Turkish Muslims entered Europe due to religious wars, 17 lakh people were killed…Why did this issue become heated in Maharashtra elections?

New Delhi: This bloody and destructive story of the Crusades begins when Muslims conquered about two-thirds of the ancient Christian world by the end of the 11th century. It included significant areas of Palestine, Syria, Egypt and Anatolia. The Christian countries of Europe were initially successful in the crusades to stop the spread of Islam. Established a Christian state in Palestine and Syria, but the steady growth of Islam eventually shattered Europe’s advance. The Crusades are a controversial and dark chapter in the history of Christianity. An estimated 1.7 million people were killed during these 8 Crusades, including a large number of women, elderly and children.
These days, even during the Maharashtra Assembly election campaign, the discussion of vote jihad vs religious war is in full swing between BJP and non-BJP parties. Let us know the first installment of the bloody story of these crusades.

When a general captured the Byzantine Empire

By the end of the 11th century, Western Europe had emerged as an important power in its own right. However, it still lagged behind civilizations in the Mediterranean such as the Byzantine Empire (formerly the eastern part of the Roman Empire) and the Islamic Empire of the Middle East and North Africa. After years of anarchy and civil war, the general Alexius Comnenus seized the Byzantine throne in 1081 and established control over the rest of the empire as Emperor Alexius I.

Seljuk Turks captured the Byzantine Empire

In 1095 Alexius sent envoys to Pope Urban II asking for mercenaries from the West to help counter the Turkish threat. However, relations between Christians of East and West had long been poor. At the same time, Alexius’ appeal to help came at a time when the situation was improving. In such a situation Alexius did not get any help. The Byzantine Empire was later captured by the invading Seljuk Turks. These Turks also defeated the Abbasi Caliphs of Iraq.

This is how the Crusade started, the Pope appealed

At the Council of Clermont in southern France in November 1095, the Pope called on Western Christians to take up arms to help the Byzantine Empire and recapture the Holy Land from Muslim control. From here Europe started a crusade against Muslims.

Despite being driven out again and again, the Turks made a place in Europe.

By the 14th century the Ottoman Turks had established themselves in the Balkans and, despite repeated attempts to expel them, pushed deeper into Europe. Today Türkiye has become an important country in Europe. The label of being the sick country of Europe was deliberately imposed on it.

Christians had to leave Syria after 8 crusades

There were 8 crusades from 1095 to 1291. The end result was that Latin Christians ultimately had to flee Syria. Several expeditions were carried out to the Holy Land, Spain and even the Baltic. The Crusades continued for several centuries after 1291. The Crusades declined rapidly during the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation and the decline of archaic Christianity.

Italian shipping companies were challenging Muslims at sea

Economic awakening was taking place even before the Crusades. Farms were being created by clearing forest land. Borders were being expanded and markets were being controlled. Italian shipping companies began challenging Muslim dominance in the Mediterranean. Particularly important for the Crusades were changes in the Church in the 11th century that also challenged the authority of the Pope, paving the way for the Crusades.

Abundance of pilgrimage sites, war for supremacy at three centers

Eleventh-century Europe was full of local shrines housing the relics of saints. But three major centers of pilgrimage stood out from the others—Rome, home to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul, Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain, and Jerusalem, home of the tomb of Jesus Christ.

Feudal society was growing in Western Europe

While still backward compared to other civilizations in the Mediterranean basin, Western Europe had become a significant power by the end of the 11th century. It was composed of several countries, which were largely feudal in nature. During that period, there were local wars in Europe. Incidents of looting and practices of slavery were becoming rampant in the entire European society. At the same time, there were some monarchies which were already developing better integrated governance systems.

Pope used to give absolution letters to criminals for money

Pilgrimages also came to be regarded in Europe at that time as a form of redemption and atonement for serious sins. Even sometimes, after taking a lot of money from the sinner, the Pope of Rome would give him/her a letter of absolution. In such a situation, it came to be considered a certificate of respect for those who received the letter of absolution. This was like a guarantee for such criminals.

This is the mathematics of votes in Maharashtra, understand

The equation of castes has to be understood in Maharashtra, which has a 288-member assembly. According to the 2011 census, Maratha population in Maharashtra is about 32 percent. At the same time, Dalits are 14, Muslims are 11.54 and tribals are 9.35 percent. This is about 65 percent of the total population. These voters are about 60 percent of the total voters and it was with their support that MVA got 31 out of 48 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. At the same time, Mahayuti had to be satisfied with only 17 seats.