First Crusade (1096-1099)
Pope Urban II launched the First Crusade in 1095 to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim control. Christian knights like Bohemond of Taranto marched across Europe under the banner of religious duty. The crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 and slaughtered thousands of Muslims and Jews. Their supposed holy mission established several Crusader states across the Levant. Religious fervor provided cover for territorial expansion and political control.
