Bohemond of Taranto (with his nephew Tancred).

Massacre of Jews in the Rhineland

1096

Another group of Crusaders, led by the notorious Count Emicho, carried out a series of massacres of Jews in various towns in the Rhineland in 1096, drawing widespread outrage and causing a major crisis in Jewish-Christian relations.

Attack on Nicea

1097

They first arrived in Constantinople but in May, 1097 the Crusaders and their Byzantine allies attacked Nicea, the Seljuk Capital of Anatolia. The city then surrendered in late june.

Capture of Antioch

1098

The Crusaders marched through Anatolia then continued to capture the Syrian city Antioch

Crusaders Capture Jerusalem

1099

The Christians forced the cities governor to surrender but despite Tancred's promise of protection, they slaughtered many men, woman, and children.

Second Crusade

1147

In 1144, the Seljuk general Zangi, governor of Mosul, captured Edessa, which called for another Crusade. It was led by King Louis VII of France and King Conrad III of Germany.

Conrad's Defeat at Dorylaeum

1147

In that October, the Turks annihilated the Conrad's forces at Dorylaeum which was the first sight of the Christian victory during the first Crusade.

Attack on Damascus

1154

Louis and Conrad managed to assemble their armies at Jerusalem and attacked the Syrian Stronghold of Damascus with 50,000 Crusaders which was the largest force yet. Damascus's ruler then called on on Nur al-Din, Zangi’s successor in Mosul,and combined Muslim forces that dealt a humiliating defeat to the Crusaders that ended the second Crusade.

Seizure of Cario

1169

The Crusaders of Jerusalem made many attempts to capture Egypt Nur al-Din’s forces seized Cairo in 1169 and forced the Crusader army to evacuate.

Third Crusade

1187

Outrages of defeats inspired the first Crusade led by rulers such as the aging Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, King Philip II of France, and King Richard I of England.

Fall of Jerusalem

1187

Saladin began a major campaign against the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. His troops destroyed the Christian army at the battle of Hattin, taking back the important city and a large amount of territory.

Battle of Arsuf

1191

Richard’s forces Saladin's army in the battle of Arsuf, which is considered the only true battle of the Third Crusade.

Peace Treaty Between Richard and Saladin

1192

In September, Richard and Saladin signed a peace treaty that reestablished the Kingdom of Jerusalem that ended the Third Crusade.

The Fourth Crusade

1198

Pope Innocent III called for a new Crusade in 1198, but power struggles between Europe and Byzantium diverted the Crusaders mission in order to topple the reigning Byzantine emperor, Alexius III.

Sack of Constntinople

1204

After Alexius IV was strangled after a palace coup in early 1204,
the Crusaders declared war on Constantinople, and the Fourth Crusade ended with the Fall of Constantinople, marked by a bloody conquest, looting and near-destruction of the magnificent Byzantine capital later that year.

Children's Crusade.

1212

The Children’s Crusade is a movement of thousands of young children who vowed to march to Jerusalem. Although it was called the Children’s Crusade, most historians don’t regard it as an actual crusade, and many experts question whether the group was really comprised of children. They never reached the Holy Land.

Fifth Crusade

1221

The Fifth Crusade, put in motion by Pope Innocent III before his death in 1216, attacked Egypt from both land and sea but were forced to surrender by Saladin’s nephew, Al-Malik al-Kamil ad his army in 1221.

Sixth Crusade

1229

In the Sixth Crusade, Emperor Frederick II achieved the peaceful transfer of Jerusalem to Crusader control through negotiation with al-Kamil. The peace treaty expired a decade later, and Muslims easily regained control of Jerusalem.

End of Crusades

1291

One of the only remaining Crusader cities, Acre, fell to the Muslim Mamluks. Many historians believe this defeat marked the end of the Crusader States and the Crusades themselves.