Final answer:
In 1095, the Church directed knights to invade the Holy Lands—territories from modern-day Turkey to the Sinai Peninsula—during the First Crusade to reclaim them from Muslim control.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1095, the knights were told by the Church to invade the Holy Lands, an expanse stretching from modern-day Turkey along the Mediterranean coast to the Sinai Peninsula, as part of the First Crusade. These lands were important for their religious significance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The call to arms was issued by Pope Urban II at the council in Clermont, France, with the aim to liberate the Christian Holy Land from Muslim rule.
The First Crusade culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, followed by the establishment of the Crusader States. Later crusades continued the efforts to control these territories and also unfolded into other regions such as Spain. Throughout these campaigns, knights were driven by a combination of religious zeal, the promise of land and titles, and the forgiveness of sins.