Talk:Pope Urban II

Messenger of Hate?

I think this article lacks serious questions surrounding Urban II's racism and ignorance, especially on the faith of Islam. There's no eternal links connecting him to any biography and in particular the speech he preached for the First Cruisade against the Muslims.

There is a link to the various versions of the speech at the end of the article. What do you want to say about racism? It's the eleventh century, not the twenty-first. Adam Bishop 16:59, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes, though in comparison to the first speech, the rest have been written years after it has been made. And that info I'll write down later. MikailMoolla 23:10, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Well this is wikipedia, not some ignorant PC soapbox...or, well, they may be the same thing, but ought not to be. 72.144.198.53 02:02, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

Messenger of hate? I suggest you actually find out what the First Crusade were intended to do. It is certain that what ended up as a mass slaughtering was NOT his intention from his vigorous attempts to stop later waves of the First Crusade. Further, the First Crusade's actual intent was to lend aid to the defence of the Western Roman Empire. As a mediocre degree of research into the subject would tell you. I recommend in particular "Keepers of the Keys" (actually a history of the Papacy, but it does have a very informative section on the subject of the First Crusade and the Papacy), and any book by Riley-Smith, really. 80.45.116.126 12:51, 1 August 2007 (UTC)Nefertum

Creative Commons image

I'm working on the Champagne (province) article and I came across this creative commons photo of a statue in tribute to the fame Champenois Urban II

. I don't know if the editors of this article have a use for this, but feel free if you want to use it. Agne 08:59, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

Urban's real motives for instigating the crusade?

I am studying the beginning of the crusades, primarily whether Pope Urban II had another motive than genuine relgion when calling it. I have read many theories such as Urban's desire for extra wealth for the Papacy through opening up trade routes to Eastern Europe and of course loot. Other ideas are that Urban wished to assert his authority over Orthodox Christianity prompting Alexius I of Byzantium to accept him as head of all Christianity thus healing the Great Schism of 40 years previously.

Could anyone offer any historians views on this subjects or websites, books etc, that could be helpful. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.78.94.2 (talk) 13:50, 13 January 2007 (UTC).

I recommend starting with Thomas Asbridge's The First Crusade - A New History - The Roots of Conflict between Christianity and Islam. Also, A History of the Crusades 2nd Edition by Jonathan Riley-Smith. These delve into Urban's motives. Mk26gmls 18:59, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

"Keepers of the Keys" by Nicolas Cheetham has a very good section on the First Crusade, as I mentioned above. 80.45.116.126 12:53, 1 August 2007 (UTC)Nefertum "THAT'S NOT REALLY TRUE!!!!!!"