croisé

Croisé refers to a historical term used primarily in French to describe participants in the Crusades, the series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The word itself derives from the Latin "crucesignatus," meaning "signed with the cross." Individuals who took the crusading vow would often sew a cross onto their clothing, symbolizing their commitment and dedication to the cause, usually involving a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to reclaim it from Muslim rule.

The term "croisé" could encompass a wide range of individuals, from knights and nobles to common soldiers, merchants, and even clergy. Participation in a crusade was often motivated by religious fervor, a desire for spiritual merit, or even for temporal rewards such as land or spoils. While the most famous crusades were directed towards the Levant, the term could also be applied to participants in other crusades, such as those against heretics within Europe or against pagan populations. The impact of the crusades and the individuals who undertook them, the croisés, had profound and lasting effects on the political, religious, and cultural landscape of Europe and the Middle East.