The Crusades of Jerusalem

If someone takes over some land that is special to you, then you would probably want to take it back. In the middle ages, the Crusades were an attempt to regain Jerusalem, also known as the Holy Land, which was taken over by the Muslims. The Europeans spent much time trying to regain the land from the Muslims. Thousands of people left their homes so they could try and regain the Holy Land. Many died and were never seen again. Although the Crusades were a military failure, they were successful in pulling Europe out of the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.

The Crusades left a mark on Europe because they were a failure. Thousands of people left their homes to try and regain the Holy Land. Many of them died on the journey there and back, and many were never seen again. As the Crusades were going on, Constantinople was lost. This led to the decrease in power of the Byzantine Empire. The pope’s power also decreased in Europe. Trade expanded as new roads were opened connecting the Muslims and Europeans. Even still, there was religious intolerance between Catholics and Muslims, and they became to hate each other.

People of all types participated in the Crusades. There were knights, peasants, and younger sons of lords. Most of these people were French. They were all able to travel by renting merchant ships for a reasonable fee. The knights that took part in the first Crusade wore white aprons over their armor so that they could distinguish their allies from their enemy. As they went into battle, they used the battle cry “God Wills It!” In the third and final Crusade, Richard the Lion-Hearted was one of the three kings to lead that Crusade.

The Crusades could be called a successful failure for a few reasons. One main reason was because it helped to pull Europe out of the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. The Middle Ages were a time of religious reform. The Renaissance differed from the Crusades and the Middle Ages only because the Renaissance was based on a more secular, or worldly, intent. Another reason is because of the expansion of trade.

Thousands participated in the Crusades, with the intent of regaining Jerusalem from the Muslims. The Europeans spent so much time trying this, yet they still failed. But in a way, they succeeded. They turned out to be successful only because they pulled Europe out of the Middle ages and into the Renaissance, and also helped increase trade. The Crusades were a very important part in Europe’s history because they “successfully failed”.