Pope+Urban+II

=Pope Urban II=

Otho de Lagery, otherwise known as Pope Urban II, was born around 1035 in Northern France. He ruled as Pope from March 12th, 1088, until he died in 1099. He is best known for starting the First Crusade. Pope Urban II succeeded Pope Gregory VII ( although Victor III ruled in between the two for a very short period of time). Pope Urban II was against simony, investiture controversy, as well as clerical marriages and kept many of Pope Gregory VII's policies going. Throughout his life, Urban was a member of a reform movement that wished for the removal of the clergy in order to have a more monastery like lifestyle. Some say the first crusade was an attempt to make that wish come true.

In March 1095, a messenger from the Byzantine Empire presented Urban II with a demand ( plead) for help against the Turks. The Pope started preaching the first crusade, especially at Clermont, which encourage many french men to go out to fight the Muslims in the Crusade. His goal with the First Crusade was to unify the Greek and Roman churches. Though the First Crusade was a military success, the union of the churches failed. Instead, the Crusade resulted in further centralization of the Roman church, and the development of the Roman Curia.
 * __Crusades__**

pope Urban II