Xirniumite Crusade of 1133
Crusade against the pagans of Xirnium that took place during the pontificate of Innocent II. Its ostensible aims were the final extirpation of Núháquënwaëv animism from the realm of Xirnium (an objective that had been completely thwarted during the disastrous “Lost” Crusade of 1087) and the bringing of Christianity to Xirniumite heathens. The campaign was ultimately a very costly failure, although it resulted in great bloodshed, devastation and injustice.
Pope Innocent II had been hastily consecrated four years previously, but was at the time facing serious opposition from the supporters of Antipope Anacletus II. Anacletus II had been elected as successor to Pope Honorious II by a majority of Catholic cardinals, whilst Innocent II had been elected by a mere minority. Moreover, Anacletus II had been consecrated on the same day as Innocent II - leading to a damaging schism within the Roman Catholic Church.
Although Anacletus II had the popular support of most Romans and of King Roger II of Sicily, Innocent II was backed by Holy Roman Emperor Lothair II, Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus, King Henry I of England and the French and German Churches. Lothair II invaded Italy in August 1132, at the inducement of and accompanied by Innocent II, and by the time of the launching of the Xirniumite Crusade the German army had occupied all of Rome save the area held by the faction of Anacletus II.
Against this backdrop of internal strife within the Catholic Church, and in the aftermath of temporary triumph over his rival, the pope formally issued a crusade bull from Rome in June 1133 and called for the Christianisation of Xirnium. The crusade was not particularly energetically supported by most European monarchs (and particularly not by Lothair II, who was obliged to re-invade southern Italy in 1136 after Innocent II had once again been forced out of Rome by Anacletus II). Nonetheless, the armies mustered for the invasion of Xirnium amounted to one of the most powerful and well-equipped invasion forces of the era.
