New Christian from Islam, I want to both learn and defend the Crusades.

I would like to become part of the Catholic church, but I have to wait a few years before I can get baptised etc.

I would like to study the Crusades, but I am not sure where to start. I barely know anything - I know a handful of names (Salahuddin, Richard the Lionheart, Baldwin IV) - and it's important to me that I learn the history and context. This topic is particularly important because I'm ex Muslim, and the Crusades were a defining moment in the rise of Islam. Not only this but my father is well versed in the history of the Crusades, and I know that when I eventually tell him of my conversion, the topic will come up. However, he probably knows the Muslim version of history.

I appreciate this is a Catholic sub, so I do not expect people to start telling me the Crusades were awful in their ideology. I have always been told they were evil and violent. Now, I'm not going to justify evil actions just because the people who did them bear the title Christian. That would be hypocritical, and I do not want to learn biased history.

I have no idea where to start. I'm familiar with early Christian history, particularly up to the Council of Nicaea. The rest of the seven councils I know briefly and will study more deeply.

I doubt there is much primary sources we can use to look at Crusade history, but I'd like as close as we can get. Though I will not excuse the Catholic church should it's laity commit bad actions, I would like to be able to defend it , particularly as the Crusades have had such impact.

Lastly, what would you say the state of Jerusalem is today? I'm aware that there are four quarters (Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Armenian), and that it belongs to the state of Israel - which is, of course, Jewish. I keep hearing things about the construction of a third temple - is this linked to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD? I'd like to hope Jerusalem returns to Christendom, yet I'd like it to remain open to all.

I think I have a very naive view on the Crusades, and just a brief look at this sub Reddit tells me Catholics know a lot about Crusader history and take it passionately. Id like to learn a lot.

My father has said before that the Catholic church (the institution, not the people) is evil. I struggle to see that, especially when you read the doctrine it professes. Perhaps this is where the notion comes from?

TLDR: New Catholic (not baptised yet, but I'd like to be in the future when I can), I want to be able to defend the Crusades from my Muslim father. He's always said they were evil. Is that true? What resources and things do you reccomend I read to learn about the Crusades, in the most unbiased way there is?

God bless ❤️