Social Change: There was a widening world view as Crusaders came into contact with people of different cultures. For example, some Crusaders realised that the actions and values of some Muslims were very similar to their own Christian values., Christian views on warfare changed. Rather than being forbidden to fight, Christians were told that some wars were ‘just’ if they were fought in God’s name. This meant that later adventurers and explorers could justify their actions (such as the enslavement of indigenous peoples on other continents) as renewed Crusades., There was a huge loss of human life, often placed at around three million lives., Serfs who had volunteered to go on a Crusade were given their freedom. If they returned, they no longer had a secure place on a farm. Many moved to the towns and cities. There were fewer workers available on manors, especially as many of the serfs who had volunteered did not survive., A wealthy merchant class began to appear in places well-situated to benefit from trade, such as Mediterranean cities like Venice, Florence and Genoa., Economic Change: The Crusaders returning home brought with them a desire for the goods they known in the Islamic world (e.g. spices, silk, rice, apricots, lemons). This demand encouraged trade between Europe and Asia., Crusaders needed to buy food and equipment as they travelled across Europe to the Holy Land. This stimulated the economy in many parts of Europe., There were new developments in banking and commercial practices. Islamic states had streamlined commercial practices, and these were increasingly adopted by Europeans., Crusades increased the wealth and power of the Catholic Church. People wanting to go on Crusade often sold their property to the Church or gave generous donations to the Church, Political change: The central power of monarchs increased as the death of the lord of a manor resulted in his lands being handed back to the Crown., Warring Islamic nations like Egypt, Syria and Palestine were unified under Saladin and were more formidable as enemies of the Crusaders., The authority of the Pope also increased as Crusades were promoted by the Church., Jerusalem did not become a permanent Christian city, they were successful in halting the advance of the Turks into the Byzantine Empire for several centuries., Cultural Change: There was a spread of ideas in the arts, literature, education, science, mathematics, philosophy, medicine and architecture., There was an exchange of technologies between the Islamic and Western worlds, like maps, compasses, construction techniques (especially for castles), siege techniques, weapons — with new technologies travelling mostly from the Islamic to the Western world., The Crusades stimulated interest in other places and may be credited with the journeys undertaken by adventurers like Marco Polo in the 13th and 14th centuries.,

Impacts of the Crusades

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