Q 01/05

Which pope proclaimed the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont in 1095?

A) Urban II

B) Innocent III

C) Gregory VII

D) Eugene III

Answer · why

A) Urban II

His speech on 27 November promised spiritual reward to those who marched to reconquer Jerusalem.

Q 02/05

The Council of Clermont was held in which region of France?

A) Normandy

B) Burgundy

C) Provence

D) Auvergne

Answer · why

D) Auvergne

About 300 French clerics attended what was mostly a synod on church reform; the crusade speech came on the last day.

Q 03/05

Which Byzantine emperor's appeal for help against the Seljuk Turks sparked the First Crusade?

A) Basil II

B) Manuel I Komnenos

C) Romanos IV Diogenes

D) Alexios I Komnenos

Answer · why

D) Alexios I Komnenos

His envoys made a formal request to Urban II at the Council of Piacenza in 1095.

Q 04/05

Where was the 1071 battle in which the Seljuks captured a Byzantine emperor and opened Anatolia?

A) Manzikert

B) Dorylaeum

C) Myriokephalon

D) Adrianople

Answer · why

A) Manzikert

Romanos IV Diogenes was taken prisoner, and within a decade the Seljuks held 78,000 square kilometres of Anatolia.

Q 05/05

The Latin battle cry of the First Crusade, 'Deus vult', means what?

A) God with us

B) For God and king

C) God wills it

D) God is great

Answer · why

C) God wills it

The Gesta Francorum records it as 'Deus le veult' or 'Deus lo vult'.