The Crusades: How a medieval Holy War still shapes politics

The memory of medieval holy wars known as the Crusades continues to influence politics in contemporary times. In 2001, US President George W. Bush labeled the "War on Terror" as a "crusade," a phrase previously used by Osama bin Laden to describe U.S.-led wars as religious conflicts aimed at destroying Islam. The Crusades, which began in the 11th century, were a series of religious wars launched by European Christians to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

Pope Urban II initiated the call for a Holy War in 1095, promising forgiveness for sins and eternal salvation in exchange for participation in the crusade. The war featured a diverse range of participants, including peasants, knights, and nobles, who faced a high risk of death due to the harsh conditions and lack of modern medical care.

The Crusaders made significant gains in cities like Edessa and Antioch, but many returned home or fell victim to disease, hunger, or exhaustion. The capture of Jerusalem in 1099 saw the massacre of thousands of Muslims and Jews, an act that prompted historians to consider the fall of Acre to Mamluk warriors in 1291 as the end of the Crusades in the Holy Land.

Despite the conclusion of the Crusades in the Holy Land, later campaigns were called to counter the advance of Ottoman Turks in Eastern Europe and to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule during the Reconquista. The enduring legacy of the Crusades persists across the globe, with Islamists groups in the 20th century employing the term "Crusader" to frame Western powers as colonial aggressors.

In the United States and Europe, the symbolism of Crusaders has been appropriated by far-right movements to promote nationalist narratives.