Relations between the Crusaders and the Eastern Christians

Abstract

''Aid to the eastern brethren'' had been main slogan for the Crusades against the Middle East. But these statement has remained in the shadow of the Council of Chalcedon's sentences (451). Then Crusaders had not treated against the Middle East Christians like brethren. Actually, manner not differed against the Byzantium who was the direct collocutor of these words. The Eastern Christians who have been sustained very comfortable life under the Muslim sovereignty for a long time were very hopeful at the beginning, howewer they have been disappointed because of heresy qualifıcation on themselves and negative aspects applied by the Crusades. But requirements that emerged as the result of the Crusade of 1101, indigenous Christians had been vital components in terms of social, economical and military courses for the Crusaders. Owing to started practices to this direction have been formed common life form for two sides. But religious prejudices and suspicious of the Crusaders against their collocutors prevented exact consolidation. Therefore sociopolitical position of the Oriental Christians was not changed with respect to previous situation and they had suffered damages very much in spite of that they have not part of this struggle.