How Did the Crusades Actually Work?

When thinking about the middle ages, chances are that among the many images popping into your mind there stands a noble knight. Now, there are a variety of myths about what it was like to be a knight during medieval times, not just spread by Hollywood, but even by the contemporary legends during medieval times themselves- in both featuring widespread depictions of the chivalric knight rushing to the aid of damsels in distress and generally spending their time being bastions of all that is good and the very definition of "noble". We’ll get into a lot of these myths throughout this video, but within this mythology we have the white clad Christian knight, his shield or surcoat adorned with a cross. And on the other side an equally imposing Muslim horseman, peppering said knight with dozens of arrows. But behind the epic facade of titanic clashes in the Holy Land, lurk the mundane realities of Mediaeval era warfare. For example: that brave warrior signed by the Cross, was statistically less likely to fall in combat, than to die pants down, squatting behind a bush and emptying his bloody bowels. But who would have been responsible to feed and water that knight? Who would have paid for his weapons, horses, supplies? Who organised transport for Crusaders troops, and how? Who led them into combat? And going further up the chain: how did Crusades actually start in the first place? In short, how did the crusades actually work from a practical standpoint from start to finish? If these questions keep you up at night, as they do us, well, you’re in luck. For today we will be diving into all this, as well as a whole lot of knightly myth debunking along the way, including whether any supposedly chivalrous knight in history actually ever rescued a damsel in distress. So strapon your spaulders and gardbraces, and don your noble helm, and let’s dive into it all, shall we? Author: Arnaldo Teodorani Host: Simon Whistler Editor: Daven Hiskey Producer: Samuel Avila Sponsor note:  Our listeners get 10% off their first month at ⁠⁠betterhelp.com/BrainFoodShow⁠⁠. Go to  ⁠hellofresh.com/brainfood10fm⁠ to get 10 free meals plus a free item for life.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices