- crusades

CRUSADES. Expeditions undertaken from the end of the eleventh to the end of the thirteenth century to deliver the Holy Land from the Infidels who prevented the passage of pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre. There is sufficient evidence that to them, we are indebted for the multitude of Crosses, Escallop shells, Byzants, etc., which are found in Heraldry. Owing to the variously coloured crosses, which the different nations who went on them assumed, they were called Croisades from Crux, or Croix, a Cross. (ELVN)