Crusade movement began in 1095 and had a significant impact on Europe. It weakened Byzantine Empire and Eastern Orthodox Church, strengthened the pops and their position for a time, stimulated demand for Asian goods, led to the transfer of the Muslim/Greek scholarship to Europe, and finally motivated Spanish and Portuguese explorers.
Many features of medieval Christendom have extended into the modern era. First, intellectual tension between faith and reason has developed since that time. Universities were created and some scholars began to emphasize the ability of human reason to understand divine mysteries. Also, the study of medicine, law and philosophy was developed building on the Arab and Greek traditions. Second, the Eastern Orthodox/Roman Catholic division of Christianity remains. Eastern Orthodoxy increasingly defined itself in opposition to Latin Christianity and a sense of religious difference reflected East/West political difference. With rise of Islam, Constantinople and Rome remained as sole hubs of Christendom. Crusades (from 1095 on) worsened the situation and Westerners sacked Constantinople during Fourth Crusade in 1204 and ruled Byzantium for next 50 years.
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