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Glite Dictionary
Urban II

Urban II

1 9.3
Pope from 1088 to 1099 who called for the First Crusade in 1095
  • proper noun
: Urbano II
  • Blessed Pope Urban II launched the first crusade, which aimed to take control of the Holy Land from the Seljuk Turks.

Examples

  • Pope Urban II is often remembered for initiating the First Crusade in 1095 during a speech at the Council of Clermont.

  • I've read that the Byzantine emperor asked Pope Urban II for mercenaries to help him resist Muslim advances into his territory.

    Blog text (26)

  • Blessed Pope Urban II

    Blog text (26)

  • In 1088, Urban II became pope and called upon Christians to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

  • Historians discuss how Pope Urban II's call to arms at the Council of Clermont inspired thousands to join the First Crusade.

Synonyms

Pope Urban II
vsUrban II
1 7.9

Leader of the Catholic Church from 1088 to 1099 who called for the First Crusade

uses the personal name alone instead of the full formal title
Odo of Lagery
vsUrban II
9.9

A French pope also called Urban II who called for the First Crusade

emphasizes the official church office and the council sermon calling for the crusade

Surface Forms

Urban II main

Morphology

Urban + II

This is a proper name composed of 'Urban' and the Roman numeral 'II'; knowing 'Urban' (which as a common word means 'related to cities') and 'II' (two) does not allow a learner to infer that this refers to a specific pope or his historical actions. The referential and encyclopedic information (that he was pope from 1088–1099 and called the First Crusade) is not derivable from the constituents and therefore requires prior cultural/historical knowledge.

Etymology

Urban II was the pope from 1088 to 1099 who, in a famous speech at a big church meeting in 1095, urged Christians to travel to the Holy Land and fight, starting the 'First Crusade'. That's why his name is remembered as the pope who called for the 'First Crusade'.