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 Simon II of Clermont Simon II of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1210 – 1285/86) was Seigneur (Lord) of Ailly, Maulette and Nesle (in Picardy) . Note that there is a great confusion of names and titles within this family and with people with the same or similar names, as with many other medieval lords because of contradictory and incomplete documents. Simon was the eldest son Raoul I of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1185 – c. 1226), Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette, and perhaps Nesle "jure uxoris" and the Constable of France, who was son of Simon I, Seigneur of Ailly-sur-Noye , younger brother of Raoul