Based on chapter 8 and Pope Urban's speech found here please explore the following questions in about 450 words.

Speeches are complex primary sources. You always want to think about the crowd to explain why the message is presented a certain way. While historians focus on economic causes as the catalyst for the crusades, this is not the driving reason that Pope Urban gives when he calls on the kings of Europe to supply him with troops to march to the Holy Land. Read through the multiple versions of this speech as they were recorded and consider the following. Why is it that Urban is telling his audience that this war is necessary? What can we conclude about papal power in the Middle Ages from reading these sources? And lastly, comment on the significance of the different messages recorded in these unique versions of his speech.

 

Pope Urban's Speech  

1. Why is it that the Urban is telling his audience that this war is necessary?

The Urban tells the Christians the need to go to the war because their fellow Christians are being oppressed. Under the rule of the pagans who do not subscribe to their religious beliefs, the Christians face harsh conditions and have asked the Urban to intervene by allowing war against the Turks (Fordham University, n.d). The Urban sees it as a duty for God's servant to do God's divine will of being faithful to his work. Being faithful to God can be demonstrated as going to war with the Turks because they are oppressive towards their fellow servants of God. The Urban notes how essential it is for the servants of God to live in a state of peace and avoid defiling the church's rights. Going to war is a sign of solidarity with their brethren who seek rescue from their oppressors. The Urban seeks that the Christians intervene in the situation with immediate effect because delaying will increase the power of their oppressors and destroy God's work.

2. What can we conclude about papal power in the middle Ages from reading these sources? 

The readings from the sources show that the papal powers gave the popes the authority to declare wars on their enemies. It is their word of control that guided the decisions of the Christians on the territories they occupied on whether to engage in battle or not. The readings also show that the Popes would not declare war unless their parts were attacked by those who they considered as pagans (Fordham University, n.d). Their powers allowed the popes to increase spreading the word and enlarging their territories where Christianity was practiced. It encouraged the Christians to be firm in their faith and remain loyal to their religion. The Popes also had the power to unite the Christians through their speeches by using the scriptures. The pope's decision on any issue was more effective because people obeyed him. They observed him because he was God's chief Bishop.

3. Comment on the significance of the different messages recorded in these unique versions of his speech.

The messages recorded carry the same message of urging the Christians to help their fellow brothers deal with Turk's attacks. It encourages the Christians to fight in the name of God to protect their religion and prevent the invaders from polluting the areas where they had spread Christianity. The messages carry an affirmative message to encourage the Christians to go to war because the Turks oppress the men, children, and women in Romania, a territory occupied by the Catholics (Fordham University, n.d). The messages tend to remind Christians of their duties in promoting the word of God. Christians need to take their cross and follow Christ. Following Christ entails forsaking their beloved ones or any material thing that they possess. Going to the war will make the Christians be rewarded in heaven with eternal life. The messages are significant in emphasizing the need for the Christians to remain loyal to their faith by going to the war with the Turks who have invaded their fellow Christians' homes.

Outline for Pope Urban's Speech

1. Why is it that the Urban is telling his audience that this war is necessary?

The Urban tells the Christians the need to go to the war because their fellow Christians are being oppressed. Under the rule of the pagans who do not subscribe to their religious beliefs, the Christians face harsh conditions and have asked the Urban to intervene by allowing war against the Turks.

2. What can we conclude about papal power in the middle Ages from reading these sources? 

The readings from the sources show that the papal powers gave the popes the authority to declare wars on their enemies. It is their word of control that guided the decisions of the Christians on the territories they occupied on whether to engage in battle or not.

3. Comment on the significance of the different messages recorded in these unique versions of his speech.

The messages recorded carry the same message of urging the Christians to help their fellow brother’s deal with Turk's attacks. It encourages the Christians to fight in the name of God to protect their religion and prevent the invaders from polluting the areas where they had spread Christianity.

Discussion Response   

Hi, excellent discussion post. The Pope Urban II speech was a plea for the Christians to stand firm on their faith and follow Christ with their true hearts. It was also meant to strengthen the Christians to have a crusade to go to war and help their fellow Christians who the Arabs oppressed. The Christians were encouraged to help their brothers fight the Muslims In their place, and they would receive a reward of eternal life for such a sacrifice. With the other priest, the Pope urged the Christians to guide their faith by liberating their fellow brothers from the hands of their oppressors, the Turks.