The Crusades were the kind of people who asked for many things, if not everything. They used their power and the support of the Catholic Church to advance their movements and take control of the cities. Many may believe that the Crusaders were mean, dangerous people who did not care about others and only wanted control. This, however, was only one view and many fail to see how the Crusades benefited the church, helped unite its members, and allowed the church to evolve in certain areas. The Catholic Church benefited from the Crusades in certain ways. It was a very powerful force and managed to survive even without the help of the Crusades. However, the church benefited from the Crusades by increasing its wealth, uniting members, and helping the church evolve its doctrines and ways of functioning. Membership in the Catholic Church was quite stable at the time of the Crusades. Many members felt something was missing from their religion, and the Crusades gave them something to believe in. “The Crusade brought peace to Christianity and at the same time brought unity.” 1 This quote provides information that peace is now part of their religion and was due to the Crusades. The presence of the Crusaders also increased a certain enthusiasm with the unification of its members. “First, the preaching of the Crusades aroused great religious enthusiasm and led many sinners to reform.” 2 This describes the Crusades as one that attracted people who had fallen away from the faith and gave current members something to get excited about. Because the Crusades attracted many newcomers and those who had fallen away from the faith, to continue that unity, they needed to find ways to inspire those who have... middle of paper..." The Roots of Secular Enthusiasm for the First Crusade". History 78, no. 254 (October 1993): 364. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 14, 2012).5. Dana C Munro, "The Popes and the Crusades," Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 55, no. 5 (1916): 352.6. James A Brundage, The Crusades, Motives and Results, (Boston: Heath, 1964), 30.7. James A Brundage, The Crusades, Motives and Results, (Boston: Heath, 1964), 38.8. Latham, Andrew A. "Theorizing the Crusades: Identity, Institutions, and Religious Warfare in Medieval Latin Christianity." International Studies Quarterly 55, no. 1 (March 2011): 234. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 14, 2012).9. Toro, Marco. "The Roots of Secular Enthusiasm for the First Crusade". History 78, no. 254 (October 1993): 354. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 14, 2012).