History of the Crusades

The Crusades were holy wars between the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Christian political and religious leaders wanted to take control of the Holy Land on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. The Muslims were not willing to give up this land without a fight, and held strong. In this interactivity, you will learn more about the long conflict between the Crusaders and the Muslims, and the effects of these holy wars. Click the player button to begin.
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Impacts of the Crusades
After the Fourth Crusade, a series of minor crusades continued until 1291 A.D. (C.E.), but none of them succeeded in protecting the Holy Land from the Muslims. However, the Crusades impacted the history of Europe in several important ways. Hover your cursor over the four impacts to explore the ways the Crusades affected Europe.