Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
Person 1088-1099 · about 11 years old · show in timeline

Urban II (pope 1088 to 1099): Called the First Crusade at Clermont in 1095 and promoted the war until his death

Odo of Lagery, a monk of Cluny, was pope from 1088 to 1099. At the Council of Clermont in November 1095 he called for the crusade, and the crowd answered with the cry "Deus lo volt". Until his death, according to the Britannica, he exhorted to war against the infidels. Passing crusaders drove the antipope from Rome in 1097. Urban died before hearing of the fall of Jerusalem on 15 July 1099.

Life dates
1088-1099 (about 11 years old)
Country
France, Vatican City
Institutions
Holy See
Category
Crusade
Level of evidence
B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

What happened to those affected?

  1. According to the Britannica, he exhorted to war against the infidels until his death. Passing crusaders drove the antipope Clement III from Rome in 1097. Jerusalem fell on 15 July 1099, and Urban did not live to hear of it.
    Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Urban (popes), Urban II.
    „Thenceforth until his death he was actively engaged in exhorting to war against the infidels.“
    Urban (popes), in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 27, Artikel Urban (popes), Urban II.. Original
    Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II
    „On 15 July, 1099, Jerusalem fell before the attack of the crusaders, but Urban did not live to hear the news.“
    Pope Bl. Urban II, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 15, Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II. Original

Background

Course of events

  1. Urban II was pope from 12 March 1088 to 29 July 1099. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Council of Clermont in November 1095 brought together 13 archbishops, 225 bishops and over 90 abbots.
    Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Urban (popes), Urban II.
    „pope from the 12th of March 1088 to the 29th of July 1099“
    Urban (popes), in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 27, Artikel Urban (popes), Urban II.. Original
    Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II
    „thirteen archbishops, two hundred and twenty-five bishops, and over ninety abbots“
    Pope Bl. Urban II, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 15, Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II. Original

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

  1. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Urban called for the march to Sion and the crowd answered "Deus lo volt". He appointed Bishop Ademar of Le Puy as leader.
    Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II
    „a mighty shout of Deus lo volt rose from the throng“
    Pope Bl. Urban II, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 15, Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II. Original
    Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II
    „he appointed Ademar, Bishop of Le Puy, in his stead“
    Pope Bl. Urban II, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 15, Artikel Pope Bl. Urban II. Original

See also

  • 1095-1291 · 196 years

    Crusades to the East

    • Germany
    • France
    • Israel
    • Lebanon
    • Palestine
    • Syria
    • Turkey
    • Anti-Judaism
    • Violence
    • Crusade
    • Murder

Scholarly literature and reference works

  1. Reference work
    Cambridge University Press (Wikisource): Urban (popes), in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 27, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Reference work
    Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource): Pope Bl. Urban II, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), Bd. 15, 1 January 1912. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.