The Crusades-1096: Major Events In Western Civilization

Pivotal Events in Western Civilization
Start of the Crusades – 1096
The Crusades were events that were sanctioned by the Latin Roman Catholic Church in order to regain what they felt was Holy Land unjustly occupied by Muslims. Many battles were fought to remove the Muslims and after nearly 200 years of constant conflict, only Granada remained as a Muslim stronghold. There were several crusades and each was fought for various political, economical, and religious reasons. The Crusades in their various forms, ultimately failed to completely eradicate the Muslim influence.1 Acre, which was captured by Crusaders, fell and the Roman Catholic Church abandoned its quest. Soon, cracks began to show in the movement and things began to take a turn for the worse. After the Fourth Crusade and attacks on other Christians, the movement began to lose legitimacy. As a result of these action, relations 1between the Eastern Orthodoxy and various Christians are less than ideal and are somewhat strained. To this day, some see the Crusades as a
While he was not the first to make such a voyage, he was instrumental in Spain gaining a foothold in the New World and exploiting its resources. His voyages to the Americas led to a lasting European contact with the Americas. While looking for a route to the East, Columbus landed on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. He made additional trips and later landed in Venezuela, Central America, and the Antilles. He claimed these lands for the Spanish empire. He never admitted that he failed to reach the Indies that he set out for and called the local inhabitants where he landed Indians. His achievements led to further explorations by other explorers in this New World and gave Spain a chance to extend its influence further than their Portuguese rivals, establishing a firm hold in the New