The first crusade propaganda by Urban II

In the conflict between the East and West, the First Crusade stands out as one of the most significant. It was started by Pope Urban II, grew by preaches of the clerics, Peter the Hermit and itinerant preachers while being matured by miracles and visions., thousands of Muslims, Christians and Jews, were killed in the name of justice and liberating the Holy Land. Atrocity emerged as another aspect of this state of transcendence. Being a psychological, sociopolitical, theological phenomenon, its impact still prevails despite the centuries gone. Pope Urban II launched one of the most enormous medieval propaganda campaign. In the scope of his campaign, Urban II, who used particular rhetoric as 'God's Chosen people' Soldiers of Christ', 'Liberating the Holy Land' urged Franks to arms and fight with the enemy. His call was responded by great enthusiasm, a large number of people in Western Europe, from all gender, all age and all social class. Plea of the East Roman Emperor Alexios I, was only a trigger to start the First Crusade. According to the Pope's plan, by means of organizing an armed pligrimage to the East, Western Catholics would restore Christian Unity; also reinforce political and religious authority of the Holy See. Pope Urban II's plan was based upon approach of the end of times. Before the Christ's second coming, the Catholics had to purify the holy land from the pollution of Gentiles. Christian Eschatology had central importance in this campaign. On one side Crusaders wearing the cross imitating Christ; on the other the Pope imitating Moses. Through this campaign, not only the war was justified, but also it was depicted as ¨holy¨ similar to the Pope's rhetoric. Urban II, named Muslim Arab and Turcs, who was ruling the holy land, as 'Antichrist' and 'Enemy of Christianity. Jerusalem had critical significance in this propaganda campaign for which Urban II alleged that the city was chosen by God, it could only be inhabited by the chosen people. According to Urban II's elaborated rhetoric, God's newly chosen people were Franks and the new enemies were Muslims. Jerusalem and the other parts of the Holy Land had to be liberated by Franks as this holy war was the God's command. In this study, Pope Urban II's the First Crusade Propaganda, its tools, its rhetoric, the implementation process, and the impact of this propaganda campaign during the First Crusade are analysed within the historical context. Key words: Peace, crusade, Christ, Jerusalem, gentiles.