Well for starters there has been an attack on the Crusades. Europeans have been demonized as barbarians while the Saracens are seen as enlightened intellectuals. The First Crusade and subsequent crusades where not about converting unbelievers or siezing lands for greedy empires. It began as a response to an invasion of Christian Kingdoms. Turks began to take Europe: Southern Italy, Spain, Sicily, and Africa where all taken by the Turks, they also then began to siege Constanstinople, thus Byzantine was next on their list to conquer. The Emperor of Byzantium, Alexius I, called for aid. Pope Urban II in response called knights, noblemen, and royal consorts to take up the cross and go to aid Christian brethern who were in peril. The notion they went in search of loot and land is proposterious. Most Crusaders liquidated their lands, and their treasuries to pay for crusade. Godfrey de Boullion sold an island and considerable amount of land to pay his way to the Holy Land.