Question

What was Pope Urban II's main reason for calling for the First Crusade or "war of the cross"?

Answer 1

Answer:

Conquering (some use the pretext of Defense)

Explanation:

See, the thing is that when Alexius I Komnenoi implored the pope (Urban II) for help, he meant it to reconquer the lost Byzantine lands (and therefore return in to their de facto ruler, a.k.a., the Byzantines). Urban however, being more Machiavellian than note, decided to merely use that as a façade in order to then invade the Muslims, and retake the holy land (for themselves), as Christians were getting mistreated.

He also saw the opportunity to unite Christianity as a whole (All the sects at the time, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Paulicianism, Iconoclasts, etc. into a single conglomerate, fighting a common enemy.