holy grail?

[redwing00]

I missed the history channel show on the subject and was just wondering: what was the amazing power of the grail? I know it was used at the last supper but what was it's amazing power? why go on the crusades for it?

 

[KenM]

If I rememeber correctly, it was rumored to have incredible healing power. I think thats why they tried to find it. I also think the crusades were not just about finding the grail, but to "convert the heathens" to christanity.

 

[Dogbrain]

I missed the history channel show on the subject and was just wondering: what was the amazing power of the grail? I know it was used at the last supper but what was it's amazing power? why go on the crusades for it?

The crusades were about anything imaginable other than some "holy grail". The first crusade was in response to a request from the Emperor in Constantinople for military assistance against the Turks. This was inflated by the Pope into a "crusade". The imperial request was purely political in nature. After the first one, though, they took on a life of their own, fueled by Western political and religious ideas regarding the proper "place" of the "holy sites". In addition, there was a strong desire to force religious practice into what was practiced (in general) in the West and extend (or solidify) political suzerainty. Crusades were also waged within France, aginst the Poles and Lithuanians, and against Constantinople.