[Illustration:  007.jpg Arabic decorative painting]

The religious orders of the knights, a product of the Crusades, found their antitype in similar organisations of the Moslems, orders that had exactly the same tendencies and regulations.  Such an order established for the spread of Islam and the protection of its followers was that of the Raabites or boundary-guards in the Pyrenean peninsula.  These knights made a vow to carry, throughout their lives, arms in defence of the faith; they led an austere existence, were not allowed to fly in battle, but were compelled either to conquer or fall.  Like the Templars or the Hospital Knights their whole endeavour was to gain universal dominion for their religion.  The relation existing between the Moslems and the Christians before the Crusades was much closer than is generally imagined.  Moslem soldiers often fought in the ranks of the Christian armies; and it was by no means rare to see a Christian ruler call upon Moslem warriors to assist him against his adversary.  Pope Gregory rescued Rome from the hands of his imperial opponent, Henry of Germany, only with the aid of the Saracen soldiers.

When, therefore, the influence of Muhammedanism began to assert itself throughout the south of Europe, it was natural that in a crude and stirring age, when strife was the dominant passion of the people, the idea of a holy war in the cause of faith was one in which Christian Europe was ready to take an example from the followers of Islam.  The political, economical, and social state of affairs, the misery and suffering of the people, and even the hierarchy and the ascetic spirit of the time certainly made the minds of the people accessible to the idea of war; the spirit of unrest was pervasive and the time was ripe, but the influence of Islam was a prominent factor in giving to it an entirely religious aspect.

But even in the means employed to incite the Christian warriors and the manner in which the Crusades were carried on, there is a great similarity between the Christian and the Muhammedan procedure.  The Church, when espousing the cause of the Crusader, did exactly what Muhammed had done when he preached a holy war.  The Church addressed itself to the weaknesses and passions of human nature.  Fallen in battle, the Moslem, so he was told, would be admitted—­be he victor or vanquished—­to the joys of Paradise.  The same prospect animated the Crusader and made him brave danger and die joyfully in defence of Christianity.  “Let them kill the enemy or die.  To submit to die for Christ, or to cause one of His enemies to die, is naught but glory,” said Saint Bernard.  Eloquently, vividly, and in glowing colours were the riches that awaited the warriors in the far East described:  immense spoil would be taken from the unbelievers.  Preachers did not even shrink from extolling the beauty of the women in the lands to be conquered.  This fact recalls Muhammed’s promise to his believers that they