Middle Ages Egypt and suffering from a series of internal civil wars. The Byzantines also faced a revived Bulgaria, which in the late 12th and 13th centuries spread throughout the Balkans. The crusades were intended to seize Jerusalem from Muslim control. The First Crusade was proclaimed by Pope Urban II (pope 1088–99) at the Council of Clermont in 1095 in response to a request from the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118) for aid against further Muslim advances. Urban promised indulgence to anyone who took part. Tens of thousands of people from all levels of society mobilised across Europe and captured
Simon II of Clermont-Nesle king engaged the best available lawyers for his case. The conflict led in 1309 to the moving of the Papal court, under Pope Clement V (c. 1264–1314), to Avignon, outside the king's realm. Simon was a son of Simon II of Clermont, Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette and Nesle (c. 1216–1286) by Adele of Montfort (d. 1279), daughter of Amaury VI of Montfort. The father was a counsellor of King "Saint" Louis IX of France and was appointed regent ("lieutenant") while the king went away on the Seventh Crusade. Simon had three brothers and at least one sister, whose son was