"The Crusades were a defensive Christian reaction against Muslim madmen of the Middle Ages" Bill Donohue. Can a Historian provide some light on the Crusades and the actual facts of what occurred?

by deadliftsbrah

My question stemmed from these two articles:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-rights-crusade-against-obama/2015/02/06/a36f8202-ae5b-11e4-9c91-e9d2f9fde644_story.html?tid=rssfeed

http://www.catholicleague.org/obama-insults-christians/

Searocksandtrees

hi! not discouraging other responses, but you can get started on these: