The Crusades were military campaigns generally against the Middle East with the objective to recover the Holy Lands.
There were a total of nine important crusades and dozens of unnumbered "crusades" afterwards.
These Turkish forces invaded Byzantium, a Christian empire.
The crusaders were a militia, sent out to recover what they thought was theirs.
The pope would gather the people together and incite them.
The origin of the crusades was a result of the expanding Turks in the middle east.
Pope Urban II’s call for crusade to the Holy Land as recorded by Fulcher of Chartes, a priest who was thought to be present at the speech.
His famous chronicle documents events he witnessed during the First Crusade to Constantinople.
It was important to Jewish people as it was the site of the original temple to God built by King Solomon.
It was important to the Muslims because it was where they believe Muhammad ascended to heaven.