- published: 09 Jul 2016
- views: 9944
The Crusades were a series of intermittent military campaigns in the years from 1096 to 1487, sanctioned by various Popes. In 1095 the Byzantine Emperor, Alexios I, sent an ambassador to Pope Urban II requesting military support in Byzantine's conflict with the westward migrating Turks in Anatolia. The Pope responded by calling Catholics to join what later became known as First Crusade. One of Urban's stated aims was to guarantee pilgrims access to the holy sites in the Holy Land that were under Muslim control while his wider strategy was to reunite the Eastern and Western branches of Christendom, divided after their split in 1054, and establish himself as head of the united Church. This initiated a complex 200-year struggle in the region.
Hundreds of thousands of people from many different classes and nations of Western Europe became crusaders by taking a public vow and receiving plenary indulgences from the church. Some crusaders were peasants hoping for Apotheosis at Jerusalem. Pope Urban II claimed that anyone who participated was forgiven of their sins. In addition to demonstrating devotion to God, as stated by him, participation satisfied feudal obligations and provided opportunities for economic and political gain. Crusaders often pillaged the countries through which they traveled, and contrary to their promises the leaders retained much of this territory rather than returning it to the Byzantines.
San Francisco morning coming clear and cold
Don't know if I'm waking or I'm dreaming
Riding with Fats Waller on the Super Chief
He said, musics real, the rest is seeming
Oh, deep pain
Feeling that won't go away
There's the sound of his soul in the air
I can hear it up there
And I know he left those soul shadows
On my mind, on my mind, on my mind
Soul shadows on my mind
On my mind, on my mind
Soul shadows on my mind
On my mind, on my mind
Standing by the window as a fog rolls in
I swear I can hear a far-off music
Jelly Roll is playing down in Storyville
And Satchmo is wailing in Chicago
You ought to heard 'em play
Feelings that won't go away
Left the sound of their souls in the air
I hear out there and I know
They left them soul shadows all on my mind
On my mind, on my mind
They left them soul shadows all on my mind
On my mind, on my mind
They left soul shadows on my mind
They left them shadows on my mind