Awkward History Check: The First Crusade

It is always fascinating when people invoke the "eleventh century" and a "Crusade" as a beautiful model for Christian-Jewish cooperation. If you actually open a history book from that era, the reality of the First Crusade (which kicked off in 1095) looks a little less like a friendly joint venture and a lot more like a horror movie for Europe and the Middle East's Jewish communities.

Exhibit A: The Rhineland Massacres (1096)

Before the Crusaders even made it to the Middle East, they decided to "warm up" in Germany. Count Emicho’s army targeted Jewish communities in Speyer, Worms, and Mainz.

The result? 2,000 to 5,000+ European Jews murdered or forced into exile.

Exhibit B: The Siege of Jerusalem (1099)

When the Crusaders finally took Jerusalem, they celebrated by herding the city's Jewish population into the chief synagogue and burning it down.

Inviting your Jewish friends to an 11th-century style "Crusade" is wild. Maybe pick literally any other metaphor next time. 0/5 stars.

In summary, I hope anyone who wants a new crusade can choke on their own vomit.

sorry if that went dark

@peribotsarah Holy shit, this reminds me of an argument I once had back when Obama was first elected with someone who was *convinced* the Crusades were a universally good thing, and I was like… what Christofascist propaganda chamber manufactured you
@peribotsarah I mean. The Rambam was famously working for the Sultanate they were crusading against. Yeah, this doesn’t really work.
Hey, Pete. We were in the other side of that whole deal. @peribotsarah