“Byzantium and the West in the Age of Crusades: The Dividing of the Christendom”

Read provided primary documents “CRUSADES” in the ANALYTICAL ESSAY Section. “Byzantium and the West in the Age of Crusades: The Dividing of the Christendom” p. 368-372. “The West and the First Crusade from a Byzantine Perspective” p. 373-379. Answer the questions below and write an analytical essay incorporating your answers and interpretation. You have to use at least 4 academic sources other than the one, “Crusades”, provided. You may use your course textbooks or find other books. Avoid online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia, Encarta etc. Question 1: Why did the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I request help from the Pope Urban II? Question 2: What was the hope or intention of the Pope Urban II initiating the Crusades? Please elaborate it along with the Pope’s political struggle against other kings in Europe. Question 3: What were the Princess Anna Comnena and Nicetas Choniates’ views of the Crusaders? Did the Crusades widen the gap between the Eastern and the Western churches? Why? Please include your interpretations. Without your interpretations your essay will not be an analytical essay and you will not receive the credit for it.