Overview and Analysis of the Crusades The Crusades were military expeditions planned and carried out by western European Christians. The crusades started around 1095. The purpose of these crusades was to overtake and gain control of the Holy Land from the Muslims. The Holy Land was Jerusalem and the Christians believed that gaining control of it was their fate. The pope would gather the people together and incite them. The origin of the crusades was a …showed first 75 words of 1293 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1293 total…set a great example for the others, yet the next crusades didn't follow the same path. The later crusades lacked organization. No one wanted to provide leadership due to the uncertain outcome. Leadership demonstrated in later years was from Stephen and Nicholas in the Children's Crusade, however unfortunately young children were used in combat. This was a reflection of the moral character or lack of it, in their leaders and subsequently contributed to their failure.