Final answer:
Knights in the Crusades were motivated by religious zeal, adventure, and the prospect of land and wealth, while Pope Urban II aimed to aid the Byzantine Empire, increase the Church's influence, and use the Crusades as a means of internal reform.
Step-by-step explanation:
By 1096, the knights who embarked on the journey to the Holy Land were often motivated by a complex mixture of faith, the pursuit of adventure, and the lure of tangible rewards. Religious zeal was a primary motivator, as many knights were deeply moved by the Church's call to reclaim Jerusalem and were promised forgiveness of sins. Additionally, the possibility of acquiring land, wealth, and titles spurred many to take up the cross. The Crusades, particularly the First Crusade which successfully captured Jerusalem in June 1099, involved not only knights but also nobles, commoners, women, the sick, and the elderly, many of whom sold their possessions for a chance to join what they saw as a sacred duty.
Pope Urban II had several goals for launching the First Crusade. He sought to provide assistance to the Byzantine Empire against Muslim forces, and aimed to strengthen the Church's influence by extending its authority over the Christian Holy Land. Furthermore, he perceived the Crusades as a means to achieve reform within the Church itself and to consolidate Christendom against internal conflicts by uniting against a common enemy. Through the Crusades, Urban II intended to establish the church's dominance and promote the papacy's position over political rivals in Europe.
The concept of religiously motivated warfare, evident in both Christianity and Islam, played a dominant role in shaping the Crusades. Christians sought to take control of the Holy Land from Muslim rule, believing it was their divine duty to liberate and protect holy sites. This quest, driven by a mix of piety and the promise of earthly rewards, resulted in long-term hostility that still has repercussions today.