Peasants' Crusade

The Peasants' Crusade (1096) was an early and largely unorganized military campaign of mostly common villagers and farmers who responded to Pope Urban II's call to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control. Motivated by religious zeal and a desire for pilgrimage, they set out before the official armies but lacked proper training and supplies. Their poorly planned expedition faced hardships and was eventually defeated by Muslim forces, highlighting the difference between popular enthusiasm and formal military organization. Despite its failure, it exemplifies how religious fervor inspired wide participation in the earliest stages of the Crusades.