Document 1: Urban II's Speech at Clermont: The Beginning of the
1st Crusade
"All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of
omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! With what
reproaches will the Lord overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Christian religion! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the
barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! On this side will be the
sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich; on this side, the enemies of the Lord, on that, his friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses; and as soon as winter is over and spring comes, let them eagerly set out on the way with God as their guide."
Source:
Bongars, Gesta Dei per Francos, 1, pp. 382 f., trans in Oliver J. Thatcher, and Edgar Holmes McNeal, eds., A Source Book for Medieval History, (New York: Scribners, 1905), 513-17
Remission – forgiveness
despised and base – Hated and evil
omnipotent – all-powerful
reproaches – criticism
accustomed – grown used to
infidels – non-believers (non-Christians, Muslims)
Document 2:
Ekkehard’s Hierosolymita
“After Urban had aroused the spirits of all by the promise of forgiveness to those who undertook the expedition with single-hearted devotion, toward one hundred thousand men were appointed to the immediate service of God from Aquitaine and Normandy, England, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Galicia, Gascony, France, Flanders, Lorraine, and from other Christian peoples, whose names I no longer retain. It was truly an army of “crusaders,” for they bore the sign of the cross on their garments as a reminder that they should mortify the flesh, and in the hope that they would in this way triumph over the enemies of the cross of Christ, as it had once come to pass in the case of the great
Constantine. Thus, through the marvelous and unexampled working of divine dispensation, all these members of Christ, so different in speech, origin, and nationality, were suddenly brought together as one body through their love of Christ.”
SOURCE: Ekkehard’s Hierosolymita, a history, 1099.
Urban – Pope Urban, who called for the Crusade
aroused the spirits – excited people; gotten people riled up
retain – remember
garments – clothing
mortify the flesh – severely discipline (get really fit and strong)
Constantine – The first Christian Emperor of Rome
Document 3: The Capture of Jerusalem
This document tells the story of the Europeans attack against Jerusalem, which was controlled by the Muslim, or Saracen, forces.
On the seventh of June the Franks besieged (attacked) Jerusalem. The city is located in a mountainous region, which is lacking in rivers, woods, and springs, except the Fountain of Siloam, where there is plenty of water, but it empties forth only at certain intervals. This fountain empties into the valley, at the foot of Mount Zion, and flows into the course of the brook of Kedron, which, during the winter, flows through the valley of Jehosaphat. There are many cisterns, which furnish (provide) abundant water within the city. When filled by the winter rains and well cared for, they offer both men and beasts an unfailing supply at all times. The lower half of the wall is solid masonry, of square stones and mortar, sealed with molten lead. So strong is this wall that, if fifteen or twenty men should be well supplied with provisions, they would never be taken by any army. . . .
When the Franks saw how difficult it would be to take the city, the leaders ordered scaling (climbing) ladders to be made, hoping that by a brave assault it might be possible to surmount the walls by means 'of ladders and thus take the city, God helping. So the ladders were made, and on the day following the seventh, in the early morning, the leaders ordered the attack, and, with the trumpets sounding, a splendid assault was made on the city from all sides. The attack lasted till the sixth hour, but it was discovered that the city could not be entered by the use of ladders, which were few in number, and sadly we ceased the attack.
Then a council was held, and it was ordered that siege machines (large weapons and towers for attacking walls) should be constructed by the artisans, so that by moving them close to the wall we might accomplish our purpose, with the aid of God. This was done...
. . .When the tower had been put together and bad been covered with hides (animal skins), it was moved nearer to the wall. Then knights, few in number, but brave, at the sound of the trumpet, took their places in the tower and began to shoot stones and arrows. The Saracens (Muslims) defended themselves vigorously, and, with slings, very skilfully hurled back burning firebrands, which had been dipped in oil and fresh fat. Many on both sides, fighting in this manner, often found themselves in the presence of death.
