King Louis IX of France has already led an expedition; however, he’s setting off yet again. These two missions have been named the Seventh Crusade.
UPDATE*** No territorial gains have been made on either of these journeys, deeming this mission unsuccessful.
It seems as if the Christians have ruined any chance of ever regaining the Holy Land, making this the final battle in a long, unsuccessful fight.
Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire was NOT pleased about the Fifth Crusade. In fact, he has decided that since no one else can, HE will reclaim the Holy Land. The Sixth Crusade has officially been set in motion!
UPDATE*** The Crusaders have successfully reclaimed Jerusalem!
UPDATE*** Jerusalem has been plagued, giving the Muslim’s an opportunity to attack.
The Fifth Crusade, led by King Andrew II of Hungary has set off for the Holy Land!
Despite past failures, the Christians are still determined to retake Jerusalem. So, the question is; how many more Crusades will there be?
UPDATE*** As you might have expected, the Crusaders were unsuccessful yet again in their attempts to reclaim the Holy Land.
Pope Innocent III has called for another Crusade!
No kings have stepped up to lead; therefore, French knights are taking over.
The Crusaders have begun their journey to the Holy Land!
Constantinople
UPDATE*** Instead of going to Jerusalem, the Crusaders have supposedly chosen an alternate route to Constantinople, where they have laid a series of attacks on the city.
Unlike the rest of the Crusades so far, a new Crusade has arisen that has not been approved by the pope.
The Children’s Crusade
Led by Nicholas of Cologne and Stephen of Cloyes, two children who claim to have been called upon by God, the Children’s Crusade has set foot to retake Jerusalem.
The pope has reportedly praised Nicholas for his bravery, and let both him and his supporter off the hook; however, Stephen has kept on going.
UPDATE*** Stephen has faced some rough patches, but he is still determined. He is leading his followers to Marseilles!
UPDATE*** It has been rumored that Stephen was unsuccessful and that he and his followers have been captured as slaves in North Africa.
Richard I of England
Malek Nasser Yusuf Saladin
Word has spread to Saladin that the Christians have a weak hold on the Holy Land. He has united Muslim armies and is making his way to recapture Jerusalem.
UPDATE*** Saladin has led Muslim forces to victory, successfully retaking Jerusalem.
Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, has stepped up to the plate to lead the Third Crusade to win back Jerusalem!
UPDATE*** Lionheart and the rest of the Crusaders have captured Acre!
Even more surprisingly, Richard and Saladin have decided to end all the fighting from afar. A peace treaty has been made, and new terms have been established in Jerusalem.
Despite never meeting each other, it has been rumored that both Richard and Saladin are on friendly terms, and will continue to be for a long time.
The following letters were supposedly exchanged between one another.
Richard wrote:
Greet him, O my letter, and tell him that both [Muslims] and Franks are reduced to the last extremity; their towns are destroyed and the resources of both sides in men and goods are reduced to nothing. Surely we have had enough of this state of things, and it is only a question of Jerusalem, the Holy Cross and [our old] possessions. … Jerusalem we are resolved not to renounce so long as we have a single man left.
Saladin replied:
To us, Jerusalem is as precious, aye and more precious, than it is to you, in that it was the place whence our prophet made his journey by night to heaven and is destined to be the gathering place of our nation at the last day. Do not dream that we shall give it up to you or that we can be so obliging in this manner. As to the land—it belonged to us originally, and it is you who are the real aggressors.
The word has spread that Saladin took back Jerusalem. Of course, the entirety of Europe was displeased to hear this news, resulting in yet another Crusade launch. The Third Crusade, led by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa of Germany, King Phillip II of France, and King Richard I of England, has set out to reclaim Jerusalem once again.
Acre
Acre has been captured!
UPDATE*** Frederick Barbarossa passed on the way there, and King Phillip II went home, leaving Richard I to lead the Crusade by himself, resulting in a lot of losses for the Crusaders.
A peace treaty has been established between Richard and Saladin, despite them never meeting. Christians are allowed to visit the Holy Land again!
Nearly 50 years after the First Crusade, a second one is formed!
The Muslim forces are back, and they’ve shifted their focus towards Edessa. The Second Crusade, led by King Louis VII of France and Emperor Conrad III of Germany, has begun.
Damascus
UPDATE*** The Crusaders decided to head to Damascus, rather than Edessa, therefore making the mission unsuccessful.
Once again, the majority of the Crusaders are expected to return home.
The First Crusaders have officially set off to begin their journey. Led by Godfrey of Bouillon and other unnamed French lords, these brave soldiers are making their way to Antioch. They are expected to run into a variety of Turkic forces, making this expedition even more dangerous.
What IS a crusade, you ask?
The word that describes this group of fighters, comes from the French word for “cross.” After all, the Crusade is all about Christianity and reclaiming the Holy Land.
Edessa
Edessa is now officially the first crusader state! Straight out of Edessa, the Crusaders have reached Antioch, and after a long, tiresome battle, it has been captured!
The Crusaders have finally reached, and reclaimed Jerusalem!
Godfrey of Bouillon
UPDATE*** Godfrey has tragically passed away, and his brother Baldwin has stepped up to take the throne as the first king of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem.
A good majority of the Crusaders are expected to return home.
Pope Urban II has just assembled the Council of Clermont!
Upon hearing the news that Christians were no longer permitted to visit the Holy Land to worship, he immediately took action, assembling a council to discuss the plan to retake the Holy Land from Islamic rule.
Council of Clermont
The pope delivered the following speech at the Council of Clermont:
On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it is meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it.
All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested.
The Crusades 