Who initiated the First Crusade in 1095?

Pope Urban II initiated the First Crusade in 1095 during a council at Clermont, France. His call to arms was motivated by the desire to help the Byzantine Empire, which was under threat from Muslim forces, and to reclaim the Holy Land, particularly Jerusalem, from Muslim control. He presented the Crusade as a holy mission to restore Christian access to sacred sites and to assist fellow Christians in the East. His passionate speech inspired many to take up the cause, leading to a large mobilization of knights and soldiers who felt it was their religious duty to join the expedition. This historical moment marked the beginning of a series of Crusades that had significant social, political, and religious effects on Europe and the Middle East.