November 27, 1095 - The Great Crusades Begin

History has often demonstrated that one of the best ways to end a rivalry is through a common enemy. As the papacy’s influence grew in the Middle Ages and as kings and emperors fought for power, Christianity endured many bouts of infighting. On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II united Christians when he began the Great Crusades in Clermont, France. The goal was to rid the Holy Land of Islamic rule, and people focused on Muslims as a common enemy. However, this resulted in the deaths of many thousands of people over the next several decades.