Final answer:
English crusaders took overland routes through Europe to the Holy Land until the Fourth Crusade, when a sea route was preferred to avoid the overland challenges and Byzantine tensions. Motivations such as religious zeal, the desire for land, and Church's promises influenced the choice of route.
Step-by-step explanation:
The English crusaders along with others from Western Europe initially took various overland routes through Europe and into Anatolia on their way to the Holy Land during the early Crusades. However, the Third Crusade saw changes in the route as crusaders adapted to the challenges of the overland journey.
One primary motivation for selecting the sea route during the Fourth Crusade, was to avoid the difficulties of the land route through Anatolia and also to bypass the Byzantine Empire. This was due to increasing tensions between the Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire. Consequently, this strategy led to an unintended attack on the city of Zara, which resulted in the excommunication of the crusaders by Pope Innocent III.
The English crusaders and their allies were motivated by religious zeal, desire for wealth and land, and the Church's promises. Understanding these incentives helps clarify why a sea route was later preferred, as it provided a direct approach to the Holy Land without the complex political and military challenges that accompanied the overland journey.