Letters of the First Crusade: From Daimbert, Godfrey and Raymond to the Pope Urban II in 1099

To lord Paschal, pope of the Roman church, to all the bishops, and to the whole Christian people, from the archbishop of Pisa, duke Godfrey, now, by the grace of God, defender of the church of the Holy Sepulchre, Raymond, count of St. Gilles, and the whole army of God, which is in the land of Israel, greeting.

Multiply your supplications and prayers in the sight of God with joy and thanksgiving, since God has manifested His mercy in fulfilling by our hands what He had promised in ancient times. For after the capture of Nicaea, the whole army, made up of more than three hundred thousand soldiers, departed thence. And, although this army was so great that it could have in a single day covered all Romania and drunk up all the rivers and eaten up all the growing things, yet the Lord conducted them amid so great abundance that a ram was sold for a penny and an ox for twelve pennies or less. Moreover, although the princes and kings of the Saracens rose up against us, yet, by God's will, they were easily conquered and overcome. Because, indeed, some were puffed up by these successes, God opposed to us Antioch, impregnable to human strength. And there He detained us for nine months and so humbled us in the siege that there were scarcely a hundred good horses in our whole army. God opened to us the abundance of His blessing and mercy and led us into the city, and delivered the Turks and all of their possessions into our power.

Inasmuch as we thought that these had been acquired by our own strength and did not worthily magnify God who had done this, we were beset by so great a multitude of Turks that no one dared to venture forth at any point from the city. Moreover, hunger so weakened us that some could scarcely refrain from eating human flesh. It would be tedious to narrate all the miseries which we suffered in that city. But God looked down upon His people whom He had so long chastised and mercifully consoled them. Therefore, He at first revealed to us, as a recompense for our tribulation and as a pledge of victory, His lance which had lain hidden since the days of the apostles. Next, He so fortified the hearts of the men, that they who from sickness or hunger had been unable to walk, now were endued with strength to seize their weapons and manfully to fight against the enemy.

After we had triumphed over the enemy, as our army was wasting away at Antioch from sickness and weariness and was especially hindered by the dissensions among the leaders, we proceeded into Syria, stormed Barra and Marra, cities of the Saracens, and captured the fortresses in that country. And while we were delaying there, there was so great a famine in the army that the Christian people now ate the putrid bodies of the Saracens. Finally, by the divine admonition, we entered into the interior of Hispania, 1 and the most bountiful, merciful and victorious hand of the omnipotent Father was with us. For the cities and fortresses of the country through which we were proceeding sent ambassadors to us with many gifts and offered to aid us and to surrender their walled places. But because our army was not large and it was the unanimous wish to hasten to Jerusalem, we accepted their pledges and made them tributaries. One of the cities forsooth, which was on the sea-coast, had more men than there were in our whole army. And when those at Antioch and L,aodicea and Archas heard how the hand of the I*ord was with us, many from the army who had remained in those cities followed us to Tyre. Therefore, with the lord's companionship and aid, we proceeded thus as far as Jerusalem.

And after the army had suffered greatly in the siege, especially on account of the lack of water, a council was held and the bishops and princes ordered that all with bare feet should march around the walls of the city, in order that He who entered it humbly in our behalf might be moved by our humility to open it to us and to exercise judgment upon His enemies. God was appeased by this humility and on the eighth day after the humiliation He delivered the city and His enemies to us. It was the day indeed on which' the primitive church was driven thence, and on which the festival of the dispersion of the apostles is celebrated. And if you desire to know what was done with the enemy who were found there, know that in Solomon's Porch and in his temple our men rode in the blood of the Saracens up to the knees of their horses.

Then, when we were considering who ought to hold the city, and some moved by love for their country and kinsmen wished to return home, it was announced to us that the king of Babylon had come to Ascalon with an innumerable multitude of soldiers. His purpose was, as he said, to lead the Franks, who were in Jerusalem, into captivity, and to take Antioch by storm. But God had determined otherwise in regard to us.

