Read the following passage, the speech by Pope Urban II callingfor a crusade, and then answer the following questions:

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- What is the reason for this crusade in his words and istherefore, what animated nearly 100,000 to cross Europe to take uparms.

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-What is offered in return for action to those who follow thecross.

- Why would this be enough to sell off all you own, leave yourfamilies, and head off to possible death?

On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II makes perhaps the mostinfluential speech of the Middle Ages (Links to an external site.),giving rise to the Crusades (Links to an external site.) by callingall Christians in Europe to war against Muslims in order to reclaimthe Holy Land, with a cry of “Deus vult!” or “God wills it!”

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Oh, race of Franks, race from across the mountains, race chosenand beloved by God as shines forth in very many of your works setapart from all nations by the situation of your country, as well asby your catholic faith and the honor of the holy church! To you ourdiscourse is addressed and for you our exhortation is intended. Wewish you to know what a grievous cause has led us to Your country,what peril threatening you and all the faithful has brought us.

From the confines of Jerusalem and the city of Constantinople ahorrible tale has gone forth and very frequently has been broughtto our ears, namely, that a race from the kingdom of the Persians,an accursed race, a race utterly alienated from God, a generationforsooth which has not directed its heart and has not entrusted itsspirit to God, has invaded the lands of those Christians and hasdepopulated them by the sword, pillage and fire; it has led away apart of the captives into its own country, and a part it hasdestroyed by cruel tortures; it has either entirely destroyed thechurches of God or appropriated them for the rites of its ownreligion. They destroy the altars, after having defiled them withtheir uncleanness. They circumcise the Christians, and the blood ofthe circumcision they either spread upon the altars or pour intothe vases of the baptismal font. When they wish to torture peopleby a base death, they perforate their navels, and dragging forththe extremity of the intestines, bind it to a stake; then withflogging they lead the victim around until the viscera havinggushed forth the victim falls prostrate upon the ground. Othersthey bind to a post and pierce with arrows. Others they compel toextend their necks and then, attacking them with naked swords,attempt to cut through the neck with a single blow. What shall Isay of the abominable rape of the women? To speak of it is worsethan to be silent. The kingdom of the Greeks is now dismembered bythem and deprived of territory so vast in extent that it cannot betraversed in a march of two months. On whom therefore is the laborof avenging these wrongs and of recovering this territoryincumbent, if not upon you? You, upon whom above other nations Godhas conferred remarkable glory in arms, great courage, bodilyactivity, and strength to humble the hairy scalp of those whoresist you.

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Let the deeds of your ancestors move you and incite your mindsto manly achievements; the glory and greatness of king Charles theGreat, and of his son Louis, and of your other kings, who havedestroyed the kingdoms of the pagans, and have extended in theselands the territory of the holy church. Let the holy sepulcher ofthe Lord our Savior, which is possessed by unclean nations,especially incite you, and the holy places which are now treatedwith ignominy and irreverently polluted with their filthiness. Oh,most valiant soldiers and descendants of invincible ancestors, benot degenerate, but recall the valor of your progenitors.

But if you are hindered by love of children, parents and wives,remember what the Lord says in the Gospel, \"He that loveth fatheror mother more than me, is not worthy of me.\" \"Every one that hathforsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, orwife, or children, or lands for my name's sake shall receive anhundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life.\" Let none of yourpossessions detain you, no solicitude for your family affairs,since this land which you inhabit, shut in on all sides by the seasand surrounded by the mountain peaks, is too narrow for your largepopulation; nor does it abound in wealth; and it furnishes scarcelyfood enough for its cultivators. Hence it is that you murder oneanother, that you wage war, and that frequently you perish bymutual wounds. Let therefore hatred depart from among you, let yourquarrels end, let wars cease, and let all dissensions andcontroversies slumber. Enter upon the road to the Holy Sepulcher;wrest that land from the wicked race, and subject it to yourselves.That land which as the Scripture says \"floweth with milk andhoney,\" was given by God into the possession of the children ofIsrael Jerusalem is the navel of the world; the land is fruitfulabove others, like another paradise of delights. This the Redeemerof the human race has made illustrious by His advent, hasbeautified by residence, has consecrated by suffering, has redeemedby death, has glorified by burial. This royal city, therefore,situated at the centre of the world, is now held captive by Hisenemies, and is in subjection to those who do not know God, to theworship of the heathens. She seeks therefore and desires to beliberated, and does not cease to implore you to come to her aid.From you especially she asks succor, because, as we have alreadysaid, God has conferred upon you above all nations great glory inarms. Accordingly undertake this journey for the remission of yoursins, with the assurance of the imperishable glory of the kingdomof heaven.

When Pope Urban had said these and very many similar things inhis urbane discourse, he so influenced to one purpose the desiresof all who were present, that they cried out, \"It is the will ofGod! It is the will of God!\" When the venerable Roman pontiff heardthat, with eyes uplifted to heaven he gave thanks to God and, withhis hand commanding silence, said:

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Most beloved brethren, today is manifest in you what the Lordsays in the Gospel, \"Where two or three are gathered together in myname there am I in the midst of them.\" Unless the Lord God had beenpresent in your spirits, all of you would not have uttered the samecry. For, although the cry issued from numerous mouths, yet theorigin of the cry was one. Therefore I say to you that God, whoimplanted this in your breasts, has drawn it forth from you. Letthis then be your war-cry in combats, because this word is given toyou by God. When an armed attack is made upon the enemy, let thisone cry be raised by all the soldiers of God: It is the will ofGod! It is the will of God!

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And we do not command or advise that the old or feeble, or thoseunfit for bearing arms, undertake this journey; nor ought women toset out at all, without their husbands or brothers or legalguardians. For such are more of a hindrance than aid, more of aburden than advantage. Let the rich aid the needy; and according totheir wealth, let them take with them experienced soldiers. Thepriests and clerks of any order are not to go without the consentof their bishop; for this journey would profit them nothing if theywent without permission of these. Also, it is not fitting thatlaymen should enter upon the pilgrimage without the blessing oftheir priests.

Whoever, therefore, shall determine upon this holy pilgrimageand shall make his vow to God to that effect and shall offerhimself to Him as a, living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,shall wear the sign of the cross of the Lord on his forehead or onhis breast. When,' truly',' having fulfilled his vow be wishes toreturn, let him place the cross on his back between his shoulders.Such, indeed, by the twofold action will fulfill the precept of theLord, as He commands in the Gospel, \"He that taketh not his crossand followeth after me, is not worthy of me.\"

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Source: Dana C. Munro, \"Urban and the Crusaders\", Translationsand Reprints from the Original Sources of European History, Vol1:2, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1895), 5-8