Should the Catholic Church just have given the Gospel rather than the Crusades?

 I would like to answer this question and common objection to the crusades, that giving the gospel is more worthy than giving war. This is usually an objection from fundamentalist that are generally ignorant of the crusades as it is. They may say Jesus wouldn't be for war or that the early Christian wouldn't be either. Let's tackle one argument at a time but before I do let's discuss the famous monk Francis of Assisi and what he did so famous for Christendom.
 It was during the Fifth Crusade { 1213-1221} that the crusaders in Egypt were attempting to take the Holy City by a different route. Their plan was to cut off Muslim supply lines and eventually retake Jerusalem. Meanwhile a monk from Europe travelled afar all alone to east for the sake of the gospel.
 While the crusaders were fighting and Egypt and sadly falling into corruption by sexual sins with Muslim women, Francis came for the purpose of the gospel.
 To discuss Francis's character, he was very gentle and liked animals. He supposedly often calmed them and he even preached to animals as he believed every creature on earth needed to hear the gospel. Francis had once been a knight but gave it up to be a monk. Once living immorally as a knight, he dedicated his life to Christ as a monk.

 

 

 

 

 

But this was not all. Francis having been over a monastery in Europe decided to go to Palestine to spread the gospel. While there he encountered the crusaders whom he was disgusted with for their corruption in immortality. But this did not stop Francis. He went to the Muslims to them the gospel.  He was even about to go through fire at the request of the sultan to prove Christianity. But the Muslims did not listen. Though he was respected they still not convert to Islam.

 So fundamentals are wrong when they blame the crusaders for not giving the gospel. Francis of Assisi did and they still did not convert. The crusades had to be fought by war otherwise the Muslims would have conquered southern Europe and forced it into Islam as it forced all the countries in the east towards Islam. The gospel was given to the Muslims and they still did not change. Neither the Catholic Church nor the crusaders can be blamed for them not hearing the gospel.

 Also Francis was actually for the crusaders he just wanted to spread the gospel to the Muslims.

 Let it also be noted that Jesus never spoke against war, actually the apostles were told by Jesus to gather swords.  Nor did the early church fathers oppose just war as noted by writings from Augustine Basil, Ambrose, Jerome, Athanasius.

 The crusades were fought because they had to be.