Therefore, when we learned that the army of the Babylonians was at Ascalon, we went down to meet them, leaving our baggage and the sick in Jerusalem with a garrison. When our army was in sight of the enemy, upon our knees we invoked the aid of the Lord, that He who in our other adversities had strengthened the Christian faith, might in the present battle break the strength of the Saracens and of the devil and extend the kingdom of the church of Christ from sea to sea, over the whole world. There was no delay ; God was present when we cried for His aid, and furnished us with so great boldness, that one who saw us rush upon the enemy would have taken us for a herd of deer hastening to quench their thirst in running water. It was wonderful, indeed, since there were in our army not more than 5,000 horsemen and 15,000 foot-soldiers, and there were probably in the enemy's army 100,000 horsemen and 400,000 foot-soldiers. Then God appeared wonderful to His servants. For before we engaged in fighting, by our very onset alone, He turned this multitude in flight and scattered all their weapons, so that if they wished afterwards to attack us, they did not have the weapons in which they trusted. There can be no question how great the spoils were, since the treasures of the king of Babylon were captured. More than 100,000 Moors perished there by the sw r ord. Moreover, their panic was so great that about 2,000 were suffocated at the gate of the city. Those who perished in the sea were innumerable. Many were entangled in the thickets. The whole world was certainly fighting for us, and if many of ours had not been detained in plundering the camp, few of the great multitude of the enemy would have been able to escape from the battle.

And although it may be tedious, the following must not be omitted : On the day preceding the battle the army captured many thousands of camels, oxen and sheep. By the command of the princes these were divided among the people. When we advanced to battle, wonderful to relate, the camels formed in many squadrons and the sheep and oxen did the same. Moreover, these animals accompanied us, halting when we halted, advancing when we advanced, and charging when we charged. The clouds protected us from the heat of the sun and cooled us.

Accordingly, after celebrating the victory, the army returned to Jerusalem. Duke Godfrey remained there ; the count of St. Gilles, Robert, count of Normandy, and Robert, count of Flanders, returned to Laodicea. There they found the fleet belonging to the Pisans and to Bohemond. After the archbishop of Pisa had established peace between Bohemond and our leaders, Raymond prepared to return to Jerusalem for the sake of God and his brethren.

Therefore, we call upon you of the catholic church of Christ and of the whole Latin church to exult in the so admirable bravery and devotion of your brethren, in the so glorious and very desirable retribution of the omnipotent God, and in the so devoutedly hoped-for remission of all our sins through the grace of God. And we pray that He may make you — namely, all bishops, clerks and monks who are leading devout lives, and all the laity — to sit down at the right hand of God, who liveth and reigneth God for ever and ever. And we ask and beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus, who has ever been with us and aided us and freed us from all our tribulations, to be mindful of your brethren who return to you, by doing them kindnesses and by paying their debts, in order that God may recompense you and absolve you from all your sins and grant you a share in all the blessings which either we or they have deserved in the sight of the Lord. Amen.

Letters of the First Crusade: Stephen, Count of Blois to his wife, Adele, 1098,

Count Stephen to Adele, his sweetest and most amiable wife, to his dear children, and to all his vassals of all ranks — his greeting and blessing.

You may be very sure, dearest, that the messenger whom I sent to give you pleasure, left me before Antioch safe and unharmed, and through God's grace in the greatest prosperity. And already at that time, together with all the chosen army of Christ, endowed with great valor by Him, we had been continuously advancing for twenty-three weeks toward the home of our Lord Jesus. You may know for certain, my beloved, that of gold, silver and many other kind of riches I now have twice as much as your love had assigned to me when I left you. For all our princes, with the common consent of the whole army, against my own wishes, have made me up to the present time the leader, chief and director of their whole expedition.

You have certainly heard that after the capture of the city of Nicaea we fought a great battle with the perfidious Turks and by God's aid conquered them. Next we conquered for the rd all Romania and afterwards Cappadocia. And we learned that there was a certain Turkish prince Assam, dwelling in Cappadocia; thither we directed our course. All his castles we conquered by force and compelled him to flee to a certain very strong castle situated on a high rock. We also gave the land of that Assam to one of our chiefs and in order that he might conquer the above-mentioned Assam, we left there with him many soldiers of Christ. Thence, continually following the wicked Turks, we drove them through the midst of Armenia, as far as the great river Euphrates. Having left all their baggage and beasts of burden on the bank, they fled across the river into Arabia.

