The Holy Land is a term
which in Judaism refers to
the Kingdom of Israel as
defined in the Tanakh. For
Jews, the Land's
identification of being Holy
is defined in Judaism by its
Part of the significance of
the land stems from the
religious significance of
Jerusalem, the holiest city
to Judaism, the assumed
place of Jesus’ ministry,
and the Isra and Mi'raj
event in Islam. The
perceived holiness of the
land to Christianity was one
of the motivational factors
behind the efforts of the
Crusades, which sought to
win the Holy Land back from
the Muslim Suljuq Turks that
had conquered it from the
Muslim Arabs, who had in
turn conquered it from the
Christian Byzantine Empire.
Many sites in the Holy Land
have been destinations for
religious pilgrimages since
biblical times, by Jews,
Christians, and Muslims.
The Holy Land, or Palestine,
showing the ancient kingdoms
of Judah and Israel in which
the 12 Tribes have been
distinguished, and their
placement in different
periods. Tobias Conrad
Lotter, Geographer.
Augsburg, Germany, 1759
