The First Crusade began with a call from Pope Urban II to help the Byzantine Emperor, Alexius I Comnemnus, but European Christians were so quick to respond to the call that it soon descended into a disorganized crawl across Europe towards the Middle East. Along the way, knights and minor nobility enriched themselves by seizing land and valuables, and occasionally pillaging the towns they encountered. This is the story of the First Crusade.
The Very Brief History series is intended to give the reader a short, concise account of the most important events in world history. Each book provides the reader with the essential facts concerning a particular event or person; no distractions, just the essential facts, allowing the reader to master the subject in the shortest time possible.