July 27, 1099 – Pope Urban II

When Pope Urban II called for all of Christian Europe to “fight the infidel” Muslim Turks who had control of the Holy Land, he used the opportunity to heal a big fight between the Pope and the Holy Roman emperor (another story for another day). A common enemy does a lot for internal spats. Urban II died on July 27, 1099. This is a painting of the beginning of the crusades in Clermont, France.