The Crusades
Overview
The Crusades were a series of military campaigns during the time of Medieval England against the Muslims of the Middle East. In 1076, the Muslims had captured Jerusalem - the most holy of holy places for Christians. Jesus had been born in nearby Bethlehem and Jesus had spent most of his life in Jerusalem. He was crucified on Calvary Hill, also in Jerusalem. There was no more important place on Earth than Jerusalem for a true Christian which is why Christians called Jerusalem the "City of God".
However, Jerusalem was also extremely important for the Muslims as Muhammad, the founder of the Muslim faith, had been there and there was great joy in the Muslim world when Jerusalem was captured. A beautiful dome - called the Dome of the Rock - was built on the rock where Muhammad was said to have sat and prayed and it was so holy that no Muslim was allowed to tread on the rock or touch it when visiting the Dome.
Therefore the Christian fought to get Jerusalem back while the Muslims fought to keep Jerusalem. These wars were to last nearly 200 years
Impact:
The most important impact is the increased trade that resulted from the contact between Christian Europe and the Islamic Empire. Returning crusaders brought back new spices, foods, perfumes, fabrics and ideas. Trade was established between the Islamic world and various Italian states, most important among them, the city-state of Venice. This trade was mutually beneficial, flooding the Islamic markets with a new source of wealth, while bringing such wonders as sugar, cotton, and rice into western Europe.
Resurgence of Europe
The resurgence of Europe begins with the crusades. Various trade items brought back by returning crusaders sparked interest in goods from the east. Ships that once carried soldiers to the Holy Lands, now began to carry trade goods instead. This resulted in the growth of Italian City States such as Genoa, Florence, and most importantly Venice in the late 14th century. Venice formed a strong trade alliance with Egypt, as well as other Muslim states, and soon came to dominate East-West trade. This was beneficial to both the Venetians and their Islamic counterparts.
Another result of this trade was the growth of trade fairs and cities in western Europe. The isolated, self-contained manors of Medieval Europe gave way to an interdependent trade network consisting of merchants, artisans, and the rising middle class. This network exchanged goods and ideas across most of western Europe, establishing most of the major cities of today.