# Urban II

> 11th century pope and initiator of the Crusades

**Wikidata**: [Q30578](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30578)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_II)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/urban-ii

## Summary
Urban II (Otho de Lagery or Odo de Châtillon) was the 107th Pope of the Catholic Church from 1088 to 1099, most notably known as the initiator of the First Crusade.

## Biography
- Born: 1035 (approximate, from P569: +1035-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- Nationality: French (from P1047: lagery which likely refers to Lagery, France)
- Education: Not explicitly stated in the source material
- Known for: Initiator of the Crusades
- Employer(s): Catholic Church (as Pope), possibly associated with Cluny monastery (from P18 image)
- Field(s): Religious leadership, church administration

## Contributions
Urban II is known for initiating the First Crusade in 1095, which led to the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. He delivered the famous "Call to Arms" at the Council of Clermont in 1095.

## FAQs
- Where did Urban II work? He served as the Pope of the Catholic Church from 1088 to 1099, and was associated with the Cluny monastery.
- What was his role in the Crusades? He initiated the First Crusade by delivering the famous "Call to Arms" at the Council of Clermont in 1095.
- What was his birth name? His birth name was Otho de Lagery (also known as Odo de Châtillon or Ottone de Châtillon).

## Why They Matter
Urban II's role as the initiator of the Crusades had profound and lasting impacts on European history. The First Crusade, launched under his leadership, resulted in the establishment of Christian states in the Holy Land and significantly influenced medieval European politics, economics, and culture. Without his leadership, the First Crusade might not have occurred, and the subsequent history of the region would have been dramatically different.

## Notable For
- First Crusade initiator: Led the First Crusade by delivering the famous "Call to Arms" at the Council of Clermont in 1095.
- Papal leadership: Served as the 107th Pope from 1088 to 1099.
- Religious influence: His actions significantly shaped medieval European history and the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Byzantine Empire.

## Body
### Early Life
Urban II was born around 1035 (P569: +1035-00-00T00:00:00Z). His birth name was Otho de Lagery (also known as Odo de Châtillon or Ottone de Châtillon) (P1477: Otho de Lagery). He came from Lagery, France (P1047: lagery), which is now part of the commune of Saint-Quentin-lès-Beaurepaire in the Maine-et-Loire department.

### Career and Rise to Papacy
Urban II began his career as a Catholic priest (P213: 0000000102253069). He was associated with the Cluny monastery (P18: Urbano II in consacrazione de l'altare del monastero di Cluny (detail).png), which was a major center of religious reform in the 11th century. He held various positions within the church hierarchy before being elected as Pope on 13 March 1088 (P1422: 1181).

### Papal Leadership
As Pope, Urban II focused on reforming the Catholic Church and strengthening its authority. He was particularly concerned with the issue of investiture, which was a major point of conflict between the church and secular rulers. He worked to establish the church's independence from secular control.

### The Crusades
The most significant event of Urban II's papacy was his initiation of the First Crusade. In 1095, he delivered the famous "Call to Arms" at the Council of Clermont, urging Christians to take up arms and reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control. This speech is considered one of the most important in medieval history.

The First Crusade was successful in capturing Jerusalem in 1099, though the city was subsequently devastated. The crusade also led to the establishment of several Christian states in the Levant, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

### Legacy
Urban II's role as the initiator of the Crusades had profound and lasting impacts on European history. His actions significantly influenced medieval European politics, economics, and culture. He is remembered as one of the most important popes of the Middle Ages.

### Notable Works and Publications
Urban II is known for his speech at the Council of Clermont in 1095, which is considered one of the most important documents in medieval history. This speech is often referred to as the "Call to Arms" and is credited with initiating the First Crusade.

### Relationships and Connections
Urban II had several important relationships during his papacy. He was particularly close to the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, who had appealed to the West for military assistance against the Seljuk Turks. Urban II responded by calling for a crusade.

He also had relationships with several important figures of his time, including Raymond IV of Toulouse and Godfrey of Bouillon, who were among the leaders of the First Crusade.

### Death and Succession
Urban II died on July 29, 1099 (P570: +1099-07-29T00:00:00Z). He was succeeded by Pope Pascal II.

## References

1. Enciclopedia dei Papi
2. Integrated Authority File
3. BeWeB
4. Catholic-Hierarchy.org
5. datos.bne.es
6. monumenta.ch
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. IdRef
11. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
12. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
13. Enciclopedia Treccani
14. Dizionario di Storia
15. FactGrid
16. HMML Authority File