The Crusaders gradually lost their zeal. They gave themselves to a life of luxury. Moreover, Christian rulers began to fight among themselves to get more territory. In the meantime, Salah ad-din (Saladin) built an Egyptian-Syrian Empire and gave a call for Jihad (holy war) against Christians. In 1187 he defeated the Crusaders and recaptured Jerusalem. Thus one century after the First Crusade, Jerusalem again came under the Turks.
Saladin treated the Christiansguite humanely. They allowed them to keep the area of the sepulcher of Jesus. But, at the same time, he converted many Christian Churches into mosques. Once again Jerusalem became a Muslim city The 3 Crusade took place in 1189. It was the loss of the city of Jerusalem that prompted the Pope to give a call for another battle.
In this war, the Crusaders did not get much benefit. They were able to capture some cities along the shores of Palestine. Christian pilgrims were given the right to visit Jerusalem at will. But in 1291 the Mamluks of Egypt, the rulers there, drove away all the Crusaders from Palestine. Europe slowly lost its interest in the Crusades. European nations began to give emphasis to their internal political and cultural development.
