War, What is it Good For?
            
            
             "O bravest of knights, descendants of unconquered ancestors, do not be weaker than they, but remember their courage....Set out on the road to the holy sepulchre, take the land from that wicked people, and make it your own....Set out on this journey and you will obtain the remission of your sins and be sure of the incorruptible glory of the kingdom of heaven." The preceding quote was addressed to the French by Pope Urban II in a very persuasive way. The Pope took advantage of this key opportunity to provide papal leadership so that once again the Church might take over. To some the crusades were seen as a great event in history, others might see just the opposite. The crusades were a complete waste of time seeing as how there was total lack of achievement, some unfortunate side effects, and economically brought us no where.
            
             When the crusades first began, the Pope hoped to achieve one thing; to rally the warriors of Europe for the liberation of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Muslim infidel. Following the long five week battle, during the First Crusade, the Holy City was finally taken; leaving behind bodies from a horrible massacre of the inhabitants. If there were any achievements at all throughout the Crusades, this was it. Soon after, the Muslims began to strike back with a fury. Their defeat led to another Crusade. It wasn't to long until that Second Crusade failed as well. The Third Crusade came about from the fall of the Holy City. Three major monarchs agreed to take charge; Frederick Barbarossa, Richard I, Philip II Augustus. It'd only be normal to assume that these people taking charge of such big armies, would at least be able to make some sort of impact. Did that happen? No! Frederick Barbarossa, deceased; drowned while swimming in local river. Down went his army along with him soon after. Richard and Philip, lost miserably in battle when they moved in...