19. The Crusades between the armies of Christendom and the Muslim world would cost the lives of between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 lives
The Crusades was a period of successive religious wars encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church between 1095-1291, with the ultimate purpose of reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim ownership. Initially called for by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont, promoting military support for the embattled Byzantine Empire against migrating Turks in Anatolia to ensure a safe pilgrim road to the Holy Land, the First Crusade (1095-1099) went far better than predicted. Tens of thousands answered the church’s call and offer of indulgences for their sins, leading to the creation of four Crusader states, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
However, these victories were short-lived and despite eight further organized crusades the Holy Land was never permanently conquered by the armies of Christendom. The Crusades were marred by recurrent instances of barbaric actions in the name of religion, in particular by the invading Christian soldiers. Among the most famous instances of brutality were those committed by Richard I of England, who at Acre on August 20, 1991, ordered the mass executions of 2,700 Muslim prisoners in front of the besieged city. The conduct of these wars has imparted a lasting effect upon the region, creating a cultural hatred that would endure throughout the Ottoman Empire and to the modern day.