The Crusades

Introduction
Occuring in the High Middle Ages, approximately 1100-1300 B.C.E, the crusades were a series of pilgramages/holy wars that were launched by the Christian states of Europe against the Saracens, a term for Muslims during the time of the Crusades. There were a total of nine crusades that occured.

The First Crusade
In November 1095, Pope Urban II preached a sermon at Clermont-Ferrand in France that called for a 'Holy War'. This was the cause of the Muslims having control of the 'Holy Lands' and for fear of a threat to the Christian city of Constantinople. The aim was to aid the Christians of the East and return the Holy Sepulcher, the church in Jerusalem that was said to contain the body of Christ, to Christian control and reunite all of Christiandom. The effect of the papal preaching was that of 50-60 thousand knights became crusaders and marched east toward the holy land. The knights were reassured by Pope Urban II, who said that those who died throughout the Crusade would surely get into the kingdom of heaven. The crusaders wore tunics that displayed a red cross that symbolized the crucifiction of Christ, whilst marching and in battle the crusader shouted their battle cry, "God wills it!". The first crusade was an overall success with the crusaders retaking the holy land and Jerusalem was returned to Christian control.