Crusades

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Pope Urban II about the Crusades.

Katie: Can you explain what the Crusades were?

Pope Urban II: The Crusades were a series of military campaigns during the time of medievel England against the Muslims of the Middle East. The specific crusades to restore Christian control of the Holy Land were fought over a period of nearly 200 years, between 1095 and 1291.The Crusades were fought mainly by Roman Catholic forces against Muslims who had occupied the near east since the time of the Rashidun Caliphate, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and and political enemies of the various popes.

Katie: What was the main goal of the Crusades?

Pope Urban II: The Crusades originally had the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule and their campaigns were launched in response to a call from the Christian Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Turks.

Katie: What is something that we might not know about the Crusades?

Pope Urban II: Well, the Crusades had far-reaching political, economic, and social impacts, some of which have lasted into contemporary times. Because of other conflicts between Christian kingdoms and political powers, some of the crusade expeditions were diverted from their original aim, such as the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the sack of Christian Constantinople.