In 3 sentences, describe the purpose of the Crusades and the impact they had on the world.

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns initiated by the Christian powers in Europe during the Middle Ages, with the main purpose of reclaiming control of the Holy Land from the Muslims. However, their impact extended beyond the military objective as they fostered cultural exchange and trade between Europe and the Middle East, leading to the spread of new ideas and technologies. Additionally, the Crusades had a significant impact on relationships between Christianity and Islam, fueling religious tensions and conflicts that would last for centuries.