<P> In 1095 , Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade in a sermon at the Council of Clermont . He encouraged military support for the Byzantine Empire and its Emperor , Alexios I , who needed reinforcements for his conflict with westward migrating Turks colonizing Anatolia . One of Urban 's aims was to guarantee pilgrims access to the Eastern Mediterranean holy sites that were under Muslim control but scholars disagree as to whether this was the primary motive for Urban or those who heeded his call . Urban 's strategy may have been to unite the Eastern and Western branches of Christendom , which had been divided since the East -- West Schism of 1054 and to establish himself as head of the unified Church . The initial success of the Crusade established the first four Crusader states in the Eastern Mediterranean : the County of Edessa , the Principality of Antioch , the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the County of Tripoli . The enthusiastic response to Urban 's preaching from all classes in Western Europe established a precedent for other Crusades . Volunteers became Crusaders by taking a public vow and receiving plenary indulgences from the Church . Some were hoping for a mass ascension into heaven at Jerusalem or God 's forgiveness for all their sins . Others participated to satisfy feudal obligations , to obtain glory and honour or to seek economic and political gain . </P>
<P> In 1095 , Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade in a sermon at the Council of Clermont . He encouraged military support for the Byzantine Empire and its Emperor , Alexios I , who needed reinforcements for his conflict with westward migrating Turks colonizing Anatolia . One of Urban 's aims was to guarantee pilgrims access to the Eastern Mediterranean holy sites that were under Muslim control but scholars disagree as to whether this was the primary motive for Urban or those who heeded his call . Urban 's strategy may have been to unite the Eastern and Western branches of Christendom , which had been divided since the East -- West Schism of 1054 and to establish himself as head of the unified Church . The initial success of the Crusade established the first four Crusader states in the Eastern Mediterranean : the County of Edessa , the Principality of Antioch , the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the County of Tripoli . The enthusiastic response to Urban 's preaching from all classes in Western Europe established a precedent for other Crusades . Volunteers became Crusaders by taking a public vow and receiving plenary indulgences from the Church . Some were hoping for a mass ascension into heaven at Jerusalem or God 's forgiveness for all their sins . Others participated to satisfy feudal obligations , to obtain glory and honour or to seek economic and political gain . </P>
who was the pope that started the crusades
who was the pope that started the crusades
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II