The period of the crusades, mainly the 12th and 13th centuries, was one of the most fascinating, puzzling, brilliant and tortured episodes in Western history. It was a time when men and women refused to take their faith for granted and acted on what they believed were the commands of God, often with devastating effects. After conquering the Holy Land, the Crusaders built palaces and castle-fortresses (some breath-takingly beautiful in their desolate settings), but their principal achievement was in building and renovating churches, the palpable testament of their faith.
