The Crusades were fought for religious devotion. European Christians fought in the Crusades to win back the Holy Land from the Muslims. Crusaders were rewarded with remission of their sins and an assurance to go to Heaven. Crusaders bore the sign of the cross to remind of who they were fighting for, Christ. The people of the Crusades knew that it was going to be tough, and they might lose their lives, but they were willing to do it for their fellow believers in Christ and Christ himself. First of all, the Crusades were fought to win back the Holy Land. The Holy Land is the city of Jerusalem and was considered the Holy Land because it was to be believed the center of the Earth. Pope Urban II influenced his listeners to join the first Crusade.