The Crusades
The 11th century brought good things to the Eastern Mediterranean. There were generally no immense problems to deal with, as everything was in a very tranquil state. The people who lived there went with the flow, but what they did not know is that they would soon be part of a turning point in religious history.
A large group of Christians formed a small military which was called the Crusaders. They were out to recapture the Holy land from the Muslims, and dedicated their lives to this. They were identified by red cloth that was sewn on their garments in the form of a cross. This indicated that they were the soldiers of Christ. Their name, The Crusaders was derived from the Latin word crux meaning cross, this then in turn was a reference to the biblical ruling that good Christians always carry a cross.
The Crusaders existence was based on strong religious beliefs more then any of the other minor reasons they were established. The Crusaders also resurrected an older tradition of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which was often imposed as a reconciliation of your-self. They assumed two roles: pilgrims and soliders. Armed pilgrims would normally not be accepted, but in this case they were, because they were fighting for the Christian Holy Land. This made the war justifiable in their eyes.
In the 7th century the Muslims took control of Jerusalem, and in the 11th century they began to hassle and interfere with Christian pilgrims and teaching in the Jerusalem area. To the Christians Jerusalem was a heavenly city, the center of their existence and they did not take lightly to being pushed out. The Popes encouragement, religious indulgences, and promise of eternal merit provoked thousands of Christians to enroll in this holy military to fight for the cause.
The Crusades were also a response to the cries of help from the Byzantine Empire, who was very worried about a gaining threat in the form of the...
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