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[[Image:Crusader.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A returning Crusader]]

[[Image:Crusader.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A returning Crusader]]

'''The Crusades''' (1095-1291) were a series of European Christian campaigns into the Middle East, fought during the middle ages.  They were the military responses made by Christians from western Europe to the pope's pleas to re-capture the Holy Land from Islamic influence.  The '''First Crusade''' created new Latin states in the Holy Land. Subsequent crusades were less successful except when they attacked Byzantium.  Other medieval movements against heretics and infidels were also called crusades. The crusades ended with the Islamic recapture of all the Holy Land in 1291, when the the last city controlled by crusaders, Acre, fell.

'''The Crusades''' (1095-1291) were a series of European Christian campaigns into the Middle East, fought during the middle ages.  Causes for "The Crusades" remains a tough subject into the present day. However, most agree that they were a form of military response made by Christians from western Europe to the various pope's pleas to re-capture the Holy Land from Islamic dominance.  The '''First Crusade''' created four new "Latin Kingdoms" in the Holy Land. Subsequent crusades were less successful in the aim of denying the Latin Kingdoms from resurgent Islamic leadership.  Other medieval movements against heretics and infidels were also called crusades. In popular conception, "The Crusades" ended with the final Islamic conquest of the briefly existing Latin kingdoms in 1291 ,when the the last city controlled by crusaders, Acre, fell.

The crusades comprise a major chapter of [[Middle Ages|Medieval History]]. Extending over three centuries, they attracted every social class in western Europe. Kings and commoners, barons and bishops, knights and commoners&mdash;even teenagers&mdash;all participated in these expeditions to the eastern end of the Mediterranean. The motives of the crusaders were numerous: some sought riches; many sought adventure; most were moved by faith alone. Historians stress the central role of religious fervor, while mentioning as well the socio-economic factors crucial in enticing larger contingents. For example, crusaders often were fulfilling their feudal obligations. There were strong links between the papal reforms, the social necessity of violence and the exploitation of this inherent revivalistic imagination of the age of the Papacy.<ref> Douglas James, "Christians and the First Crusade," ''History Review,'' (Dec 2005), Issue 53</ref>  

The crusades comprise a major chapter in the modern perception of the [[Middle Ages|Medieval History]]. Extending over three centuries, for good or ill they attracted every social class and every economic spectrum in western Europe. Kings and commoners, barons and bishops, knights and commoners&mdash;even teenagers&mdash;all participated in these expeditions to the eastern end of the Mediterranean. The motives of the crusaders were numerous: some sought riches; many sought adventure; most were moved by faith alone. Some Historians stress the central role of religious fervor,however this explanation is falling out of use. It is important to mention the socio-economic factors crucial in enticing such large numbers of men to travel so far. For example, crusaders often were fulfilling their feudal obligations. There were strong links between the papal reforms, the social necessity of violence and the exploitation of this inherent revivalist imagination of the age of the Papacy.<ref> Douglas James, "Christians and the First Crusade," ''History Review,'' (Dec 2005), Issue 53</ref> Additionally, one should consider the economic and political context of 11th and 12th century Europe. A warming of the global climate led to bumper crops during this period which resulted in a quick growth of both wealth and population. Adjacent to this general growth was the consolidation of centralized crowns in addition to papal mandated "Truces of God" putting a damper on the inter-fratricidal wars of the aristocracy within Europe.Therefore, morbidly speaking, there was an excess of youthful aristocracy which the inheritances of fathers could not keep apace with. The Crusades provided an outlet for these poor and desperate generally lower nobility to gain land and reputation. Another element to keep in mind was the role of Norman warrior barons in the late 11th century. The Duke of Normandy conquered England in 1066 and soon after a close Norman relation conquered Sicily, and it was a Norman family; the Hautvilles, which led the first Crusade.

