What exactly were the crusades all about what caused them?

Answer 1

Muslim armies had conquered much of northern Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Spain, which had been some of the most heavily Christian areas in the world.

Thousands, and possibly millions, of Christians died during this drive to eventually bring the entire world under Islam.

The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II to check the advance of the Muslims and regain control of the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

I am sure that some atrocities were committed by both sides during this war but by most people's judgment this was a just war.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The reason given is that "heathen" Muslims were in control of the Holy Land, so the pope decreed that they should be driven out and the Holy Land "taken back" by the Christians. In reality, once European countries got to the point where they were more or less civilized, many of the knights and other soldiers began attacking each other and innocent civilians, so the pope decided to give them a common enemy. He absolved all their sins if they would go on crusade. Unfortunately, many of the ones who went were not exactly the best Europe had to offer. They looted their way to the Middle East, and slaughtered all the Muslims they could--man, woman and child. They also killed Jews, and even other Christians who already lived there.

Answer 3

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope[1] in the name of Christendom,[2] with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the sacred "Holy Land" from Islamic rule and originally launched in response to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia.[3][4]

The term is also used to describe contemporaneous and subsequent campaigns conducted through the 16th Century in territories outside of the Levant[5], usually against pagans, those considered by the Catholic Church to be heretics, and peoples under the ban of excommunication,[3] for a mixture of religious, economic, and political reasons.[6] The traditional numbering scheme for the Crusades includes the nine major expeditions to the Holy Land during the 11th to 13th centuries. Other unnumbered "crusades" continued into the 16th century, lasting until the political and religious climate of Europe was significantly changed during the Renaissance and Reformation.

The Children's Crusade was not a military campaign, but probably a popular uprising in France and/or Germany, possibly with the intention of reaching the Holy Land in order to peacefully convert Muslims there to Christianity.

The Crusades had far-reaching political, economic, and social impacts, some of which have lasted into contemporary times. Due to internal conflicts among Christian kingdoms and political powers, some of the crusade expeditions, e. g., the fourth crusade, were diverted from their original aim and resulted in the sack of Christian cities, including the the Byzantine capital, Constantinople.[7] Internal conflicts between Muslim kingdoms and political powers also meant alliances with one faction against the other such as the one with the Sultanate of Rum during the Fifth Crusade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

Answer 4

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by Christians from 1095-1291, usually sanctioned by the Pope[1] in the name of Christendom,[2] with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the sacred "Holy Land" from Islamic rule and originally launched in response to a call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuq dynasty into Anatolia.[3][4]

The term is also used to describe contemporaneous and subsequent campaigns conducted through the 16th Century in territories outside of the Levant[5], usually against pagans, those considered by the Catholic Church to be heretics, and peoples under the ban of excommunication,[3] for a mixture of religious, economic, and political reasons.[6] The traditional numbering scheme for the Crusades includes the nine major expeditions to the Holy Land during the 11th to 13th centuries. Other unnumbered "crusades" continued into the 16th century, lasting until the political and religious climate of Europe was significantly changed during the Renaissance and Reformation

Answer 5

The crusades were all about having control of Jerusalem. Three religions wanted it, the Jewish, the Christians and the Islamics. The crusades were the wars between them all. It was known to many as "the holy wars".

Answer 6

A relatively small number of religious fanatics preached the concept of holy war in the more backward regions of the world. The result was that a number of independent adventurers and a few state-sponsored groups left their homes, travelled halfway round the (known) world and launched attacks against areas where the had previously been comparatively good relations between different races and religions.

Later, the religious motives became more of an excuse for the achievement of political goals.

Answer 7

The Crusades were expeditions undertaken, in fulfilment of a solemn vow, to deliver the Holy Places from Mohammedan tyranny.

Answer 8

select KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, GOOGLE IT.look up white knights, william marshall earl of pembroke.
this site can give an insight into the crusades ,wether you believe for christianity or for land/power depends on what or who you believe i tend to go for the procreation of the relious element a lot of gentry sought favour with the church by battling the non christian, the site of the rise of christianity just happens to be smack in the middle of an area of two opposing faiths, kings would raise an army
travel from all over europe to go to war in a effort to convert or take back Jeruselem, the knights templar are a good example of these religious gentry who became knights, there are many other orders, LF

Answer 9

The christians greed that still carries on today, their assumption that everyone from the east is no better than a dog and they should kill the barbarians from the land they call holy. They had no right to do so, they were mislead by the pope making false promises to ultimately pawn soldier into fighting to gain Jerusalem back into christian hands, they won but in the end failed numerous times. Islam prevails over the infidels once again.

Answer 10

Crusades were about reclaiming the holy land, Jersulem, for the christians.

here read more on it...i think you would find particular interest in the Knights Templar.