The last successful Crusade to the Holy Land was the Third. The future crusades were known for their acts of violence towards other religions and the wanton destruction of property. The Fourth Crusade in 1204AD allied with the Venetians and sacked Constantinople itself. The Fifth Crusade in 1218AD ended with a failed attempt to conquer Egypt. The popes, it is seen could not control the armies at the beginning or end of the period.

Later European leaders and knights found crusading in East simply unprofitable. These leaders maneuvered the urge for crusading to seek out religious enemies closer to home. In 1208AD the Albigensian Crusade of 1208, was not led against the Infidel, but against a Christian splinter group of Christianity in southern France.

Now when European knights choose to fight the Infidel, they went to Spain. There Aragon’s had fought the Moors since the 9th century. The reconquest of Spain was a fought from the 9th to 15th century. In the end Christendom won the crusade against Islam in the Spain, but it could be stated that it cost them the the Christian Kingdom of Palestine by draining off its most valuable resouce. The fighting men at arms of Europe.

More History of the Crusades

Introduction
First Crusade
Second Crusade
Third Crusade
Fourth and Fifth Crusades