First Crusade - Page 18 of 21

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Aftermath

The crusaders were now in possession of Jerusalem plus two other states. What next? The representative of the pope was Bishop Adhemar, but he had died during the siege of Antioch. The crusaders chose Godfrey to be king of Jerusalem, but Godfrey declared that only Christ could be king in that city and chose instead the title of Defender of the Holy Sepulcher.

Many of the crusaders visited the holy sites, including trips as far afield as the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee, then they returned home to Europe. Within a few months, all Godfrey had left was about fifty knights.

News went back to a joyous Europe, but Urban II himself died on 29 July without ever knowing the results of his crusade. There were immediate calls for reinforcements for the Holy Land, and three more armies set out. All three separately met disaster in 1101 in Anatolia; only a handful reached the Holy Land.

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History of Western Civilization
Boise State University
Last Revised 17 August 1995