Crusades

The word 'crusade' comes from the Latin word 'crux' (meaning cross).

 Christian warriors had a habit of sewing crosses onto their clothing to signify that they were "taking the cross" back to the Holy Land.

First

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Miscellaneous

The crusades were pathetic attempts to capture the
Holy Land from the Arabs, by European Christians,
between the late 1100s and 1200s A.D.

Also involved was the usual quest for more control of trade routs and land.

In fact, it is more likely that the Holy Land was just
used to get ignorant peasants to unknowingly fight for the
benefit of merchants who wanted access to Asia's spice trade,
and profits from weapon and food sales to the armies.

Some of the most tragic episodes in human history
have occurred as a direct result of the crusades.

They began after the European Christians had
driven the invading Moslems from Italy and Sicily,
and were still fighting them in Spain.

Seljuk Turks had ended the Arab practice of allowing Christians to
visit the Holy Land, after they took control of the area in the 1071.

Just a Bloody Mess.