Crusader Army

I just got the game this morning and I'm pretty hooked.

Question though: The pope ordered me to join a crusade. How exactly do I go about doing this?

Grab six cheep units and a general you want to send far far away. Be outside of a settlement, as opposed to inside one. Then look at the bottom of the generals screen...there are a couple of buttons there. Pick the one with the sword.

Should be in the FAQ.

If not, then it's get an army led by a general of at least 8 units. Then go to the tab where you can hire mercs and all that jazz. In the lower left corner of that tab, you get two buttons. One of which has a cross on it. Click that and ta da! Crusader army.

Be sure to hire the crusader mercs as they are dirt cheap (110 for an armored sarge equivalent, 220 for a heavy knight, and something like 70? for a good flanking unit).