On the following day the work again began at the sound of the trumpet, and to such purpose that the rams, by continual pounding, made a hole through one part of the wall. The Saracens suspended two beams before the opening, supporting them by ropes, so that by piling stones behind them they would make an obstacle to the rams. However, what they did for their own protection became, through the providence (help) of God, the cause of their own destruction. For, when the tower was moved nearer to the wall, the ropes that supported the beams were cut; from these same beams the Franks constructed a bridge, which they cleverly extended from the tower to the wall. About this time one of the towers in the stone wall began to burn, for the men who worked our machines had been hurling firebrands upon it until the wooden beams within it caught fire. The flames and smoke soon became so bad that none of the defenders of this part of the wall were able to remain near this place. At the noon hour on Friday, with trumpets sounding, amid great commotion and shouting "God help us," the Franks entered the city. When the pagans saw one standard planted on the wall, they were completely demoralized (lost all hope), and all their former boldness vanished, and they turned to flee through the narrow streets of the city. Those who were already in rapid flight began to flee more rapidly.
know of all this, until they saw the Saracens leap from the wall in front of them. Forthwith, they joyfully rushed into the city to pursue and kill the nefarious (evil) enemies, as their comrades were already doing. A great fight took place in the court and porch of the temples, where they were unable to escape from our gladiators. Many fled to the roof of the temple of Solomon, and were shot with arrows, so that they fell to the ground dead. In this temple almost ten thousand were killed. Indeed, if you had been there you would have seen our feet colored to our ankles with the blood of the slain. None of them were left alive; neither women nor children were spared.
Document 4: The Spoils Taken By the Christians
This may seem strange to you. Our squires and poorer footmen discovered a trick of the Saracens, for they learned that they could find byzants in the stomachs and intestines of the dead Saracens, who had swallowed them. Thus, after several days they burned a great heap of dead bodies, that they might more easily get the
precious metal from the ashes. Moreover, Tancred broke into the temple of the Lord and most wrongfully stole much gold and silver, also precious stones, but later, repenting of his action, after everything had been accounted for, be restored all to its former place of sanctity.
The carnage over, the crusaders entered the houses and took whatever they found in them. However, this was all done in such a sensible manner that whoever entered a house first received no injury from any one else, whether he was rich or poor. Even though the house was a palace, whatever he found there was his property. Thus many poor men became rich.
Afterward, all, clergy and laymen, went to the glorious temple, singing the ninth chant. With fitting humility, they repeated prayers and made their offering at the holy places that they had long desired to visit. . . .
Source:
Fulk (or Fulcher) of Chartres, Gesta Francorum Jerusalem Expugnantium [The Deeds of the Franks Who Attacked Jerusalem], in Frederick Duncan and August C. Krey, eds., Parallel Source Problems in Medieval History (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1912), pp. 109-115. [Chapter headings added for the etext version to match the more modern translation - Fulk of Chartres, A History of the Expedition to Jerusalem, trans. Frances Rita Ryan, (Nashville: University of Tennesee Press, 1969)]
byzants - what they called their gold coins
Saracens – Muslims
Tancred - one of the European Crusaders
Document 5: The Latins in the Levant [From Book III]
This document tells how Europeans (Latins) who lived in Jerusalem after the 1st Crusade started to live peacefully with others who lived there.
We have already forgotten the places of our birth; already they have become unknown to many of us, or, at least, are unmentioned. Some already possess here homes and servants which they have received through inheritance. Some have taken wives not merely of their own people, but Syrians, or Armenians, or even Saracens who have received the grace of baptism. Some have with them father-in-law, or daughter-in-law, or son-in-law, or stepson, or step-father. There are here, too, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One cultivates vines, another the fields. The one and the other use mutually the speech and the idioms of the different
languages. Different languages, now made common, become known to both races, and faith unites those whose forefathers were strangers.
