The document summarizes the key events and motivations of the Crusades between 1095-1291. It discusses how the Seljuk Turks took control of Jerusalem in the 11th century and prevented Christian pilgrimage, motivating the First Crusade launched by Pope Urban II to retake the city. The First Crusade established the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem but it gradually decayed and the last Christian city, Acre, fell in 1291, ending the Crusades.

1. Brandon Mintz and Christian Creigh

2.  Since the time of Constantine, Christians had
gone on pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Muslims had ruled Jerusalem since 638 but
Christians were still allowed to visit the city.
By the 11th century the Seljuk Turks took over
control of Jerusalem and prevented
pilgrimage

3.  The crusades began as a war between
Christians and Moslems for the City of
Jerusalem. The City held a holy significance to
the Christian religion as it contained the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the tomb of
Christ's burial. In 1065, 3000 Christians were
massacred in Jerusalem by the Turks, starting a
chain of events which contributed to the cause
of the crusades.

4. • Release the Holy Land of Jerusalem from the Saracens
• Seizing Spain from the Moors
• Push the Slavs and Pagans from eastern Europe
• Conquering the islands of the Mediterranean

5.  There were a total of nine crusades. The most
important were the first four crusades. This promoted
a constant war between Europe and Asia for a period
of almost two hundred years. Throughout this time
continuous movement of crusaders came from the
Moslem possessions in Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt.

6.  Pope urban II was responsible for assisting Emperor Alexus I of
Constantinople in launching the first crusade. Alexus I made
influential speeches calling on Christian princes in Europe to go
on a crusade to rescue Jerusalem from the Turks.
 The first crusade established the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and
lasted from 1095-1099. This newly formed kingdom provided
crusading knights with more land and the opportunity to visit the
Holy Sepulchre.

7.  Acre, the last Christian city, fell in 1291, giving
end to the already progressive decaying
kingdom of Jerusalem. Kings of France and
England often dreamed of returning to the
Holy Land. Regional tensions however
prevented any such plans.

8.  influenced the wealth and power of the
Catholic Church.
 Feudalism
 prompted the famous Voyages of discovery

9.  http://gbgm-
umc.org/umw/bible/crusades.stm
http://www.the-
orb.net/encyclop/religion/crusades/crumadd
en.html
 http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/the-
crusades.htm