2. First Crusade 1096 - 1099The People's Crusade - Freeing the Holy Lands. Second Crusade1144 -1155Crusaders prepared to attack Damascus. 2nd crusade led by Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III and by King Louis VII of France Third Crusade1187 -11923rd Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip II of France, and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. Richard I made a truce with Saladin Fourth Crusade1202 -12044th Crusade led by Fulk of Neuil French/Flemish advanced on Constantinople The Children's Crusade1212The Children's Crusade led by a French peasant boy, Stephen of Cloyes Fifth Crusade1217 - 1221The 5th Crusade led by King Andrew II of Hungary, Duke Leopold VI of Austria, John of Brienne Sixth Crusade1228 - 1229The 6th Crusade led by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Seventh Crusade1248 - 1254The 7th Crusade led by Louis IX of France Eighth Crusade1270The 8th Crusade led by Louis IX Ninth Crusade1271 - 1272The 9th Crusade led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England)

3. The Crusades were a series of Holy Wars launched by the Christian states of Europe against the Saracens. The term 'Saracen' was the word used to describe a Moslem during the time of the Crusades. The Crusades started in 1095 when Pope Claremont preached the First Crusade at the Council of Claremont. The Pope's preaching led to thousands immediately affixing the cross to their garments - the name Crusade given to the Holy Wars came from old French word 'crois' meaning 'cross'. The Crusades were great military expeditions undertaken by the Christian nations of Europe for the purpose of rescuing the holy places of Palestine from the hands of the Mohammedans. They were eight in number, the first four being sometimes called the Principal Crusades, and the remaining four the Minor Crusades. In addition there was a Children's Crusade.