Crusade and Eschatology: Holy War fostered and inhibited

In its apocalyptic variant, medieval Catholic eschatology could lead men and women to mobilize to fight alongside Christ’s heavenly armies in the war to end all wars, which would cleanse the world and usher in eternal peace. It was expected that Satan would try to corrupt Christ’s soldiers. But ultimately a purified Christian army would triumph both over sins and heathendom. In a variant, when one felt close to the End of times, one could fear that the call to holy war was a satanic trick. Especially devious close to the Eschaton, the Deceiver tried thereby to lead would-be milites Christi into sin, without redemption. These two configurations are visible with the First and Second crusades.