In history, there are a total of nine officially recognized Crusades that took place from the end of the 11th century to the end of the 13th century. The primary goal of the Crusades was to reclaim control of the Holy Lands in the Middle East from Muslim rule. Below is a list of the most notable Crusades:
The First Crusade (1096–1099): Sparked by Pope Urban II's sermon, the goal was to liberate Jerusalem and other Holy Lands from Muslim control. This Crusade was successful in establishing Christian states in the Levant.
The Second Crusade (1147–1149): Called for by Pope Eugenius III, after Jerusalem was threatened by Muslim forces. This Crusade ended without achieving its main objective.
The Third Crusade (1189–1192): Initiated after Jerusalem fell to Saladin, with the participation of kings such as Richard I of England, Philip II of France, and Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany. This Crusade concluded with an agreement allowing Christians to pilgrimage to Jerusalem unimpeded.
The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204): Initially aimed to reclaim Jerusalem through an attack from Egypt, but ended with the conquest and looting of Constantinople, the largest city of the Byzantine Empire.
The Children's Crusade (1212): Not an official Crusade and often considered more a historical myth than a factual event. There were two groups of the Children's Crusade, one from France and one from Germany, both ending in tragic failure.
The Fifth Crusade (1217–1221): Aimed to reclaim Jerusalem by attacking Egypt, but this Crusade failed.
The Sixth Crusade (1228–1229): Led by Emperor Frederick II, this Crusade was notable for Frederick achieving control over Jerusalem through a peace agreement with the Muslims.
The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254): Led by King Louis IX of France (later canonized as a saint), targeted Egypt but failed.
The Eighth Crusade (1270): Also led by Louis IX, but this time targeting Tunis. Louis IX died during this Crusade, which ended without achieving its main goal.
Additionally, there were other Crusades such as the Northern Crusades (or Baltic Crusades), aimed at converting the indigenous peoples of Northern Europe to Christianity, and other smaller Crusades with specific political or military objectives. However, the nine Crusades listed above are considered the most orthodox and emblematic Crusades in history.