Changes

====The Background of the Crusades====

Today, the true history of the Crusades is often distorted by religious and political rhetoric that does no justice to the period or the people who fought in the wars. Simply put, the Crusades were a series of nine military campaigns conducted by Europeans and officially sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church to take control of Jerusalem. Modern scholars often include several smaller, non-official, religious wars in Spain and the Baltic region, as well as the “Albigensian Crusade” in southern France as part of the Crusades since they were religiously motivated. The term is derived from the Latin word <i>crucesignati</i>, which means “those who sign the cross.” <ref> Madden, Thomas F. <i>The New Concise History of the Crusades.</i> Updated Edition. (New York: Roman and Littlefield, 2005), pg. 2</ref>