Nicki+Mostofi

1. Introduction--Describe a general cause or causes of the conflict.toc
I believe that the crusades were started because the pope called the people to fight, because __"the principal hidden agenda was to heal the Great Schism on Rome's terms once and for all by rescuing the Byzantines from a grave threat and thereby obligating them." (Dutch)__

2. Background--Describe who, what, when, and where.
- There were three main groups involved in the crusades, Muslims, Christians, and Jews. - The conflict was that the Seljuk turks were eager to expand their empire, so they moved westward to Jerusalem. The Christians became alarmed for their safety and that of the Holy Land, while the Jews tried to defend themselves. - The crusades took place over a long time period. The pope called the people to fight at Clermont in 1095. Then the first crusade began in 1096, and the last crusade ended in 1291. - The crusades were fought in a variety of different places including Asia, Europe, Constantinople, Clermont, and Jerusalem.

3. Causal Factors--Describe three factors that led to The Crusades.
- One factor that could have led to the crusades is the Great Schism, because the Catholics thought that by rescuing the Byzantines from danger, they would then be obligated to end the schism between them. - The second factor was that all three groups believed that they had the right to the Holy Land. For Mulims, it was the place were Muhammad left for his night journey. For christians. it was the place were Jesus was killed and rose again. And for the jews, it was the place where God brought them when he led them out of Egypt. - The third factor that I believe led to the crusades was when the pope called for people to fight. At that time everyone was looking for a quick and easy way to get to Heaven and according to the pope, that is exactly what fighting in the crusades would bring.

4. Most Important Factor--Explain how one factor was more important than the others.
- I think that the most important factor that started the crusades was the Great Schism. Had this separation not taken place forty-two years before, the crusades may have never been started. The other groups then took the crusades farther then the Catholics had hoped, and they were not able to rescue the Byzantines and end the crusades.

5. Impacts--Explain how one religous group and an individual within that group were impacted by The Crusades.
- One group that was certainly impacted greatly by the crusades is the Christians. When the Seljuk Turks started advancing, Christians began fearing for the safety of those living in the west and the safety of the Holy Land. Also, in the time while the Muslims held Jerusalem, Christians were no longer allowed to make pilgramages. - An individual that was impacted by the crusades was King Richard I (the Lionheart). When Saladin and his Muslim army came to take Jerusalem, Richard and his men fought fiercely. Although the Muslims then took hold of Jerusalem, the Christians did not let it go without a fight. Finally, Saladin agreed to sign a treaty with King Richard that gave both Muslims and Christians the right to live in and make pilgramages to Jerusalem.

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6. Conclusion--Explain how The Crusades could have been avoided.
I think that the crusades could have been avoided if all three groups had not been greedy. If perhaps the leaders of the groups had sat down and made a treaty that gave right to all religions to visit the city, the crusades would not have been so bloody and horrible.

7. Works Cited--List your sources in MLA format.
Dutch, Steven. " Let the Games Begin". __The Crusades__. 27 August 1998. University of Green Bay. Accessed 2 March 2010. < [] >

8. Pictures
First Image: Art above a church entrance Second Image: Jerusalem