The period known as the Crusades, a series of religiously motivated military expeditions originally intended to bring the Levant back into Christian rule, began. Several Crusader states were founded in the eastern Mediterranean. These were all short-lived. The Crusaders would have a profound impact on many parts of Europe. Their Sack of Constantinople in 1204 brought an abrupt end to the Byzantine Empire. Though it would later be re-established, it would never recover its former glory. The Crusaders would establish trade routes that would develop into the Silk Road and open the way for the merchant republics of <answer>Genoa and Venice</answer> to become major economic powers. The Reconquista, a related movement, worked to reconquer Iberia for Christendom.
Which two cities benefited greatly from the activities of Crusaders?
Genoa and Venice