When the city was recaptured by Turkish Muslims in 1076, however, the atmosphere changed. Pilgrims were attacked. The city’s patriarch was kidnapped. Holy places were desecrated. Cries for help from Eastern Christians prompted Pope Urban II to call a conference of European leaders in France in 1095, and after eight days of deliberation, Western Christians resolved to intervene. This conference launched the first Crusade. Its aim was to retake Jerusalem. The first Crusade achieved its goal: Jerusalem fell. But in many other ways it was disastrous.
