MAP 11.2 Crusades and Anti-heretic Campaigns, 1150–1215

Europeans aggressively expanded their territory during the second half of the twelfth century. To the north, knights pushed into the Baltic Sea region. To the south, warriors pushed against the Muslims in al-Andalus and waged war against the Cathars in southern France. To the east, the new crusades were undertaken to shore up the tiny European outpost in the Holy Land. Although most of these aggressive activities had the establishment of Christianity as at least one motive, the conquest of Constantinople in 1204 had no such justification. It grew in part out of general European hostility toward Byzantium but mainly out of Venice’s commercial ambitions.