The bolder of the Turkish soldiers, indeed, entering Syria, hastened by forced marches night and day, in order to be able to enter the royal city of Antioch before our approach. The whole army of God learning this gave due praise and thanks to the omnipotent I/)rd. Hastening with great joy to the aforesaid chief city of Antioch, we besieged it and very often had many conflicts there with the Turks; and seven times with the citizens of Antioch and with the innumerable troops coming to its aid, whom we rushed to meet, we fought with the fiercest courage, under the leadership of Christ. And in all these seven battles, by the aid of the Lord God, we conquered and most assuredly killed an innumerable host of them. In those battles, indeed, and in very many attacks made upon the city, many of our brethren and followers were killed and their souls were borne to the joys of paradise.

We found the city of Antioch very extensive, fortified with incredible strength and almost impregnable. In addition, more than 5,000 bold Turkish soldiers had entered the city, not counting the Saracens, Publicans, Arabs, Turcopolitans, Syrians, Armenians and other different races of whom an infinite multitude had gathered together there. In fighting against these enemies of God and of our own we have, by God's grace, endured many sufferings and innumerable evils up to the present time. Many also have already exhausted all their resources in this very holy passion. Very many of our Franks, indeed, would have met a temporal death from starvation, if the clemency of God and our money had not succoured them. Before the above-mentioned city of Antioch indeed, throughout the whole winter we suffered for our rd Christ from excessive cold and enormous torrents of rain. What some say about the impossibility of bearing the heat of the sun throughout Syria is untrue, for the winter there is very similar to bur winter in the west.

When truly Caspian [Bagi Seian], the emir of Antioch— that is, prince and lord — perceived that he was hard pressed by us, he sent his son Sensodolo [Chems Eddaulah] by name, to the prince who holds Jerusalem, and to the prince of Calep, Rodoam [Rodoanus], and to Docap [Deccacus Ibn Toutousch], prince of Damascus. He also sent into Arabia to Bolianuth and to Carathania to Hamelnuth. These five emirs with 12,000 picked Turkish horsemen suddenly came to aid the inhabitants of Antioch. We, indeed, ignorant of all this, had sent many of our soldiers away to the cities and fortresses. For there are one hundred and sixty-five cities and fortresses throughout Syria which are in our power. But a little before they reached the city, we attacked them at three leagues* distance with 700 soldiers, on a certain plain near the " Iron Bridge. 0 God, however, fought for us, His faithful, against them. For on that day, fighting in the strength that God gives, we conquered them and killed an innumerable multitude — God continually fighting for us — and we also carried back to the army more than two hundred of their heads, in order that the people might rejoice on that account. The emperor of Babylon also sent Saracen messengers to our army with letters, and through these he established peace and concord with us.

I love to tell you, dearest, what happened to us during Lent. Our princes had caused a fortress to be built before a certain gate which was between our camp and the sea. For the Turks daily issuing from this gate, killed some of our men on their way to the sea. The city of Antioch is about five leagues* distance from the sea. For this reason they sent the excellent Bohemond and Raymond, count of St. Gilles, to the sea with only sixty horsemen, in order that they might bring mariners to aid in this work. When, however, they were returning to us with those mariners, the Turks collected an army, fell suddenly upon our two leaders and forced them to a perilous flight. In that unexpected flight we lost more than 500 of our foot-soldiers — to the glory of God. Of our horsemen, however, we lost only two, for certain.

On that same day truly, in order to receive our brethren with joy, and ignorant of their misfortunes, we went out to meet them. When, however, we approached the above-mentioned gate of the city, a mob of horsemen and foot-soldiers from Antioch, elated by the victory which they had won, rushed upon us in the same manner. Seeing these, our leaders sent to the camp of the Christians to order all to be ready to follow us into battle. In the meantime our men gathered together and the scattered leaders, namely, Bohemond and Raymond, with the remainder of their army came up and narrated the great misfortune which they had suffered.

