Many Christians thought that by participating in the Crusades they would atone fully for their sins. On the breast of their tunics thousands of knights, soldiers, merchants, and peasants wore a cross of blood-red cloth to show they were going on Crusade. Those who returned wore the cross on their backs during the long voyage home. The Latin word for cross is crux, and from this word comes the words crusade and crusader. Even though only the First and Third Crusades were successful in reclaiming parts