Final answer:
Peter the Hermit was the notable leader of the People's Crusade, which was an early part of the First Crusade. Subsequent Crusades saw leadership from prominent figures like Richard I of England, but Peter's role was pivotal in the initial mobilization of the People's Crusade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prominent leader who is often associated with leading the People's Crusade to regain the Holy Land from the Turks is Peter the Hermit. He was one of the notable figures who sparked the enthusiasm for what became known as the First Crusade. While Pope Urban II officially called for the Crusade at the Council of Clermont in 1095, Peter the Hermit became famous for his role in preaching and leading the People's Crusade, a wave of peasants and low-ranking knights that preceded the main forces of the First Crusade.
The People's Crusade, however, ended in disaster, as Peter's poorly equipped and undisciplined followers suffered heavy losses. Following this initial misstep, more organized military expeditions were launched, including those led by high-ranking European leaders such as Richard I of England during the Third Crusade. Richard, known as the Lionheart, became one of the most celebrated figures of the later Crusades, known for his military prowess and his negotiations with Saladin, the Muslim leader who had recaptured Jerusalem. These negotiations resulted in a treaty that allowed Christian pilgrims to visit Jerusalem, although it remained under Muslim control.
The First Crusade was ultimately successful in capturing Jerusalem, but subsequent Crusades, including Richard's, struggled to maintain long-term control over the Holy Lands. The People's Crusade remains an iconic, though ill-fated, part of the larger series of religious and military campaigns by Christians in the Latin West to establish and maintain a presence in the Holy Land during the medieval period.