Our men, full of fury at these most evil tidings, prepared to die for Christ and, deeply grieved for their brethren, rushed upon the sacrilegious Turks. They, enemies of God and of us, hastily fled before us and attempted to enter their city. But by God's grace the affair turned out very differently; for, when they wanted to cross a bridge built over the great river Moscholum, we followed them as closely as possible, killed many before they reached the bridge, forced many into the river, all of whom were killed, and we also slew many upon the bridge and very many at the narrow entrance to the gate. I am telling you the truth, my beloved, and you may be very certain that in this battle we killed thirty emirs, that is princes, and three hundred other Turkish nobles, not counting the remaining Turks and pagans. Indeed, the number of Turks and Saracens killed is reckoned at 1,230, but of ours we did not lose a single man.

While on the following day (Easter) my chaplain Alexander was writing this letter in great haste, a party of our men lying in wait for the Turks, fought a successful battle with them and killed sixty horsemen, whose heads they brought to the army.

These which I write to you, are only a few things, dearest, of the many which we have done, and because I am not able to tell you, dearest, what is in my mind, I charge you to do right, to carefully watch over your land, to do your duty as you ought to your children and your vassals. You will certainly see me just as soon as I can possibly return to you. Farewell.

Letters of the First Crusade: Anselme of Ribemont to Manasses II in February 10, 1098

To his reverend lord M., by God's grace archbishop of Reims, A. of Ribemont, his vassal and humble servant — greeting.

Inasmuch as you are our lord and as the kingdom of France is especially dependent upon your care, we tell to you, our father, the events which have happened to us and the condition of the army of the Lord. Yet, in the first place, although we are not ignorant that the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord, we advise and beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus to consider what you are and what the duty of a priest and bishop is. Provide therefore for our land, so that the lords may keep peace among themselves, the vassals may in safety work on their property, and the ministers of Christ may serve the Lord, leading quiet and tranquil lives. I also pray you and the canons of the holy mother church of Reims, my fathers and lords, to be mindful of us, not only of me and of those who are now sweating in the service of God, but also of the members of the army of the Lord who have fallen in arms or died in peace.

But passing over these things, let us return to what we promised. Accordingly after the army had reached Nicomedia, which is situated at the entrance to the land of the Turks, we all, lords and vassals, cleansed by confession, fortified ourselves by partaking of the body and blood of our Lord, and proceeding thence beset Nicaea on the second day before the Nones of May. After we had for some days besieged the city with many machines and various engines of war, the craft of the Turks, as often before, deceived us greatly. For on the very day on which they had promised that they would surrender, Soliman and all the Turks, collected from neighboring and distant regions, suddenly fell upon us and attempted to capture our camp. However the count of St. Gilles, with the remaining Franks, made an attack upon them and killed an innumerable multitude. All the others fled in confusion. Our men, moreover, returning in victory and bearing many heads fixed upon pikes and spears, furnished a joyful spectacle for the people of God. This was on the seventeenth day before the Kalends of June.

Beset moreover and routed in attacks by night and day, they surrendered unwillingly on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of July. Then the Christians entering the walls with their crosses and imperial standards, reconciled the city to God, and both within the city and outside the gates cried out in Greek and Latin, " Glory to Thee, O God." Having accomplished this, the princes of the army met the emperor who had come to offer them his thanks, and having received from him gifts of inestimable value, some withdrew, with kindly feelings, others with different emotions.

We moved our camp from Nicaea on the fourth day before the Kalends of July and proceeded on our journey for three days. On the fourth day the Turks, having collected their forces from all sides, again attacked the smaller portion of our army, killed many of our men and drove all the remainder back to their camps. Bohemond, count of the Romans, 1 count Stephen, and the count of Flanders commanded this section. When these were thus terrified by fear, the standards of the larger army suddenly appeared. Hugh the Great and the duke of Lorraine were riding at the head, the count of St. Gilles and the venerable bishop of Puy followed. For they had heard of the battle and were hastening to our aid. The number of the Turks was estimated at 260,000. All of our army attacked them, killed many and routed the rest. On that day I returned from the emperor, to whom the princes had sent me on public business.

After that day our princes remained together and were not separated from one another. Therefore, in traversing the countries of Romania and Armenia we found no obstacle, except that after passing Iconium, we, who formed the advance guard, saw a few Turks. After routing these, on the twelfth day before the Kalends of November, we laid siege to Antioch, and now we captured the neighboring places, the cities of Tarsus and Laodicea and many others, by force. On a certain day, moreover, before we besieged the city, at the " Iron Bridge " we routed the Turks, who had set out to devastate the surrounding country, and we rescued many Christians. Moreover, we led back the horses and camels with very great booty.

