The Crusades were a series of revolutionary movements that started in the eleventh century. They marked the first time large numbers of believers left their homeland to carry their culture and religion to far away lands. The Crusades were made up of a combination of religious interests and military enterprises. The Christian Europeans were eager to regain their Holy Land of Jerusalem. The power of the church was at its height and leaders of the church, Popes, were eager to transplant their religion to foreign nations. Islamic forces were also full of momentum; they had taken North Africa, the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, and most of Spain. The Byzantine Empire was in a position that could hardly fight off the surrounding powers of the Muslims.
             The First Crusade was set by the words of Pope Urban II, in his speech at Claremont. The mission was take over militants who were violently threatening peaceful Christians in and around Jerusalem. The Muslims were defeated in Jerusalem and the mission was completed. The problem lies in the crusades that followed. New princes and nobles of the newly found provinces were to battle each other for power, money, and right to trade routes.
             The Crusades are often called a "successful failure" for many reasons. First, they are known as a failure because they did not accomplish the ruling of Jerusalem for the long term. The Crusades opened up a fight for power of lands that were not previously occupied by the Christians. The Crusades are thought to have brought Western Europe higher standards of medicine and learning. It is also thought that they encouraged the spread of Greek and Muslim cultures. The trade routes which were opened up were the reasoning behind the newly traded silks, spices, and oranges.
             It is argued by historians that the Crusades just forced the inevitable. The Crusades did take large numbers of young nobles and put them at war with another ene
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