Crusaders
Invade
the
Holy
Land
The
Crusades
were
a
long
series
of
wars
between
Christians
Muslims
in
Southwest
Asia.
They
were
fought
over
control
of
Palestine,
a
region
of
Southwest
Asia.
Europeans
called
Palestine
the
Holy
Land
because
it
was
the
region
where
Jesus
had
lived,
preached,
and
died.
Causes
of
the
Crusades
For
many
years,
Palestine
had
been
in
the
hands
of
Muslims.
In
general,
the
Muslims
did
not
bother
Christians
who
visited
the
region.
In
the
late
1000s,
though,
a
group
of
Turkish
Muslims
entered
the
area
and
captured
the
city
of
Jerusalem.
Pilgrims
returning
to
Europe
said
that
these
Turks
had
attacked
them
in
the
Holy
Land,
which
was
no
longer
safe
for
Christians.
Before
long,
the
Turks
began
to
raid
the
Byzantine
Empire.
The
Byzantine
emperor,
fearing
an
attack
on
Constantinople,
asked
Pope
Urban
II
of
the
Roman
Catholic
Church
for
help.
Although
the
Byzantines
were
Orthodox
Christians
and
not
Catholic,
the
pope
agreed
to
the
request.
The
Call
to
Arms
Pope
Urban
called
on
Christians
from
all
over
Europe
to
retake
the
Holy
Land
from
the
Muslim
Turks.
He
challenged
Europes
kings
and
nobles
to
quit
fighting
among
themselves
and
fight
together
against
the
Turks.
In
response,
people
joined
the
popes
army
by
the
thousands.
Crusaders
from
all
over
Europe
flocked
to
France
to
prepare
for
their
long
journey.
They
sewed
crosses
onto
their
clothing
to
show
that
they
were
fighting
for
God.
In
fact,
the
word
crusade
comes
from
the
Latin
for
marked
with
a
cross.
As
they
marched
off
to
war,
the
Crusaders
yelled
their
rallying
cry,
God
wills
it!
Why
would
people
leave
home
to
fight
in
a
distant
land?
Some
just
hoped
to
save
their
souls
or
to
do
what
they
thought
God
wanted.
They
thought
that
God
would
look
favorably
on
them
for
fighting
his
enemies,
as
one
French
abbot
noted:
What
a
glory
to
return
in
victory
from
such
a
battle!
if
they
are
blessed
who
die
in
the
Lord,
how
much
more
are
they
who
die
for
the
Lord!
Saint
Bernard
of
Clairvaux,
from
In
Praise
of
the
New
Knighthood
Other
Crusaders
wanted
land
and
treasure.
Still
others
were
looking
for
something
to
do.
Adventure
called
to
them.
The
First
Crusade
About
5,000
Crusaders
left
Europe
for
the
Holy
Land
in
1096.
Some
of
the
first
ones
to
set
out
were
peasants,
not
soldiers.
On
their
way
to
the
Holy
Land,
these
peasant
Crusaders
attacked
Jews
in
Germany.
They
blamed
the
Jews
for
Jesuss
death.
Before
they
even
reached
the
Holy
Land,
Turkish
troops
killed
most
of
these
untrained,
poorly
equipped
peasants.
The
nobles
and
knights
fared
better.
When
they
reached
Jerusalem
in
1099,
they
found
the
Muslim
army
disorganized
and
unready
to
fight.
After
about
a
month
of
fighting,
the
Crusaders
took
Jerusalem.
After
the
Europeans
took
Jerusalem,
they
set
up
four
small
kingdoms
in
the
Holy
Land.
The
rulers
of
these
kingdoms
created
lord
and
vassal
systems
like
they
had
known
at
home.
They
also
began
to
trade
with
people
back
in
Europe.
Why
did
the
Crusades
fail?
There
were
many
reasons.
The
Crusaders
had
to
travel
huge
distances
just
to
reach
the
war.
Many
died
along
the
way.
Crusaders
werent
prepared
to
fight
in
Palestines
desert
climate.
The
Christians
were
outnumbered
by
their
well-led
and
organized
Muslim
foes.
Christian
leaders
fought
among
themselves
and
planned
poorly.
Whatever
the
reasons
for
their
failure,
the
Crusades
ended
just
as
they
had
begun
so
many
years
before,
with
the
Holy
Land
under
Muslim
control.
Crusades
Change
Europe
Although
the
Crusades
failed,
they
changed
Europe
forever.
Trade
between
Europe
and
Asia
grew.
Europeans
who
went
to
the
Holy
Land
learned
about
products
such
as
apricots,
rice,
and
cotton
cloth.
Crusaders
also
brought
ideas
of
Muslim
thinkers
to
Europe.
Politics
in
Europe
also
changed.
Some
kings
increased
their
power
because
many
nobles
and
knights
had
died
in
the
Holy
Land.
These
kings
seized
lands
that
were
left
without
clear
owners.
During
the
later
Crusades,
kings
also
gained
influence
at
the
popes
expense.
The
popes
had
wanted
the
church
to
be
in
charge
of
all
the
Crusades.
Instead,
rulers
and
nobles
took
control.
The
Crusades
had
lasting
effects
on
relations
among
peoples
as
well.
Because
some
Crusaders
had
attacked
Jews,
many
Jews
distrusted
Christians.
In
addition,
tension
between
the
Byzantines
and
western
Christians
increased,
especially
after
Crusaders
attacked
Constantinople.
The
greatest
changes
occurred
with
Christian
and
Muslim
relationships.
Each
group
learned
about
the
others
religion
and
culture.
Sometimes
this
led
to
mutual
respect.
In
general,
though,
the
Crusaders
saw
Muslims
as
unbelievers
who
threatened
innocent
Christians.
Most
Muslims
viewed
the
Crusaders
as
vicious
invaders.
Some
historians
think
that
the
distrust
that
began
during
the
Crusades
still
affects
Christian
and
Muslim
relationships
today.