While we were besieging the city, the Turks from the nearest redoubt daily killed those entering and leaving the army. The princes of our army seeing this, killed 400 of the Turks who were lying in wait, drove others into a certain river and led back some as captives. You may be assured that we are now besieging Antioch with all diligence, and hope soon to capture it. The city is supplied to an incredible extent with grain, wine, oil and all kinds of food.

I ask, moreover, that you and all whom this letter reaches pray for us and for our departed brethren. Those who have fallen in battle are: at Nicaea, Baldwin of Ghent, Baldwin Chalderuns who was the first to make an attack upon the Turks and who fell in battle on the Kalends of July, Robert of Paris, Lisiard of Flanders, Hilduin of Mansgarbio [Mazingarbe], Ansellus of Caium [Anseau of Caien], Manasses of Claromonte [Clermont], Laudunensis.

Those who died from sickness: at Nicaea, Guy of Vitreio, Odo of Vernolio [Verneuil (?)], Hugh of Reims; at the fortress of Sparnum, the venerable abbot Roger, my chaplain; at Antioch, Alard of Spiniaeco, Hugh of Calniaco.

Again and again I beseech you, readers of this letter, to pray for us, and you, my lord archbishop, to order this to be done by your bishops. And know for certain that we have captured for the Lord 200 cities and fortresses. May our mother, the western church, rejoice that she has begotten such men, who are acquiring for her so glorious a name and who are so wonderfully aiding the eastern church. And in order that you may believe this, know that you have sent to me a tapestry by Raymond " de Castello." Farewell.

The Assassins

    The Muslims are divided into two great sections, the Sunnites, followers of tradition, who recognise the Caliphs of Damascus and Bagdad, and now the Sultan of Turkey, as the legitimate successors of Mahomet and the Shiites who, rejecting their authority, hold for Mahomet's true successor his nephew and son-in-law, Ali and the Imams his successors. The Shiites or followers of Ali soon split up into minute sections. Of these none was more famous than that of the Ismailites, who drew their name from Ismail, a descendant of Ali in the latter half of the ninth century. About the same time a certain Persian, Abdallah, conceived the idea of turning the new doctrines to a political end. Under the assumption that all religions were true and all false he established a secret society divided into various grades. Each grade, in ascending order, was taught the comparative worthlessness of preceding knowledge till the neophytes reached the final one, which, according to some authorities, inculcated the indifference of all actions and a creed whose practical results could be hardly distinguished from blank Atheism.

    A descendant of Abdallah established himself in Africa about the year 909 a.d. He pretended to be a descendant of Ali, and his third successor Moizz li din Allah founded the dynasty of the Fatimites, who ruled Egypt from about 960 a.d. to 1199. In the latter half of the eleventh century another Persian, Hasan ben Sabeh, after a Jife of unprincipled adventure, became an Ismailite and for a time settled in Egypt, whence he was before long banished for his share in a political intrigue. Returning home he soon settled himself (logo) in the impregnable Castle of Alamut, (the Vulture's Nest), south of the Caspian Sea, where the descendants of his immediate successor ruled for a century and a half, till they were overthrown by the Mongol prince Hulagu (1256 A.D.). It is to this section of the Ismailites founded by Hasan that the name Assassin or Hashashin, hempeaters, was applied, because a drug prepared from this plant, which is the great Frenchman's fiantagruelion, was used during the initiation of members or to nerve them for any extraordinary effort.

    Hasan's influence was political rather than religious; his teaching enforced a blind obedience to the grand master's commands ; and, for nearly two hundred years, the Ismailites became the terror of East and West. His devoted sectaries, assured that death itself was but the gateway to Paradise, never hesitated to execute their leader's mandate. Neither private friendship nor public greatness interfered with his plans ; and Hasan ordered the murder of his old schoolfellow Nizam-al-Mulk, the great vizier of Malik Shah, just as lightly as his followers in a later generation murdered caliphs in their tents or hurled themselves in succession against Saladin in his camp.

