What were the crusades and what led christians to participate in them?

"the crusades were a series of religious and political wars fought between 1096 and 1291 for control of the holy land." (jerusalem.) the main purpose of the crusades was to win back jerusalem and kill everyone living there.

there are many reasons why christians participated in them:

1. people thought participating would forgive them of their sins and send them to heaven.

2. some committed crimes and were forced by the church to go.

3. christians believed jerusalem was rightfully theirs because that was where jesus died.

4. some did it for fun.

mustafa ataturk thought nationalism in turkey would best be achieved by modernizing the country.

must repent and believe in god.

or the book

journey across time - chapter 10 "the rise of christianity"