Crusades In 1095, Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade in a sermon at the Council of Clermont. He encouraged military support for the Byzantine Empire and its Emperor, AlexiosI, who needed reinforcements for his conflict with westward migrating Turks colonizing Anatolia. One of Urban's aims was to guarantee pilgrims access to the Eastern Mediterranean holy sites that were under Muslim control but scholars disagree as to whether this was the primary motive for Urban or those who heeded his call. Urban's strategy may have been to unite the Eastern and Western branches of Christendom, which had been divided since
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