After the death of Charlemagne, king of the Franks, in 814 and the following collapse of his empire, Christian Europe was under attack and on the defensive." The Magyars, nomadic people from Asia, ravaged eastern and central Europe until the 10th century". Around 800, several centuries of Viking raids disrupted life in northern Europe and even threatened Mediterranean cities. Nevertheless, the greatest threat came from the forces of Islam, very militant and victorious in the centuries following …showed first 75 words of 2473 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2473 total…mietta was given up and a ransom was paid. The Europeans' calls for more crusades were dull and didn't accomplish much. Italian cities had better trade and there was a greater interest in exploring the orient thanks to the crusades. New trade markets were established. The direct general taxation system was developed during the crusades. As you can see, the crusades were one of the most violent periods of time in the history of mankind.