As it is written, "The lion and the ox shall eat straw together." Those who were strangers are now natives; and he who was a sojourner now has become a resident, Our parents and relatives from day to day come to join us, abandoning, even though reluctantly, all that they possess. For those who were poor there, here God makes rich. Those who had few coins, here possess countless besants; and those who had not had a villa, here, by the gift of God, already possess a city. Therefore why should one who has found the East so favorable return to the West? God does not wish those to suffer want who, carrying their crosses, have vowed to follow Him, nay even unto the end.
You see, therefore, that this is a great miracle, and one which must greatly astonish the whole world. Who has ever heard anything like it? Therefore, God wishes to enrich us all and to draw us to Himself as His most dear friends. And because He wishes it, we also freely desire the same; and what is pleasing to Him we do with a loving and submissive heart, that with Him we may reign happily throughout eternity.
August. C. Krey, The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eyewitnesses and Participants, (Princeton: 1921), 280-81
sojourner – traveller on a journey; in this case, the crusaders
besants – currency used in Jerusalem
East – Jerusalem, Asia Minor, etc
West - Europe
Document 6: The Islamic leader Saladin’s speech
urging his people to retake Jerusalem, 1187.
This speech was made by Saladin, the Islamic leader. He led the attacks that recaptured the city of Jerusalem after it was captured by Crusaders on the first Crusade.
“If God blesses us by enabling us to drive His enemies out of Jerusalem, how
fortunate and happy we would be! For Jerusalem has been controlled by the enemy for ninety-one years, during which time God has received nothing from us here in the way of adoration. At the same time, the zeal of the Muslim rulers to deliver it
languished . Time passed, and so did many indifferent generations, while the
Franks succeeded in rooting themselves strongly there. Now God has reserved the merit of its recovery for one house, the house of the sons of Ayyub [Saladin’s family], in order to unite all hearts in appreciation of its members.”
SOURCE: The Islamic leader Saladin’s speech urging his people to retake Jerusalem, 1187.
Adoration – affection, love
Zeal – devotion, loving worship
Languished – weakened
Document 7: The Jewish chronicler, Solomon bar
Samson, 1096.
This document is from a Jewish historian. He observed how the crusaders treated Jewish settlers who were living in Jerusalem.
….“At this time arrogant people, a people of strange speech, a nation of bitter and
impetuous Frenchmen and Germans, set out for the Holy City, which had been
desecrated by barbaric nations, there to seek their house of idolatry and banish the Muslims and other inhabitants of the land…Their ranks swelled until the number of men, women, and children exceeded a locust horde covering the earth;…Now it came to pass that as they passed through the towns where Jews dwelled, they said to one another: ‘Look now, we are going a long way to seek out the profane shrine and to avenge
ourselves on the Muslims; when here, in our midst, are the Jews—they whose forefathers murdered and crucified him for no reason. Let us first avenge ourselves on them and
exterminate them from among the nations so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’”
Impetuous – impulsive
Desecrated – attacked and violated
Desecrated – worship idols
Exterminate – wipe out entirely
Document 8: Annales Herbipolenses, s.a. 1147
This account from an anonymous historian from the time shows the impressions that many people had of Crusaders at the time of the Crusades.
God allowed the Western church, on account of its sins, to be cast down. There arose, indeed, certain false prophets, sons of Belial, and witnesses of anti-Christ, who fooled the Christians with empty words. They recruited all sorts of men, by vain preaching, to set out against the Saracens in order to liberate Jerusalem. The
novelties and went in order to learn about new lands. Others there were who were driven by poverty, who were in hard times at home; these men went to fight, not only against the enemies of Christ's cross, but even against the friends of the Christian name, wherever opportunity appeared, in order to relieve their poverty. There were others who were oppressed by debts to other men or who sought to escape the service due to their lords, or who were even awaiting the punishment merited by their shameful deeds. Such men simulated a zeal for God and hastened chiefly in order to escape from such troubles and anxieties. A few could, with difficulty, be found who had not bowed their knees to Baal, who were directed by a holy and wholesome purpose, and who were kindled by love of the divine majesty to fight earnestly and even to shed their blood for the holy of holies.
