The Crusades and Christianity

Reading Stark’s account of the Crusades and Crusaders in How the West Won by Rodney Stark, I came to several conclusions. First, the historical times of the Crusades asked for a decision regarding the rise of Islam. In A.D. 632, after the death of the “Prophet” Mohamed, the Muslim forces conquered Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Northern Africa and entered Spain and Italy/Sicily. Long before the rise of Islam, these places had strong Christian communities. And when the Muslim armies conquered the Middle East and Northern Africa, they wiped out the Christians they encountered—entire Christian (and Jewish) communities were annihilated (old and young, and women and children as well). Moreover, when the Muslim forces entered Spain under the rule of Abd-al-Rahman, they did the same thing to the Christians living there and began burning Churches and plundering cities as well (Stark, 101). If that was not enough, at the end of the 10th century, Egypt’s caliph issued several rules asking for the destructions of all Churches in the Holy Land, and prohibited the Christian pilgrims from entering Palestine. Moreover, the Seljuk Turks, after capturing Jerusalem in 1071, attacked and killed many pilgrims in the Holy Land. Everything is that period of history demanded a response from the Christian nations. And the Christian nations responded by initiating the Crusades. In a way, Christianity’s present and future were at stake and several Christian leaders understood they need to do something about the rise of Islam. Therefore, Pope Urban I responded to the call of Alexius I by organizing the first (and most successful) Crusade to counterattack the Muslims. That was after rulers like Charlemagne fought and defeated the Muslims in Spain.
A second thing I’ve learned was that (contrary to what most of the historians wrote over time) the Crusaders went to war not because of greed or because they wanted more riches or land. Actually, they’ve spent large amounts of money to buy the war equipment needed to fight the Muslim soldiers and to cover their travel expenses. The high expenses required from a soldier to go in a Crusade limited the number of people who joined the Christian armies. The Crusaders did not fight for money or riches or more land, but out of a holy duty to God and Church. Most of the Crusaders went to war knowing they will not return home, and they were ready to die for the cause of Christianity and the Church.
Of course, not everything the Crusaders did was righteous. On several occasions, soldiers massacred their enemies even after they surrendered. And they also killed many Jewish people out of their zeal for the Christian cause. In every war there are innocent casualties and the Crusades were of no exception. In my view, the Church had to make a radical (even violent) stand against the threat of Islam. Without a counterattack, perhaps entire Europe would have been today under Islam. As a Romanian, I know that my nation fought many wars against the Ottomans and some of our national heroes (like Vlad the Impaler known as 'Dracula') fought ferocious battles against the Muslim forces (we did what we had to do in order to protect our country and people). The Muslim people (then and now) were cruel to all the non-Muslim people (infidels). The Muslim prophet taught his disciples to kill the infidels—that’s something that had to be seriously taken into consideration.
The Crusades were a response to the aspirations of Islam to conquer Europe and mock Christianity. Even though I have mixed feelings about the Crusades (because of their mistreating of the Jewish people in particular) I understand why the Crusades had to happen. The Muslim provoked the Christians and the Christians (mostly because of their superior technology) answered in power. By communicating this truth, the Church can help with the removal of the stigma caused by the Crusades. I believe we need to look at history and learn from it; repent where we need to repent and praise different people and measure when praise is required. I would add that the culture and philosophy of war was different 1000 years ago than how it is today. Therefore, we need to look at the Crusades through the lens of that time in history and the rules of war applicable to that time.
P.S. Click on this link if you want to write a book.