Conflicts, Assassinations & Revolutions

27 November 1095 , Clermont, France

The wars and revolts that shaped our world

In March 1095, Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos appealed to Pope Urban II for help when the Muslim Seljuk Turks, who had captured Jerusalem seven years previously, advanced towards Constantinople. Determined to recapture Jerusalem and the Holy Land from its Islamic rulers, the pope famously gave a speech at the Council of Clermont calling on all Christians in Europe to take up arms against the Muslims. The First Crusade lasted seven years and Jerusalem was recaptured in 1099, with the Crusades continuing in the Holy Land for the next two centuries. Although they ultimately did not succeed, the Crusades left numerous legacies in Europe, such as improved trade and transportation, increased prestige and power for the papacy and the development of state taxation. However, the violence and conflict also had a lasting impact on the relationship between Western Europe and the Middle East, which arguably can still be felt today.