What were the Christian crusades?



The Christian crusades are a quite contentious and controversial part of Christian history. Many people object to the crusades because of the violence that was waged in their name. The crusades were a series of military campaigns that were waged under the name of many of the rulers of Christian Europe, including those of the Holy Roman Empire, and those of France. While many of the campaigns continued throughout the fifteenth century, what is generally thought of as the Christian crusades largely took place between 1095 and 1291. The main part of the crusades, then, or what is formally thought of as the crusades, took place over a period of almost two hundred years. Clearly, this was a massive and extended undertaking for all involved.



The crusades of the Christians were generally fought against those of the Muslim face, although history tells us that many other religions suffered persecution and violence in the name of the crusades at that time. In addition, those who were considered political enemies also had war waged against them, so the crusades were not necessarily strictly religious in nature. However, the main goal of the crusades was to recapture Jerusalem and the spiritual Holy Land, as it was at the time under Muslim rule. The crusades were begun in response to the perceived threat of the expansion of the Muslim Seljuk Turks into Europe, and were called for by the Byzantine Empire, which was an Empire of the Christian faith.

However, in part because of the social and political complexity of the different peoples who practiced the Christian faith, the crusades were not simply a push to push back the Seljuk Turks and reclaim the Holy Land. In fact, the crusades were characterized by a complicated series of other factors, including particular political allegiances, social issues, and economic reasons, in addition to the common religious ones. Many of the participating groups sought alliances with different factions based on shared interests and outlooks. Some crusades did not end up being strictly sanctioned, with the fourth crusade resulting in the sacking of Constantinople, and the sixth beginning without waiting for sanction from the Pope.

The Christian crusades had a large impact at the time, and their influence in the areas of social, political, and economic life continued for many hundreds of years. In fact, some of these influences have lasted to the current day.