Summary:
As the aggression between the Byzantine Empire and the Turks increased, the emperor Alexius II reached out to Pope Urban II for aid, who in turn addressed large congregations of western Christians to aid their Byzantine brethren. Various accounts of his address illustrate a push for mass Christian involvement and devotion, an entitlement to the holy land, and a vendetta against Muslim occupation.
Analysis:
Pope Urban II distinguishes himself as the primary authority figure over the peoples of the Western empire in particular, by presenting himself as the emissary for God, the “chief bishop”. According to Fulcher’s account, Urban places much more emphasis on his relationship by conveying himself as this dutiful, representative of God’s word as “an ambassador with the divine admonition” (39). Although, in Robert the Monk’s account, Pope Urban does not specifically refer to himself as this messenger, but rather focuses on the deeds and abilities of the people themselves. He emphasizes the prominence of the holy land and projects a tragic image of the satanic, barbaric Muslim occupants in order to spark an emotional, faith-inspired reaction. By means of his professed authority, Pope Urban, using biblical references, justifies the Christian’s entitlement to the holy land and incites them to “take the land for that wicked people and make it your own”, further justifying his vendetta for action (41). The use of scripture within his speech was to not only influence the Christians to follow his interpretation of God’s word, but also to allow a feeling of familiarity within his address. Consequently, as the Christians are presented with their ‘entitled’ land, the current occupants of the holy land, the Muslims, are vilified as justification for the crusade. Illustrated in both accounts, Pope Urban uses a familial address, “your brethren” and the relationship of the entire Christian body to promote the themes of mass unity and movement. Pope Urban’s charismatic address at the bequest of Alexius II illustrates the magnitude of the papal power of the ninth century simply for the fact that the emperor himself knew that the most successful method of gaining widespread support of the people against the Turks was through the persuasiveness of the Pope.