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Y203: The Crusades and the Crusader States 1095–1192

The Crusader States in the 12th Century: manpower, castles, the military orders and finance

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit group 2

Overview

Recall questions on the manpower shortage in Outremer, Muslim disunity, the functions of great castles, the Templars and Hospitallers, their military value and political problems, and royal revenue and taxation in Jerusalem.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

Why was manpower the fundamental weakness of the crusader states?

Key term

Why were so many castles handed over to the military orders?

Key term

What were the main sources of royal revenue in the Kingdom of Jerusalem?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Why was manpower the fundamental weakness of the crusader states?

    Model answer

    The Latin settler population was tiny and could field only a few hundred knights, so losses could not be replaced from within the kingdom and a single defeat could destroy the entire field army.

  2. 2

    How did the crusader states make up for their shortage of Latin troops?

    Model answer

    They recruited locally raised light cavalry known as turcopoles, hired mercenaries, drew on the permanent garrisons of the military orders, and pressed visiting pilgrims into service.

  3. 3

    Explain how Muslim disunity helped Outremer survive.

    Model answer

    For most of the century the Latins faced separate and mutually hostile powers, above all Sunni Syria divided between Aleppo and Damascus and the Shi'a Fatimids in Egypt, so they could play neighbours off against one another and even ally with Damascus.

  4. 4

    What functions did great castles such as Krak des Chevaliers and Kerak perform besides defence?

    Model answer

    They were the administrative centres of their estates and collected the revenues, housed garrisons that policed the roads and the local population, controlled the passes and caravan routes, and served as secure bases from which to raid.

  5. 5

    Why were so many castles handed over to the military orders?

    Model answer

    The great fortresses cost more to garrison and maintain than most lay lords could afford, whereas the orders had European estates producing a steady income and a permanent body of trained men.

  6. 6

    How did the Templars originate?

    Model answer

    They began about 1119 as a small band of knights under Hugh of Payns who vowed to protect pilgrims on the roads to Jerusalem, and were given formal recognition as a religious order at the council of Troyes in 1129.

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