    Early in the twelfth century the Assassins began to multiply in Syria. By purchase or conquest they became masters of a ring of fortresses east of Tortosa among the mountains of Lebanon. Their first prior in Syria died about 1169, and was succeeded by the famous Sinan, Saladin's enemy, who, as it seems, sent the celebrated embassy to Amalric I. of Jerusalem, offering to become a Christian if released from his tribute to the Templars. Sinan seems to have introduced fresh tenets into his creed ; he threw off the authority of his nominal lord at Alamut, and in later days is said to have declared himself an incarnation of the Deity. He died in September, 1192. Eighty years later the great Syrian fortresses fell before the Mamlook Sultan of Egypt. Massiaf was taken 1270; Kadmous and Katif had fallen by July, 1273. In Persia Hulagu had already done his best to exterminate the Assassins; but in Syria Beibars contented himself with their political subjection. Fifty years later (1326) an Eastern traveller, Ibn Batutah, found the Ismailites inhabiting their old castles in the Lebanon. He tells us the Egyptian calif of that^time did not scruple to use the Ismailites against his enemies, and, to this day, a few thousands of the sect hang round the ruins of their old fortresses.

    More than twenty-five years ago it was discovered that a group of sectaries in Bombay— the Khodjas — were Ismailites, and paid a tribute of ^50,000 a year to their religious chief Aga Khan. He was the son of Khaliloullah, who in the latter half of the eighteenth century was chief of the Ismailites of Persia ; and his pedigree goes back to Hasan 'Ala Dhikrihissalam, the grand master of the Assassins in the middle of the twelfth century. In 1875, when the Prince of Wales was meditating his tour in India, Aga Khan wrote him an English letter with his own hand begging to be honoured with a visit ; and the possible successor of Richard Coeur de Lion accepted the hospitality of the descendant of the grand master of the Assassins, then living as a private gentleman in India and passionately addicted to racing and field sports. Aga Khan's son has several times ridden as a gentleman jockey in Bombay.


References:

Hammer-Purgstall, Die Geschichte der Assassinen (Stuttgart-Tübingen, 1818), English trans., The History of the Assassins, tr. O.C. Wood, London, 1835

Lewis (B.), The Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam, London, 1967.

Marshall (G.S. H.), The Order of Assassins, 82—84, 110—115, 133—137. The Hague: Mouton, 1955.

Daftary (F.), Introduction to The Assassin Legends (Online Article), at:
                  http://iis.ac.uk/introduction-assassin-legends

Failure of the Third Crusade

Though the failure of the Third Crusade may at first seem strange, its causes are perhaps not difficult to understand. The defection of Philip, the quarrel for the crown, the national rivalries that had gone far to wreck the two previous Crusades, all precluded vigorous action. Had Richard been able to advance on Ascalon some weeks earlier, as he doubtless intended to have done, the whole coast south of Acre would probably have fallen into his hands without a blow; so disheartened were the Saracens at the fall of this city. Probably a second tactical mistake was also made in not pushing on for Ascalon at every hazard after the battle of Arsuf. Such at all events seems to have been the opinion of so capable a general as Conrad of Montferrat who, according to Ibn Alathir, reproached the king keenly for this neglect : at the very rumour of its projected destruction, he urged, Richard ought to have hurried up and saved a town which the Sultan could not defend, and which, if once destroyed, Richard must well have known he would have to rebuild. * By Christ's truth,' concluded Conrad,  had I been near thee, Ascalon would be in our hands this day and that without the loss of a single tower.'

Again there seems to be little doubt that had Richard marched Boldly on Jerusalem in the early part of June, 1192 it would have fallen. But it is more doubtful whether he would have been able to retain it. The great crowd of warriors, having fulfilled their vows and worshiped at our Lord's tomb, would have hurried home, taking no thought for the defenceless land. Nor could the Holy City have itself held out long after their departure. The feudal polity which, five years before, had proved too weak to defend the state could not have been reorganized in a few weeks or months. It was a sound instinct which taught the Crusaders that the true way to the reconquest of Palestine was across the Delta of the Nile. Their ancestors had acquired the Holy Land and held it at a time when Damascus and Cairo were at variance ; directly the valleys of the Orontes and the Nile acknowledged one lord the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem fell. Whether any Crusading force could have been mustered strong enough not only to conquer but to garrison Egypt while its fellows pushed on against Jerusalem is uncertain ; but so long as the wealth, the fertility and the fleet of the Lower Nile were at the disposal of the Sultan of Damascus, Aleppo and the further East, no Christian power could hope for the permanent possession of Jerusalem.

