The Crusades: Both Failures and Successes In the 600's, the Arabs, who were mostly Muslims, conquered Palestine. Palestine was the holy city of Christians and though they were allowed to live there and practice their religion openly, many wanted to control the city again. For about 400 years, everything continued peacefully. Then, in the 1000's, the Seljuk Turks took Palestine. These people persecuted Christians and attacked Asia Minor. When the Byzantine emperor asked the Pope for help, he was more than ready to help. Europeans had been persecuted in the Holy Land as well and many were ready to