Part 5/14:
Letters were swiftly dispatched, preachers sent out to spread Urban's message, and soon news of the crusading spirit flooded through towns and villages. Guided by the idea of continuing penance through holy war, men, women, and children began to answer the call, driven by faith, guilt, glory, or the desire for opportunity. Yet, they embarked on a journey fraught with danger and uncertainty, a reality that far surpassed their initial expectations.