About this time Urban II. became pope and excited the hatred of the Romans.  As he did not think himself safe even in Italy, on account of the disunion which prevailed, he directed his thoughts to a generous enterprise.  With his whole clergy he went into France, and at Anvers, having drawn together a vast multitude of people, delivered an oration against the infidels, which so excited the minds of his audience, that they determined to undertake the conquest of Asia from the Saracens; which enterprise, with all those of a similar nature, were afterward called crusades, because the people who joined in them bore upon their armor and apparel the figure of a cross.  The leaders were Godfrey, Eustace, and Baldwin of Bouillon, counts of Boulogne, and Peter, a hermit celebrated for his prudence and sagacity.  Many kings and people joined them, and contributed money; and many private persons fought under them at their own expense; so great was the influence of religion in those days upon the minds of men, excited by the example of those who were its principal ministers.  The proudest successes attended the beginning of this enterprise; for the whole of Asia Minor, Syria, and part of Egypt, fell under the power of the Christians.  To commemorate these events the order of the Knights of Jerusalem was created, which still continues, and holds the island of Rhodes—­the only obstacle to the power of the Mohammedans.  The same events gave rise to the order of the Knights Templars, which, after a short time, on account of their shameless practices, was dissolved.  Various fortunes attended the crusaders in the course of their enterprises, and many nations and individuals became celebrated accordingly.  The kings of France and England joined them, and, with the Venetians, Pisans, and Genoese, acquired great reputation, till the time of Saladin, when, by whose talents, and the disagreement of the Christians among themselves, the crusaders were robbed of all that glory which they had at first acquired; and, after ninety years, were driven from those places which they had so honorably and happily recovered.

After the death of Urban, Pascal II. became pope, and the empire was under the dominion of Henry IV. who came to Rome pretending friendship for the pontiff but afterward put his holiness and all his clergy in prison; nor did he release them till it was conceded that he should dispose of the churches of Germany according to his own pleasure.  About this time, the Countess Matilda died, and made the church heir to all her territories.  After the deaths of Pascal and Henry IV. many popes and emperors followed, till the papacy was occupied by Alexander III. and the empire by Frederick, surnamed Barbarossa.  The popes during this period had met with many difficulties from the people of Rome and the emperors; and in the time of Barbarossa they were much increased.  Frederick possessed military talent, but was so full of pride that he would not submit to the pontiff.