AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
Outremer from 1149: political developments, military strengths and…
Full specification wording
1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – The Muslim Counter-Crusade and Crusader states, 1149–1187 (A-level only): Outremer from 1149: political developments, military strengths and weaknesses
After 1149, Outremer faced severe internal and external pressures.
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 6
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
After 1149, Outremer faced severe internal and external pressures. Political developments were dominated by succession crises and factionalism, notably the conflicts between Baldwin III and Melisende, and later the debilitating divisions during Baldwin IV's reign involving the court and baronial factions. Militarily, Outremer possessed distinct strengths, including a formidable network of concentric castles like Krak des Chevaliers and the highly disciplined Military Orders (Templars and Hospitallers) who provided a standing army. However, critical military weaknesses undermined these advantages. The Crusader states suffered from a chronic lack of manpower, over-reliance on Western aid, and the strategic vulnerability of elongated borders, leaving them exposed to unified Muslim offensives.
What earns the marks
- Analyse the impact of political factionalism, such as the civil war between Baldwin III and Queen Melisende, on Outremer's internal stability.
- Evaluate the role of the Military Orders in providing essential manpower, garrisoning frontier castles, and financing military operations.
- Assess the strategic value of castle building as a military strength designed to control territory, protect trade routes, and delay enemy advances.
- Explain how the chronic shortage of manpower and reliance on sporadic Western crusades constituted a fundamental military weakness.
- Examine the political instability caused by the leprosy of Baldwin IV and the subsequent succession disputes involving Guy of Lusignan and Raymond of Tripoli.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Overstating the military weakness of Outremer.
Put it right by acknowledging their tactical successes, sophisticated castle networks, and the effectiveness of the Military Orders.
Treating Outremer as a single, unified political entity.
Put it right by highlighting the independence and occasional conflicting interests of the four distinct Crusader states.
Ignoring the role of female rulers in political developments.
Put it right by detailing the significant influence and regencies of figures like Queen Melisende and Sibylla.
Exam tips
- Contrast the growing political factionalism in Jerusalem with the increasing unification of the Islamic Near East to explain Outremer's vulnerability.
- Use specific examples of castles, such as Margat or Krak des Chevaliers, when discussing military strengths and defensive strategies.
- Evaluate how succession crises directly impacted military readiness and decision-making, particularly leading up to the Battle of Hattin.
Try the lesson
The start of the 1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – The Muslim Counter-Crusade and Crusader states, 1149–1187 (A-level only): Outremer from 1149: political developments, military strengths and weaknesses lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was a key military strategy used by the Franks to compensate for their chronic shortage of manpower in Outremer?
Listen
After 1149, Outremer faced severe internal and external pressures. Political developments were dominated by succession crises and factionalism, notably the conflicts between Baldwin III and Melisende, and later the debilitating divisions during Baldwin IV's reign involving the court and baronial factions. Militarily, Outremer possessed distinct strengths, including a formidable network of concentric castles like Krak des Chevaliers and the highly disciplined Military Orders (Templars and Hospitallers) who provided a standing army. However, critical military weaknesses undermined these advantages. The Crusader states suffered from a chronic lack of manpower, over-reliance on Western aid, and the strategic vulnerability of elongated borders, leaving them exposed to unified Muslim offensives. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyse the impact of political factionalism, such as the civil war between Baldwin III and Queen Melisende, on Outremer's internal stability. Evaluate the role of the Military Orders in providing essential manpower, garrisoning frontier castles, and financing military operations. Assess the strategic value of castle building as a military strength designed to control territory, protect trade routes, and delay enemy advances. Explain how the chronic shortage of manpower and reliance on sporadic Western crusades constituted a fundamental military weakness. A common slip: Overstating the military weakness of Outremer. Instead, acknowledging their tactical successes, sophisticated castle networks, and the effectiveness of the Military Orders. Exam tip: Contrast the growing political factionalism in Jerusalem with the increasing unification of the Islamic Near East to explain Outremer's vulnerability.
See it
Key words
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Political factionalism and succession
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Military strategy and architecture
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The Military Orders
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Demographic and geographic vulnerabilities
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See every definition
- Political factionalism and succession
- Internal pressures after 1149 were dominated by succession crises and factionalism, including conflicts between Baldwin III and Melisende and divisions during Baldwin IV's reign.
- Military strategy and architecture
- A formidable network of concentric castles, such as Krak des Chevaliers, was designed to control territory, protect trade routes and delay enemy advances.
- The Military Orders
- The Templars and Hospitallers were highly disciplined and provided a standing army, garrisoning frontier castles and financing military operations.
- Demographic and geographic vulnerabilities
- The Crusader states suffered a chronic lack of manpower, over-reliance on Western aid and the strategic vulnerability of elongated borders, leaving them exposed to unified Muslim offensives.
Label the diagram
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1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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