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Prior to the First Crusade in 1095, Muslims had conquered about two-thirds of the Christian world after centuries of attacks and so Western Europeans performed a counter offensive with the First Crusade.<ref name="Andrea" /> Thus, Westerners were not the initiators of conflict, but and instead the First Crusade was the latest phase of an ongoing conflict for territory.<ref name="Andrea" />

Prior to the First Crusade in 1095, Muslims had conquered about two-thirds of the Christian world after centuries of attacks and so Western Europeans performed a counter offensive with the First Crusade.<ref name="Andrea" /> Thus, Westerners were not the initiators of conflict, but and instead the First Crusade was the latest phase of an ongoing conflict for territory.<ref name="Andrea" />

==Papal call==

==Papal call==

Pope Urban II called upon the knights of Christendom to fight for the defense of the Christian East and the protection of pilgrims in a speech made at the [[Council of Clermont]] on November 27, 1095. Urban demanded that all internal feuds within Christendom end, threatening [[excommunication]] for anyone who continued to bicker internally, and promising an indulgence (less time in purgatory) to anyone who died in the crusade.   

Pope Urban II called upon the knights of Christendom to fight for the defense of the Christian East and the protection of pilgrims in a speech made at the [[Council of Clermont]] on November 27, 1095. Pope Urban specified the call to skilled fighters, not priests or monks, and specified that clergy were not to participate without consent of their superiors, reflecting a cool minded approach, not religious fervor to fight for Christian lands.<ref name="Andrea1">Andrew Holt and Alfred Andrea. 2015. Seven Myths of the Crusades. Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 9781624664038 Page 39-41 </ref> Urban demanded that all internal feuds within Christendom end, threatening [[excommunication]] for anyone who continued to bicker internally, and promising an indulgence (less time in purgatory) to anyone who died in the crusade.   

This time Europe listened.  Those who were there erupted in spontaneous cries of "Deus le vult!" ("God wills it!") - which would become the watchword of what we now know as the Crusades.

This time Europe listened.  Those who were there erupted in spontaneous cries of "Deus le vult!" ("God wills it!") - which would become the watchword of what we now know as the Crusades.