How the Crusades and the Renaissance influence exploration of the world?

Both influenced world-exploration in a positive way. The Crusades opened the Middle East and the oriental part of the world more for travelling around these areas while it was still controlled by Christians. However, a lot of this was subsequently overrun again by muslim soldiers.

During the renaissance a similar thing happened, while there weren't any Crusades per se, the notion and idea of exploration was growing and becomin increasingly strong.