A Character of King Richard I of England

The Lord of the ages had given him (Richard) such generosity of soul and endued him with such virtues that he seemed rather to belong to earlier times than these. . His was the valor of Hector, the magnanimity of Achilles ; he was no whit inferior to Alexander,! or less than Roland in manhood. Of a truth he easily surpassed the more praiseworthy characters of our time in many ways. His right hand, like that of a second Titus, scattered riches, and — a thing that is, as a rule, but very rarely found in so famous a knight — the tongue of a Nestor and the prudence of a Ulysses (as they well might) rightly rendered him better than other men in all kinds of business, whether eloquence or action was required. His military science did not slacken his inclination * Richard I (1189-1199). was born Sept. 8, 1157, at Oxford. About August, 1187 , he was made duke of Aquitaine. He took the cross in Nov. 1187, and died Tuesday, April 6, 1199.

The allusions here are to various chansons de geste which seem to have been favorite reading with this writer. The twelfth century derived its knowledge of the Trojan war from the spurious prose writings of Dictys Cretensis and Dares Phrygrius. Both works profess to have been written by contemporaries of the events they describe, but were really composed, or translated into Latin, after the Christian era. Benoit de St. Maur's Roman de Troie in octosyllabic French verse dates from about 1180. The Chanson de Roland belongs to the latter half of the eleventh century. The Geste d' } Alexandre, which is said to have given its name to the French Alexandrian metre, was woven together out of earlier octosyllabic or decasyllabic poems by Alexander de Bernay or de Paris before the year 1191.

The for vigorous action ; nor did his readiness for action ever throw a doubt upon his military prudence. If any one chances to think him open to the charge of rashness, the answer is simple : for, in this respect, a mind that does not know how to acknowledge itself beaten, a mind impatient of injury, urged on by its inborn high-spirit to claim its lawful rights, may well claim excuse. Success made him all the better suited for accomplishing exploits, since fortune helps the brave. And though fortune wreaks her spleen on whomsoever she pleases, yet was not he to be drowned for all his adverse waves.

He was lofty in stature, of a shapely build, with hair half-way between red and yellow. His limbs were straight and flexible, his arms somewhat long and, for this very reason, better fitted than those of most folk to draw or wield the sword. Moreover he had long legs, matching the character of his whole frame. His features showed the ruler, while his manners and his bearing added not a little to his general presence. Not only could he claim the loftiest position and praise in virtue of his noble birth, but also by reason of his virtues. But why should I extol so great a man with labored praise ?

He far surpassed other men in the courtesy of his manners and the vastness of his strength; memorable was he for his warlike deeds and power, while his splendid achievements would throw a shade over the greatest praise we could give them. Surely he might have been reckoned happy (I speak as a man) had not rivals envied his glorious deeds — rivals whose sole cause of hatred was his princely disposition ; for of a truth there is no surer way of annoying the envious than by observing virtue.


References:
Itinerarium Regis Ricardi, ii., c. 45.

Archer (T. A.), The Crusade of Richard I, London, 1889.

Franciscus Pippinus

Franciscus Pippinus, a native of Bologna, was probably born in the latter half of the thirteenth century. He was a Dominican friar. History and geography are very largely indebted to his labors. He translated the Italian version of Marco Polo into Latin ; wrote an account of his travels in the Holy Land (whither he was sent about 1320) ; translated William of Tyre, Ernoul and Bernard the treasurer into Latin ; and compiled a history of times nearer his own age, from 1176 to 1313 A.D.

Bibliography:

Johann (A. F.), Bibliotheca Latina mediae et infimae aetatis, Baracchi, Bd. 1 (1858).

Archer (T. A.), The Crusade of Richard I, London, 1889.

