The Crimean War (1854-56) started because of an argument between the French and Russian religious fraternities over who should have access and right to holy areas in the Middle East, Nazareth and Jerusalem. It seems that religion has a lot to answer for when it comes to war, because inevitably discussions turned to arguments, which turned to violence, which resulted in death on both sides. The whole debate had been escalated to a level beyond all reason. The situation was compounded when the Russians, under the directive of Tsar Nicholas I, moved troops into the area, supposedly in order to shield the sacred grounds.