where did christian knights fight during the Crusades? where were Muslims from?

Question

between 1000-1250

Answer 1

There were two main routes to Jerusalem. One was overland, via Byzantium, then through Asia Minor to Antioch, then along the coast to Jerusalem.
The other was by sea, usually from Italy, sometimes via Cyprus.

The battles were fought all along these routes.- Antioch, Dorylaeum, Tyre, Edessa. There were also two Crusades which sought to relieve Jerusalem by attacking the main enemys backyard- Egypt

Muslim nations were usually at war with each other- mainly the Turks against the Egyptians and the Arabs against everybody else. A minority of the muslims were local people, but the bulk of the warriors (for example in the army of Saladin) were Mameluk (often ex Christian children) slaves and Sudanese black slave infantry, often supplemented by irregular volunteer muslim troops.

In the northern battles the enemy was usually Turks, arriving in successive waves from the Asian steppes.

Answer 2

The Christian Knights were from all over Europe, but exclusively from France, Italy, England, and the Holy Roman Empire. The Muslims at this time were Seljuk Turks who were stationed in Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo.

Answer 3

Christian knights fought all throughout Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The goal was to "reclaim" the Holy Land in general and Jerusalem in particular. Muslims were from the same places they have always been from.

Answer 4

The propaganda used to inspire knights to go to the middle East and fight the infidels was reclaining the Holy Land. More wars are fought about religion than anything which makes sense...when your eternity is at stake, this temporal existance becomes less compelling. The Moslems were the native population of the area.