Crusades

Cultural  

1. A series of wars fought from the late eleventh through the thirteenth centuries, in which European kings and warriors set out to gain control of the lands in which Jesus lived, known as the Holy Land. At that time, these areas were held by Muslims. The Crusaders conquered Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem) in 1099 but failed to secure the Holy Land, and they were driven out by the late thirteenth century. Nevertheless, the Crusades had several lasting results, including the exposure of Europeans to the goods, technology, and customs of Asia.

---

Discover More

The Crusades left a legacy of bitterness against Europeans and Christians among Muslims.

Example Sentences

Critics sought to link his tattoos of symbols from the Crusades with far-right extremism.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

This idealized view is also far more sympathetic than modern perceptions of other medieval events, including the Crusades, which are now linked with coercion and brutality.

From Science Daily • Nov. 23, 2025

Catholic Normans, returning from the Crusades, have been granted the land and titles previously held by the pagan Saxons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Miriam Pawel is the author of, among other books, “The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2024

The Christian Crusades in the Holy Lands failed, as the Europeans could not hold on to any sites taken from the Muslims for very long.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson