SHORT HISTORY, LONG ECHOES · A2/B1 · 50 min

The Crusades

Long wars, long ago, for one holy city — and two enemies who learned to respect each other.

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Today: tell the story of the Crusades — long wars, hundreds of years ago, for the city of Jerusalem — and talk about war, peace and respect. Grammar: the past simple and there was / there were.
Warm up — talk first. Say your answers out loud before you read the story.
Before we read:
  • Do you know anything about the Crusades? Who was fighting, do you think?
  • Jerusalem is a very important city for three religions. Why can one place be important to many people?
  • Can two people be enemies and still respect each other? Can you think of an example?

The words for today's story

These are the new words for the Crusades. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

  1. holy
  2. a war
  3. a knight
  4. an army
  5. a city wall
  6. a leader
  7. to fight
  8. peace

Meanings

  • A. a person who leads other people
  • B. a big fight between countries or groups, often for a long time
  • C. a soldier on a horse, long ago, in metal clothes
  • D. very special because of religion
  • E. a time with no war
  • F. a big group of soldiers
  • G. to use weapons against another person or group
  • H. a high, strong wall around a city to keep enemies out

1 = D (holy) · 2 = B (a war) · 3 = C (a knight) · 4 = F (an army)

5 = H (a city wall) · 6 = A (a leader) · 7 = G (to fight) · 8 = E (peace)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:
  • Which words are about war? Which words are about peace?
  • Use three of the words to guess: what do you think happens in this story?

The story, in three parts

Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.

Part 1 — A call to war

In the year 1095, the head of the Christian church in Europe — the Pope — gave a big speech in France. He talked about the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a holy city for three religions: Jews, Christians and Muslims. At that time, Muslim leaders ruled the city, but Christian visitors could still go there. The Pope asked the Christians of Europe to travel east and fight for the holy city.

Many people said yes. Knights, rich lords and ordinary people put a cross on their clothes and started a very long journey. Some of them walked thousands of kilometres. They called this a "crusade". There was hope, there was fear, and there was a lot of danger on the road.

In the year 1099, the crusaders arrived at Jerusalem. There was a long, hard fight around the city walls. In the end, the crusaders took the city. But many people who lived there died. It was a terrible day. After this, the crusaders made new Christian lands near the sea.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What did the Pope ask people to do in 1095?

2. What happened in Jerusalem in 1099?

1. He asked the Christians of Europe to travel east and fight for the holy city of Jerusalem.

2. After a long, hard fight, the crusaders took the city, but many people who lived there died.

Talk about it:
  • People left their homes for a very long and dangerous journey. Why do you think they went?

Part 2 — Saladin and the Lionheart

The Christian lands did not stay strong for long. A clever Muslim leader became famous. His name was Saladin. He was calm and patient, and even his enemies respected him. In 1187, Saladin's army won a big battle. After this, Jerusalem came back under Muslim rule. This time, there was no massacre. Saladin let most of the Christians leave the city safely. People all over Europe heard about this, and they were surprised.

When Europe lost Jerusalem, the kings were angry. They started a new crusade. One of the kings was Richard I of England. People called him "Richard the Lionheart" because he was a brave and strong soldier. For a few years, Richard and Saladin fought up and down the coast. But neither man could win.

Something special happened between these two enemies. They began to respect each other. People said that when Richard was ill, Saladin sent him fresh horses and even ice. The two leaders sent polite messages to each other. Later, people told stories about their honour and their kindness, even in a war.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Who was Saladin, and how did he treat the Christians in Jerusalem?

2. What was special about Richard and Saladin?

1. He was a clever Muslim leader. When he took Jerusalem in 1187, he let most of the Christians leave the city safely.

2. They were enemies, but they respected each other. Saladin sent Richard horses and ice when he was ill, and they sent each other polite messages.

Talk about it:
  • Saladin is respected today by many different people. Why do some leaders get respect, even from their enemies?

Part 3 — The long echo

The war between Richard and Saladin did not have a winner. In 1192, they made a truce — an agreement to stop fighting. Jerusalem stayed under Muslim rule, but Christian visitors could go to the holy places in peace. Richard went home and never entered the city. Saladin died one year later. Many people, on both sides, were sad.

There were more crusades in the next hundred years, but slowly the Christian lands in the east became smaller. One by one, the crusader cities fell. By the year 1291, the last big crusader city was gone. In the end, the crusaders did not keep the Holy Land.

But the Crusades changed the world. There was more trade between East and West. New ideas, new books and new goods travelled between them. But there was also a sad result: for a long time, there was mistrust between different religions and peoples. Even today, people remember the Crusades in very different ways — as brave heroes, or as a great tragedy.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What did Richard and Saladin agree in 1192?

