During from 1096 to 1291, for almost two centuries, the Crusades were a major event for Christians, Muslims, Jews and the rest of the population of Europe and Asia. Fueled by many different factors, including efforts at religious, military, and economic expansion, the Holy Wars had many significant impacts on the socio-economic and political systems of Europe. In response to the threat posed by the Seljuks, Emperor Alexios Comnenus I sought help from Pope Urban II to drive the Muslims from Jerusalem and claim their Holy Land (History Alive!: The Medieval World and Beyond, page 121). Those who joined the sacred cause were promised eternal salvation. However, although the Crusades began as a religious expedition to claim dominion over the sacred city of Jerusalem and a safe pilgrimage route, the Crusaders also had other goals and motivations to pursue. Not only did the Crusaders have a heavenly vision of spreading Christianity and increasing the strength of the Church, but they also wanted to earn economic income from their pilgrimage to an unknown world by discovering new lands, goods, and resources. Alongside the brave and adventurous knights and soldiers were all kinds of people, from nobles, merchants and artisans to ordinary townspeople and peasants. Everyone wanted to take advantage of the crusades and satisfy their own needs and desires. Lacking a “clear” or unified objective or goal, the crusades did not lead to a “clear” result. The Crusades had many effects, which affected different groups in different ways. The Crusades would lead to advancements in government, commerce, economics, art, culture, and education, but they would also bring death, destruction, persecution... middle paper ...... towards progress and development in Europe in many aspects. For example, without the Crusades, when nobles and knights went to fight in the Middle East, monarchs would not have risen to power so quickly and the decline of feudalism would have been delayed. If merchants had not pioneered and discovered new lands to obtain rare and refined goods, Europe would not have experienced such growth and economic development. Although the Crusades did not benefit everyone equally, they ultimately led to undeniable advances in social, political, and economic systems and paved the way for today's modern European society. After enduring the difficult times of the Crusades, the first form of efficient, organized and systematized European society emerged and developed and the Crusades left behind an incredible legacy for the world to analyze, integrate and appreciate..