The main objective of the Crusaders during the Middle Ages was to reclaim the Holy Land, particularly Jerusalem, from Muslim control. The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated by European Christians, particularly in response to the Muslim conquests of the Levant. The First Crusade began in 1096, driven by a combination of religious fervor to protect and reclaim sacred sites, as well as political and economic motivations. While the Crusaders achieved temporary success, control of Jerusalem shifted multiple times throughout the Crusades, leading to long-term consequences for Christian-Muslim relations.