The Crusades that occurred in Europe during the Middle Ages were a joint effort of Church, State, and economic institutions that further urbanized European material, social, and intellectual development. Before the start of the Crusades, the three main institutional pillars that shaped European life were religion, monarchy (government), and economics. Religion was very important during the Middle Ages, as Christianity spread widely throughout Europe, Catholicism was the only Christian faith this time and the Roman Catholic Church had influence on Christians as they spread throughout Europe. No matter what social class, it was a unifying factor for people from every corner of Europe, except for a small population of Jews; all were Christians, from kings to servants, and provided a model of conduct from birth to death. After baptism, all things Christian overwhelmed a medieval child, from teaching prayers to learning one's responsibilities to God and the Church. Everyone was expected to follow the law of the Church and support it financially by paying heavy taxes. In addition to collecting taxes, the Church also accepted gifts from private individuals in exchange for special favors. While representing a significant departure from the central message of Christianity, the Church became very powerful through the practice of exchanging the Church's influence and doctrine for the granting of individual indulgences. As a result, the Church often used this power to influence kings to do what it wanted. Because of the importance of religion in people's lives, many people chose to dedicate their lives to serving God and doing the work of the Church. These monks and nuns lived far from the world and lived in special communities called monasteries or convents. The monks and nuns promised to... middle of paper... de to write for the kings and become vassals. Local priests were appointed by local lords and had to support their wishes. Therefore, the roles of the Church, government, and the economy became interconnected. The ever-increasing rights of the individual and the spread of the influence of Islam posed a grave threat to the finances and existence of the Church and the monarch. Thus, Church and State conspired to use the Crusades as a way to appeal to the individual's religious conscience to maintain control over them. This was far from a noble goal, but the result was a growing economy that brought greater prosperity to all (church, state, and individual). The Crusades brought a demand for additional goods and services beyond simple agricultural products: equipping, feeding, housing, and moving soldiers called up to the Crusades created economic opportunities for others.