The history of Jerusalem during the Middle Ages is generally one of decline; beginning as a major city in the Byzantine Empire, Jerusalem prospered during the early centuries of Muslim control (640–969), but under the rule of the Fatimid caliphate (late 10th to 11th centuries) its population declined from about 200,000 to less than half that number by the time of the Christian conquest in 1099. The Christians massacred much of the population as they took the city, and while population quickly recovered during the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it was again decimated to below 2,000 people when the Khwarezmi Turks retook the city in 1244. After this, the city remained a backwater of the late medieval Muslim empires and would not again exceed a population of 10,000 until the 16th century.^[1] It was passed back and forth through various Muslim factions until decidedly conquered by the Ottomans in 1517, who maintained control until the British took it in 1917.

read more on : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jerusalem_during_the_Middle_Ages

Attention : Please stay on topic about Jarusalem if you want discussing other country, place and event please dont do this on this topic (make your own topic)

Well of course, when the Caliphate was around even a Christian of a lower class enjoyed a higher quality of life than a noble somewhere else in Europe. It's because half of Europe was going through what was called the dark ages, it is when our ancestors became retarded from drinking too much lead, and refusing to read.

But its OK, we became smart again, and when the Mongolians invaded and wrecked up the Caliphate, the Jewish people decided to move here, and we all lived happily ever after. Or so our intelligent government says.

Here here Germany! 

Reading since the 18th century's!

Jerusalem is an important city for 3 different religions. When muslims took over the city, why is it surprising if they tried to make it beautiful and rich?  The Jews and Christians would do exactly the same thing.

And it is prospering now under Jewish "rule", so what's your point?

The reason it prospered in those days was because the region became a "meeting place" of different religions and cultures. With the current caliphate they are trying to drive out other ways of thinking as much as possible.

A bit like the holy city of toledo. Jews, Muslims and Christians all prospered for hundreds of years in close proximity. It's sad to think that many countries so many years ago were more civilised than many places are today.

Medieval Jerusalem was truly a great and enlightened place to live when its inhabitants weren't being slaughtered.

Do you know what the christians did when they conquered Jerusalem?

In the middle ages the middle east was far more civilized than Europe. Europe was a backwards continent. Most prosperous region was Spain (controlled by Muslims for centuries), Northern Italy and the Low countries.

Reversed Jerusalem's steep decline and made it the capital of a very wealthy and cosmopolitan kingdom. Brought prosperity, in other words. (After killing or expelling all of its non-Christians residents, of course!)