Pilgrimages to Jerusalem during the Middle Ages

Jerusalem was the city where Jesus died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, thus it became a city to visit for Christian, especially European Christians. During the Middle Ages, such a pilgrimage was expensive and lengthy. Many of these pilgrimages were by boat and often treacherous because boats often got lost and/or shipwrecked. There were many poems even written about how treacherous and often terrible the journey itself (Such as The Pilgrims Sea-Voyage and Sea-Sickness).

One interesting fact is that once travelers reached Palestine, the supervision was transferred into the Franciscans of the Monastery of Mount Zion, and it was the only Catholic organisation that was allowed by the Islamic rulers at the time.

There were many reasons to take the dangerous voyage to Jerusalem. Many reasons were to see the holy land and see the place where Jesus died for Christian's sins, as well as for the adventure and curiosity to see a city that so many considered holy and righteous in and of itself. Also, non-saint souls, according to Medieval Christianity, stay in Purgatory for a period of time before ascending into heaven. Pilgrimage to Jerusalem was said to shorten the time in Purgatory for the souls of the dead and for those who took the journey.

Some were sent to Jerusalem as punishment. They were sent to seek penance, but only for severe crimes, so it wasn't common.

Social status and prestige was another (probably less holy) reason. Those who accomplished the journey and returned were held in higher regard socially. Knights were often encouraged to go to show off their knight-hood and encourage them into crusades. Nobles were most often pilgrims because of the cost of the journey, most of whom being men. Women were considered the 'more sinful of sexes' and 'inherently sinful' (there was long debate in the Catholic church whether women even possessed souls to ascend to heaven). They were allowed so long as they were quiet, but most were quiet anyway because the journey was so difficult anyway.

Sources:

http://memo.hum.uu.nl/jerusalem/pages/pilgrimage.html

https://edelmulcahy.wordpress.com/