Title: What Caused the First Crusade, and was it a Success? Essay - 1339 Words
Headings: What Caused the First Crusade, and was it a Success?
What Caused the First Crusade, and was it a Success?
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Content: The First Crusade Essay
...The crusades were holy wars fought by Christians in Europe and Muslims in the Middle East between 1096 and 1270. Generally, military campaigns against the Middle East trying to recover holy lands. The Crusades were often controlled by the Pope who had the power to unite all the Catholic nations against a common enemy. Europeans were willing to fight not only for Jerusalem but many reasons. They believed it would give them forgiveness of sins, a chance to travel and make money, defend the Byzantine Empire from the Turks, opportunity to get new land in the Middle East and opening trade routes between Europe and Middle East. There were nine crusades fought by Christians against Muslims in the Middle East. The first crusade began in 1096, which were mostly thieves and criminals. This was the first successful crusade in taking Jerusalem. Pope Urban II wanted the Christians to go to war against the Muslims. So they can defend the Byzantine Empire against the Seljuk Turks and to take over holy sites from the Muslims.