How did the Crusaders establish their rule in captured territories?

The Crusaders established their rule in captured territories through the creation of Crusader states and implementing feudal systems.

The Crusaders, after capturing territories during the Crusades, established their rule by setting up four major Crusader states. These were the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the County of Edessa. These states were essentially feudal entities, modelled after the feudal structures prevalent in Europe, particularly in France and Italy, from where many of the Crusaders hailed.

The Crusaders implemented a feudal system, a hierarchical structure where the king granted lands, known as fiefs, to his loyal nobles, who in turn pledged their military service and loyalty. This system was not entirely alien to the local populace as the Islamic societies in the region had a somewhat similar structure, with the Sultan granting lands to his loyal emirs. However, the Crusaders' system was more rigid and formalised.

The Crusaders also established their rule by building castles and fortifications. These served as administrative centres, military bases, and symbols of their power. The most famous of these is the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria, one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. These castles were often built on strategic locations, such as hilltops or along important trade routes, to control the surrounding areas and protect their territories from enemy attacks.

In addition to the feudal system and castle-building, the Crusaders also sought to establish their rule by imposing their own culture and religion on the local populace. They tried to replace the local Islamic and Eastern Christian practices with Western Christian practices. They established Latin churches and brought in Latin clergy. However, this cultural and religious imposition was met with resistance from the local populace and was not entirely successful.

In summary, the Crusaders established their rule in captured territories through a combination of political, military, and cultural strategies. They set up Crusader states based on the feudal system, built castles and fortifications, and tried to impose their own culture and religion. However, their rule was often precarious and faced constant challenges from the local populace and neighbouring Muslim states.