Pope+Urban+II

 ** __Pope Urban II __ ** **1088-1099** **Known for:** **Inciting the First Crusade** **Reforming the Church** **Predecessor: Victor III** **Successor: Paschal II**

Pope Urban II contributed to the [|reformation] of the church in the late eleventh century; however he is primarily known as the instigator of the [|First Crusade] [1].

Born as Odo in 1035 in Soissons, France, Urban became cardinal-bishop of Ostia and [|legate] of [|Pope Gregory VII] in 1079/80. In March 1088 he was elected as pope, and ruled until his death in July 1099. Throughout his papacy Urban had to assert his authority over his rival, ‘[|anti-pope]’ [|Clement III], supported by [|Henry IV] of Germany [2].

**Reforming the Church**

Urban continued Gregory’s work in reforming the church, holding councils on issues such as clerical morality, election to church offices, and secular influences on ecclesiastical matters [3]. The council at Melfi in 1089 resulted in an influential decree against [|lay investiture].

Urban had spent the first five years of his rule south of Rome; after his return in 1093 he held more councils. Piacenza and [|Clermont] (both 1095) resulted in many decrees that can be found in [|Gratian’s] twelfth century collection of [|canon law] [4].

**Crusades**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pope Urban’s speech at Clermont (1095) is his first mention of the expedition to the East to rescue [|Christians] “from the power of the [|Saracens]” [5]. Urban admonished the people for their violence against each other [6], and reminded those reluctant to leave their lives behind of the Gospel:

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">//"Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren... or lands for my name’s sake shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life"// [7].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">He detailed the horrors Christians were enduring at the hands of the Eastern “barbarians” [8], as well as reminding the audience of [|Jerusalem’s] importance to Christianity: it was where [|Jesus Christ] died for humanity’s sins; it was their turn to sacrifice themselves [9]. Urban gave the masses permission to slay the Saracens, calling it righteous warfare [10], as well as promising absolution of all sins [11]. According to [|Robert the Monk], all those present simultaneously cried out “It is the will of God,” which became the crusaders’ war-cry [12].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Urban spent much time touring Europe, urging the people to participate in the crusade to “free the Churches of the East” [13]. He was successful in his undertaking, as is evident in the sheer number of crusaders (60 000), as well as the great cultural mix [14]. Jerusalem was taken by the crusaders in <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">1099, just before Urban’s death; however the news would not have reached him in time [15].

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16pt;">**References**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[1] D. C. Munro, ‘The Speech of Pope Urban II At Clermont, 1095,’ //The// //American Historical Review//, 11 (1906), p. 231 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[2] R. Somerville, ‘Urban II (1088-99),’ in F. J. Coppa, //The Great Popes Through History: An Encyclopaedia// vol. 1 (Westport, 2002), p. 107 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[3] Ibid. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[4] Ibid., p. 109-110 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[5] Ibid., p. 111 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[6] ‘Version of Balderic of Dol,’ August C. Krey, //The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eyewitnesses and Participants//, (Princeton: 1921), pp. 23-36, in //Internet Medieval Sourcebook:// http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.asp (accessed 19 August 2011) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[7] Robert the Monk, ‘Historia Hierosolymitana,’ in [RHC, Occ III.], Dana C. Munro, ‘Urban and the Crusaders’, //Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European History//, Vol 1:2, (Philadelphia: 1895), pp. 5-8, in //Internet Medieval Sourcebook:// http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.asp (accessed 19 August 2011) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[8] ‘Fulcher of Chartres: Gesta Francorum Jerusalem Expugnantium,’ Bongars, //Gesta Dei per Francos//, 1, pp. 382, trans in Oliver J. Thatcher, and Edgar Holmes McNeal, eds., //A Source Book for Medieval History//, (New York: 1905), pp. 513-517, in //Internet Medieval Sourcebook:// http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.asp (accessed 19 August 2011) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[9] ‘Version of Balderic of Dol’ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[10] Ibid. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[11] Fulcher of Chartres: Gesta Francorum Jerusalem Expugnantium <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[12] Robert the Monk <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[13] ‘Urban II: Letter of Instruction, December 1095,’ in August. C. Krey, // The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eyewitnesses and Participants //, (Princeton: 1921), pp. 42-43, in //Internet Medieval Sourcebook:// http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.asp (accessed 19 August 2011) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[14] J. Phillips, ‘Who Were The First Crusaders?’, //History Today//, 47 (1997), p. 17 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[15] R. Somerville, ‘Urban II (1088-99),’ in F. J. Coppa, //The Great Popes Through History: An Encyclopaedia// vol. 1 (Westport, 2002), p. 111

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16pt;">**External Links**

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Versions of Urban's speech at Clermont: **
 * [|Fulcher of Chartres]
 * [|Robert the Monk]
 * [|Gesta Francorum]
 * [|Balderic of Dol]
 * [|Guibert de Nogent]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">**Letters:**
 * [|Urban II's Letter of Instruction]