The First Crusade: Holy War or Holy Hypocrisy?

The First Crusade (1096–1099) is often remembered in church history as a sacred mission to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim control, clothed in the language of holy war and divine justice. Pope Urban II’s fiery words at Clermont promised forgiveness of sins and eternal reward for those who “took the cross,” while Byzantine Emperor Alexios I … Continue reading The First Crusade: Holy War or Holy Hypocrisy?