The crusades failed to achieve the permanent control of the Holy Land. However, their influence was wide and deep. Much of  

The crusades failed to wrest permanent control of the Holy Land from the consolidated Islamic and later Mongol  states in the Middle East of the 11th through 13th centuries. However, the influence of the Crusades in the Western world of the time and the consciousness of both the Western World and the Islamic world after is signifigant. Much of  

the crusading fervor carried over to the successful fights against the Moors (Muslims) in Spain and the pagan Slavs in eastern Europe. Politically the crusades weakened the decrepit Byzantine Empire, but temporarily kept the Muslims away from it. The First Crusade strengthened the moral leadership of the  

the crusading fervor carried over to reconquista (reconquest_ against the Moors (Muslims) in Al Andulus (Modern Spain and Portugal) and the pagan Slavs in eastern Europe. Politically the crusades weakened the decrepit Byzantine Empire, but successfully deflected the vigour of the Turkik invasions of the 11th century from collapsing its fronteirs. The First Crusade strengthened the moral leadership of the  

papacy in Europe, but the failures of the later crusades weakened both the crusading ideal and respect for the papacy

papacy in Europe, but the failures of the later crusades weakened both the crusading ideal and respect for the papacy

Contact with the East widened the scope of the Europeans, ended their isolation, and exposed them to an rich civilization. The economic effects of the crusades were modest, but they did reopen of the eastern Mediterranean to Western commerce, which itself had an effect on the rise of great cities such as Venice and the emergence of a money economy in the West.

Contact with the East widened the scope of the Europeans, ended their isolation, and exposed them to a wealthy, literate, and advanced civilization, which surpassed them in all areas. The economic effects of the crusades were modest, but they did reopen the eastern Mediterranean to Western commerce, which itself had an effect on the rise of great cities such as Venice and the emergence of a money economy in the West.

The crusaders derived their name from the Latin word for "cross"--crux. A crusader went to the Holy Land with a cross of cloth sewn over his breast; when he returned, he had a similar cross for his back.  Originally called to repel the Islamic forces that controlled [[Jerusalem]], the crusades evolved into a form of political decree called by the Papacy for political, social or economic reasons. The campaigns of [[Teutonic knight]]s against [[pagan]] strongholds in [[Eastern Europe]] are also sometimes called crusades.  Lastly, military actions within Christendom against heretical and schismatic groups are sometimes called a crusade. Thus a crusade in most general terms was a directive of war issued by the pope to all Rome-friendly nations against forces, whether Muslim, pagan or Eastern Orthodox, which were hostile to the Papacy.  

The crusaders derived their name from the Latin word for "cross"--crux. A crusader went to the Holy Land with a cross of cloth sewn over his breast; when he returned, he had a similar cross for his back.The campaigns of [[Teutonic knight]]s against [[pagan]] strongholds in [[Eastern Europe]] are also sometimes called crusades.  Lastly, military actions within Christendom against heretical and schismatic groups are sometimes called as a crusade. Thus a crusade in most general terms was a directive of war issued by the pope to all Rome-friendly nations against forces, whether Muslim, pagan or Eastern Orthodox, which were hostile to the Papacy.  

The crusades in the Holy Land ultimately failed to establish permanent Christian kingdoms. The fourth crusade resulted in a very damaged relationship between [[Orthodox Church|Greek]] and [[Roman Catholic|Latin]] Christendom.  Islamic expansion into remained a threat for centuries, with crusading orders establishing strongholds to protect Mediterranean islands.  

The crusades some argued were a tool for the newly strengthened latin church in it's centuries old struggle for power with the patriarchate of the orthodox church. The fourth crusade resulted in a very damaged relationship between [[Orthodox Church|Greek]] and [[Roman Catholic|Latin]] Christendom, as the crusaders at the orders of Venician merchant lords seized and sacked Constantinople, temporarily ending the thousand year old Byzantine Empire..  Islamic expansion into remained a threat for centuries, with crusading orders establishing strongholds to protect Mediterranean islands.  

On the other hand, the crusades in southern [[Spain]] were militarily successful, eventually leading to the end of Islamic power in the region in 1492.  The Teutonic knights expanded Christian domains in Eastern Europe, and the [[Albigensian Crusade]], achieved its goal of destroying heretics in France. <ref>See Brian Tierney and Sidney Painter, ''Western Europe in the Middle Ages 300–1475''. 6th ed. (McGraw-Hill 1998)</ref>

On the other hand, the crusades in southern [[Spain]] were militarily successful, eventually leading to the end of Islamic power in the region in 1492.  The Teutonic knights expanded Christian domains in Eastern Europe, and the [[Albigensian Crusade]], achieved its goal of destroying heretics in France. <ref>See Brian Tierney and Sidney Painter, ''Western Europe in the Middle Ages 300–1475''. 6th ed. (McGraw-Hill 1998)</ref>