There were a total of nine major Crusades between 1096 and 1272 CE. Each of these nine Crusades was launched by European Christians hoping to reclaim the Holy Land or defend Christian territories in the Middle East. In addition to the main nine, there were several smaller crusading efforts and related campaigns throughout Europe and the Mediterranean.
WHAT WERE THE CRUSADES?
The Crusades are one of the most significant events in the history of Europe and the Middle East. They were a series of religious wars carried out by Christian crusaders from Europe during the timeframe of the Middle Ages. Beginning in 1096 CE, the Crusades saw European knights and noblemen travel to the Middle East in an attempt to capture the Holy Land away from Muslim people that had controlled the region for the previous centuries. The term crusade means ‘cross’. Therefore, the Europeans that became crusaders viewed themselves as ‘taking up the cross’. In fact, many of the crusaders wore crosses on their clothing and armor as they made their pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
HOW MANY CRUSADES WERE THERE?
Historians disagree on the exact number of Crusades but they began with the outbreak of the First Crusade in 1096 CE. What followed was a series of further Crusades which altered history for people throughout both Europe and the Middle East. Some historians combine several of the Crusades while others do not, and most historians agree that the first four Crusades were the main ones historically. With that said, it is generally agreed that there were nine main Crusades which occurred over a period of two centuries. More specifically, the First Crusade began in 1096 CE and the events of the Ninth Crusade, which was the last major event of the Crusades, occurred in 1303 CE. As such, historians consider the Crusades to be a significant historical event because it played such an important role in both European and Middle Eastern history for over two centuries.
NINE MAIN CRUSADES
Below is a list of each of the nine major Crusades. Click on the links for each to read more detailed information about each individual Crusade.
- First Crusade
- Second Crusade
- Third Crusade
- Fourth Crusade
- Fifth Crusade
- Sixth Crusade
- Seventh Crusade
- Eighth Crusade
- Ninth Crusade
