Muslims in Egypt. However, the plan
A drawing from the 1200s shows European
soldiers sailing to fight in the Crusades.
The Roman
Catholic
church made
King Louis IX
of France a
saint to honor
his efforts as a
Crusader.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Crusades 223
changed when the Crusaders passed
through Venice. The Venetians got the
Crusaders to capture Zara (now Zadar,
Croatia), a Christian city that competed
with Venice for trade. Then the Venetians
and the Crusaders seized Constantinople.
In 1204 they looted the city.
In 1212 two separate groups of children
set out for Jerusalem. Some children
died during the difficult journey. Others
were captured and sold into slavery. Neither
of the Children’s Crusades got near
Jerusalem.
French and German Crusaders reached
Egypt in1218 as part of the Fifth Crusade.
In 1219 the Muslims offered to
give up Jerusalem if the Crusaders
would leave Egypt. The leader of the
Crusaders refused. Later he was
defeated.
Frederick II, the Holy Roman emperor,
set out on the Sixth Crusade in 1228.
He signed a treaty with the leader of
Egypt that gave the Christians control of
most of Jerusalem. In1244, however, the
Turks took Jerusalem back. This led to
the Seventh Crusade in 1249. Louis IX,
king of France, was the leader. He was
captured and held before being released
in 1250. In 1270 Louis led the Eighth
Crusade. He died of plague, however,
and the Crusade failed.
The Crusaders then lost their fighting
spirit. In 1291 the Muslims recaptured
the last of the Christian states in the
Holy Land.
#More to explore
Christianity • Islam • Pilgrimage
Crustacean
Crustaceans are animals that usually
have a hard covering, or exoskeleton,
and two pairs of antennas, or feelers.
People around the world eat many types
of crustacean—for example, crabs, lobsters,
shrimps (or prawns), and crayfish.
Barnacles, water fleas, and pill bugs are
A group of children participates in one of
the Children’s Crusades of 1212.
The American lobster is one of the largest
crustaceans. It can weigh up to 44 pounds
(20 kilograms).
224 Crustacean BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
also crustaceans. All crustaceans are
arthropods. This is a group of animals
that also includes insects and spiders.
Where Crustaceans Live
Crustaceans live throughout the world,
mainly in water. Some species, or types,
of crustacean live in freshwater. Others
live in salt water. Barnacles are sea
crustaceans that usually attach
themselves to surfaces—for example,
rocks, boats, clams, or even whales.
Some types of crab live both in water
and on land.
Land crustaceans live in rocky, sandy, or
muddy areas. Some types are so small
that they live in the spaces between sand
grains. Other types are found among
damp leaves on forest floors.
Physical Features
The basic crustacean body consists of a
number of segments, or sections. A section
of the exoskeleton covers each segment.
To allow the body to grow, the
crustacean sheds, or molts, its exoskeleton
from time to time. It then develops
a new one.
At the front end of the body is a region
called the acron. This is the head on
most crustaceans. At this end, adult
crustaceans often have antennas and
mandibles, or jaws. Several pairs of
limbs grow from the middle section of
the body. Many species have different
types of limbs for walking, swimming,
or mating. Some species have limbs
with pincers, or claws. The tail end
differs in form, depending on the
species.
One of the largest crustaceans is the
American lobster, which may weigh up
to 44 pounds (20 kilograms). Another
large crustacean is the giant Japanese
spider crab. Its legs may span up to 12
feet (3.7 meters).Water fleas, fairy
shrimp, and brine shrimp are some of
the smallest crustaceans. Most are
shorter than 0.25 inch (6 millimeters).
Behavior
Crustaceans may eat plants, animals, or
the remains of living things. Some types
of crustacean live off the material on the
bodies of fish or other sea animals.
To reproduce, crustaceans lay eggs.
Some species carry the eggs on their
body. The young of many species hatch
from the eggs as larvae, or young that
look nothing like their parents. In other
species, the young look like tiny adults.
#More to explore
Exoskeleton • Insect • Spider
Hermit crabs are crustaceans. Some people
keep them as pets.
Whale lice are
crustaceans
that live on the
body surfaces
of whales.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Crustacean 225
Cuba
The island of Cuba has seen many
changes since it was spotted by Christopher
Columbus in 1492. It became
known worldwide for its sugar industry
but often had an unstable economy. In
the 1900s Cuba was involved in several
national and international conflicts.
Many of those concerned the country’s
ties to the political and economic system
known as Communism. The capital is
Havana.
Geography
Cuba lies in the Caribbean Sea, about
90 miles (145 kilometers) south of
Florida. The country includes a long,
narrow main island and about 2,000
smaller islands. Most of Cuba is made
up of plains. Mountains and hills cover
about a quarter of the main island.
Cuba is warm year-round. Hurricanes
sometimes hit the country in the
summer and fall, during the rainy
