History 101

What were The Crusades?  What brought about The Crusades, were they successful, and what is their historical significance?  Explain. 

When answering the question, please be sure to document your sources (even if you just use the textbook), using the format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) you're most familiar with.  Because the Discussion Board is somewhat informal, you're free to use the style you're most accustomed to using when documenting sources.  Additionally, please work to answer the question using YOUR OWN WORDS as much as possible.  Occasionally using direct quotations from the textbook is okay/acceptable, but most of your answer should be written in your own words (use of AI is NOT permitted).  It's really not your own work if you just copy your answer from the textbook (or other sources), even if you use quotation marks and citations, and will thus be scored accordingly.