NoWingedHussarsToday

NoWingedHussarsToday t1_iu8g4gq wrote

Lol, I love it how article says that German's plans were inspired by Italy and then in the ends casually mentions that Germans have been migrating/colonizing the east for centuries. GPO didn't come from Italy, it was outgrowth of something Germans have been doing for a very long time and Hitler's idea of Lebensraum was just extreme form of something Germany last attempted at Brest-Litovsk

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NoWingedHussarsToday t1_iremrel wrote

If I understand you correctly you are asking if crusades reduced (potential) manpower these countries had thus weakening them vis-a-vis other European countries, their potential rivals. If so then no, not to great extent. First crusade was more noble driven and royal power wasn't involved. That happened with later ones when the purpose was defending Jerusalem and attacks on Egypt.

Might not answer your question directly but for a good background about recruitment, financing and such I highly recommend God's War: A New History of the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman

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