This day in age, out country is experiencing a situation that is extremely similar to that that occurred in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, that which is the crusades. Crusades now can be defined as all wars undertaken in pursuance of a vow, and directed against infidels. But back in the middle ages it was known as any military expedition under taken by the Christians of Europe (Random House Webster's 318).

On September 11,2001 the people of America as well as all other free countries in our nation experience a new feeling that we have not know of. We were being attacked for our beliefs, for the way we live our lives. This what we were feeling, was being fought for during the time of the Crusades. The Christians and the Muslims were fighting against one another in order to spread their religion, or end the other.

The people who were the leaders of the attack were Muslims. Muslims are people who follow the religion of Isl

Later in 1198 Pope Innocent III called for a crusade. He had done this, because he hoped that a crusade would stop the fighting going on between the two Christian Churches. The western Catholic Church, which was located in Rome and the Eastern Church, based in Constantinople.

This city was a trading rival of Venice. But it was also a Christian city and the Pope told the army's not to attack it. The crusaders felt they had no choice and they attacked and captured the town.

The leaders of the fourth crusade came mostly from France and Flanders, which consisted mostly of barons and knights. In order to get to Jerusalem they were to take ships, which they would get, from the Venetians. The Venetians were willing to provide them with ships but they were asking for a very high price. Since the crusaders couldn't come up with the money, they asked them to capture the Hungarian town of Zara instead.

As they traveled to Jerusalem they came upon many wars with other Turkish lands as well as lands occupied by Jews. When the Christians finally reached Jerusalem, the crusader army settled down to the business of conducting the siege. They were now in a state of high spiritual fervour with miracles, signs and portents occurring daily in one of these, the dead Bishop Adhemar appeared before a priest, Peter Desiderius, and told him that the crusaders must humble themselves before they would be allowed to enter Jerusalem. All the leaders were convinced, and organized a fantastic procession. (Dr. Tom J. Rees) Lead by priests chanting and holding their sacred relics before them, the entire army marched in slow, solemn procession barefoot around Jerusalem.

Then on Christmas Day 1144, Znaghi the Saracen leader captured the city of Edessa. With the fall of Edessa the kingdom of Jerusalem was in great danger. This was especially because their king at the time Baldwin III, was too young to lead the Frankish forces. So his mother, Queen Melisende, went to Pope Eugenius for help. The Pope wanted to make sure that what was to happen now would not be the same disaster as during the peoples crusade. So the Pope sent an abbot named Bernard to go directly to the Kings of Europe for help. Bernard was a very powerful speaker. The Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad III, and Louis VII of France, agreed to bring forces to save Jerusalem.

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Approximate Word count = 3558
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page double spaced)