2. What good thing and what sad thing did the Crusades leave behind?

1. They made a truce. Jerusalem stayed under Muslim rule, but Christian visitors could go to the holy places in peace.

2. Good: more trade and new ideas between East and West. Sad: a long time of mistrust between different religions and peoples.

Talk about it:
  • Some people remember the Crusades as heroes, some as a tragedy. Why do people remember the same story in different ways?

Grammar: past simple / there was–there were

This story happened a long time ago. To tell it, we use the past simple, and we use there was and there were to say what existed.

Past simple = a finished action in the past. Regular verbs end in -ed: "The crusaders walked east." "The Pope talked about Jerusalem." Many common verbs are irregular: go → went, take → took, win → won, fight → fought, send → sent.
there was / there were = to say something existed in the past.
• Use there was with one thing (singular): "There was a long fight." "There was a lot of danger."
• Use there were with more than one thing (plural): "There were many knights." "There were more crusades later."

1. there was or there were?

Look at the noun. One thing → there was. More than one → there were.

1. a holy city called Jerusalem.

2. many knights in the crusader army.

3. a long fight around the city walls.

4. three religions with holy places in the city.

1. There was (one city)

2. There were (many knights)

3. There was (one fight)

4. There were (three religions)

2. Past simple — write the verb

Put the verb in brackets into the past simple. Careful: some are irregular! Then read the sentence out loud.

1. In 1095, the Pope (talk) about Jerusalem.

2. The crusaders (walk) thousands of kilometres.

3. In 1099, the crusaders (take) the city.

4. Saladin (send) horses to Richard.

1. talked (regular, -ed)

2. walked (regular, -ed)

3. took (irregular: take → took)

4. sent (irregular: send → sent)

3. Tell a short part of the story

Fill each gap with the past simple, or with there was / there were. Read it aloud when you finish.

In 1187, Saladin (win) a big battle. Then he (take) Jerusalem. This time no massacre. many people who left the city safely, and Saladin (let) them go.

won · took · there was (one massacre — none) · There were (many people) · let

Use there was for one thing and there were for many. Remember the irregular verbs: win → won, take → took, let → let.

Listen

There is a real podcast about the Crusades. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.

🎧 Heard it already? Good — use this lesson as your recap, and listen for new details next time. Haven't? No problem — you now know the story and the key words, and that makes a fast podcast much easier to follow. The podcast is optional; this lesson works on its own.

Short History Of… The Crusades

From the Noiser podcast network. About 50 minutes. It plays on the Noiser site, or search "Short History Of The Crusades" on Spotify.

Play on Noiser →
While you listen:
  • Write down three words you hear and know from today's lesson (holy, war, knight, army, leader, fight, peace…).
  • Can you hear the names Jerusalem, Saladin and Richard?
  • Find one new thing the podcast says, and tell me about it next time — even just one sentence.

Speak

Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.

Useful language: use the past simple to tell the story ("the crusaders walked east", "Saladin won the battle"), and use there was / there were to describe it ("there was a long fight", "there were many knights"). To give an opinion: "I think…", "In my opinion…", "For me, the reason is…".
Time remaining: 3:00
Task A · Tell the story (3 minutes)

Tell the story of the Crusades in your own words. Use these steps to help you: the Pope's call in 1095 → the long journey east → the crusaders take Jerusalem → Saladin wins it back → Richard the Lionheart and the respect between the two men → the truce, and how people remember the wars today.

Try to use the past simple ("the army walked", "Saladin won") and there was / there were ("there was a long war", "there were many knights"), and some of the key words (holy, war, knight, army, city wall, leader, fight, peace).

Task B · Enemies with respect (3 minutes)

Richard and Saladin were enemies, but they respected each other. Is this a good thing? Can you respect a person you are fighting? Why, or why not?

Task C · A story from the past (3 minutes)

Tell a story from the past — from history, from your country, or from your own life. Use the past simple and there was / there were.

Not sure what to talk about? Choose one:

  • An important event in the history of your country. What happened?
  • An old building, castle or holy place near you. What was it like?
  • A famous leader from history that you know about.
  • A long journey you made. Where did you go, and what did you see?
  • A story your family tells about the past.

To finish

  1. Jerusalem was holy for three religions. Is it good or difficult when many people love the same place?
  2. Richard and Saladin were enemies but had respect. Do you think this is possible in real life?
  3. From memory: say one sentence with the past simple, and one with there was or there were. Why is each one right?