Smyrniote crusades
Encyclopedia
The Smyrniote crusades (1343–1351) were two Crusades
sent by Pope Clement VI
against the Emirate of Aydin under Umur Beg which had as their principal target the coastal city of Smyrna
in Asia Minor
.
The first Smyrniote crusade was the brainchild of Clement VI. The threat of Turkish piracy in the Aegean Sea
had induced Clement's predecessors, John XXII and Benedict XII, to maintain a fleet of four galleys there to defend Christian shipping, but starting in the 1340s Clement endeavoured with Venetian
aid to expand this effort into a full military expedition. He commissioned Henry of Asti, the Catholic patriarch of Constantinople
, to organise a league against the Turks, who had increased their piracy in the Aegean in recent years. Hugh IV of Cyprus
and the Order of the Hospital joined and, on 2 November 1342, the Pope sent letters to engage the men and ships of Venice. The Papal bull
granting the Crusade indulgence
and authorising its preaching throughout Europe, Insurgentibus contra fidem, was published on 30 September.
The first Smyrniote crusade began with a string of naval victories and ended with a successful assault on Smyrna, capturing the harbour and the citadel but not the acropolis, on 28 October 1344. The precarious situation of the Crusaders in Asia spurred the Pope to organise a second expedition in 1345. In November, under the command of Humbert II of Viennois
, the second Smyrniote crusade set out from Venice. In February 1346 it won a victory over the Turks at Mytilene
, but Humbert did little more at Smyrna than sortie against the Turks and refortify the Christian section of the city. The next five years were occupied by Clement VI with attempts to negotiate a truce with the Turks, who kept Smyrna in a constant state of siege by land, and direct financial and military aid to the city. Although his concern with the Crusade ended abruptly in September 1351, the city of Smyrna remained in Christian hands down to 1402.
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
sent by Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
against the Emirate of Aydin under Umur Beg which had as their principal target the coastal city of Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
.
The first Smyrniote crusade was the brainchild of Clement VI. The threat of Turkish piracy in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
had induced Clement's predecessors, John XXII and Benedict XII, to maintain a fleet of four galleys there to defend Christian shipping, but starting in the 1340s Clement endeavoured with Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
aid to expand this effort into a full military expedition. He commissioned Henry of Asti, the Catholic patriarch of Constantinople
Latin Patriarch of Constantinople
The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
, to organise a league against the Turks, who had increased their piracy in the Aegean in recent years. Hugh IV of Cyprus
Hugh IV of Cyprus
Hugh IV of Cyprus was King of Cyprus from 31 March 1324 to his abdication, on 24 November 1358 and, nominally, King of Jerusalem, as Hugh II, until his death...
and the Order of the Hospital joined and, on 2 November 1342, the Pope sent letters to engage the men and ships of Venice. The Papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
granting the Crusade indulgence
Bull of the Crusade
A Bull of the Crusade was a Papal bull that granted indulgences to those who took part in the crusades against Muslims, pagans or sometimes heretics...
and authorising its preaching throughout Europe, Insurgentibus contra fidem, was published on 30 September.
The first Smyrniote crusade began with a string of naval victories and ended with a successful assault on Smyrna, capturing the harbour and the citadel but not the acropolis, on 28 October 1344. The precarious situation of the Crusaders in Asia spurred the Pope to organise a second expedition in 1345. In November, under the command of Humbert II of Viennois
Humbert II of Viennois
Humbert II de la Tour-du-Pin was the Dauphin of the Viennois from 1333 to 16 July 1349. He was a son of the Dauphin John II and Beatrice of Hungary...
, the second Smyrniote crusade set out from Venice. In February 1346 it won a victory over the Turks at Mytilene
Mytilene
Mytilene is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lesbos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is the capital of the island of Lesbos. Mytilene, whose name is pre-Greek, is built on the...
, but Humbert did little more at Smyrna than sortie against the Turks and refortify the Christian section of the city. The next five years were occupied by Clement VI with attempts to negotiate a truce with the Turks, who kept Smyrna in a constant state of siege by land, and direct financial and military aid to the city. Although his concern with the Crusade ended abruptly in September 1351, the city of Smyrna remained in Christian hands down to 1402.