Yes, they were crusaders taking the holy land back (temporarily) from the Moslems.
Actually, the Crusaders were bolstering the Catholic hierarchy who needed help in retaining the popular support at that time -- not to mention the monies that came pouring in to the treasury when people thought they were "saving the Holy Land from the Infidels."
Yes, you are correct. In 1099, the Franks, who were members of the Christian armies known as the Crusaders, laid siege to Jerusalem. The Crusaders embarked on a series of military campaigns, collectively known as the Crusades, with the goal of capturing Jerusalem from the Muslim forces that controlled the city at the time. The First Crusade, in which the Franks participated, culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. The Franks and other Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which lasted for several decades before eventually being recaptured by Muslim forces.