Caesarius of Heisterbach

Caesarius of Heisterbach (near Bonn) was born about 11S0, and was brought up at the monastery whence he draws his name. He also studied in Paris, and returned to Heisterbach about 1210. He was a Cistercian by profession. His best known work, " Dialogi de Miraculis," is divided into twelve books, each of which is devoted to anecdotes illustrative of certain religious topics” conversion, contrition, confession,.. These dialogues have often preserved interesting details of manners and customs though, as their title would imply, they are full of the miraculous. Caesar appears to have died about 1240 A.D.

Bibliography:

Archer (T. A.), The Crusade of Richard I, London, 1889.

PONCELET, Note sur les Libri VIII miraculorum in Analecta Bollandiana, Brussels, 1902.

Matthew Paris

Matthew Paris, the greatest of English chroniclers, became a monk of St. Albans, 21 Jan. 1217, and seems to have died about May 1259. As stated above his Chronica Majora is a continuation of Roger of Wendover. It reaches to the year 1258. The record of his life belongs to another period. For the Third Crusade he has followed Roger ; but the story of the duke of Austria's banner is an addition of his own ; though the same tale in a slightly varied form is to be found in Richard of Devizes.

Bibliography:

Archer (T. A.), The Crusade of Richard I, London, 1889.

Matthew Paris, Roger of Wendover's Flowers of History, 2 vols, London, 1849.

Lee (S.),  "Paris, Matthew" in Dictionary of National Biography. 43. London, 1895.

Vincent of Beauvais (1190-1264)

Vincent of Beauvais (c. 1190-c. 1264) was a Dominican, and probably belonged to the house of the order whence he draws his name. He was appointed reader or librarian to Louis IX., and had some share at all events in the education of one or more of Louis' children. His great work the Speculum Majus is an attempt to combine the whole learning of the thirteenth century into one. It was probably intended to be divided into four parts Speculum Naturale (Natural History. Science, &c), Speculum Doctrinale (a practical treatise on the various arts, &c), Speculum Historiale (a history of the world from its creation to the author's own days, c. 1250), and Speculum Morale (a treatise on Divinity). Only the three first treatises are however due to Vincent. The fourth, as now extant, is from the pen of a late contemporary.

Bibliography:

Potamian (B.), "Vincent of Beauvais". In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York, 1913.

Thorndike (L.), "A History of Magic and Experimental Science. During the First Thirteen Centuries of our Era",  (1929) vol 2.

Abu El-Faraj (1226–1286) ابن العبري

Abu El-Faraj (ابن العبري) or Gregory Bar Hebraeus (Abulpharagius, or Bar-Hebrseus, Bishop of Aleppo, a Jew by descent, was bora at Malatia (Melitene), in Armenia. At the age of twenty he was consecrated Bishop of Gaba. Later in life he was appointed to the See of Aleppo, and in 1266 he became Primate of the Eastern Jacobites. He died in 1286, One of the most learned men of his age, Abulpharagius wrote a History of the World from the Creation in Syriac and in Arabic. The value of his works as they reach his own time is very considerable. They have been translated into Latin by Dr. Pococke (Oxford 1663), and partly by Bruns and Kirsch. The quotations in the text are from the latter.

Bibliography:

بولس الفغالي: أبو الفرج غريغوريوس ابن العبري: محاضرات ومقالات، مؤسسة دكاش للطباعة 2003م

.جرجوريوس ابو الفرج ابن العبري: تاريخ مختصر الدول، بيروت 1983م.

Charles (H.),  "Bar Hebræus", in Catholic Encyclopedia. New York, 1913.

Hidemi (T.), Barhebraeus: A Bio-Bibliography. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2005

Jean of Joinville (1224-1317)

Jean of Joinville or Jean, lord of Joinville (1224-1317), was a vassal of Theobald IV., Count of Champagne. He accompanied Louis IX. on his Crusade 1249, and was with him, taking his pay both in Egypt and Syria. His great work, the History of St. Louis, was begun towards the end of his life in 1305, and dedicated to Louis le Hutin, afterwards Louis X. So far as Richard I. is concerned it probably represents the stories current within fifty years of this king's death.

Bibliography:

Delaborde, Recherches critiques sur les premiers seigneurs de Joinville in Bib. Ecole des Chartes (1890).

Fawtier (R.), The Capetian Kings of France: Monarchy and Nation, 987-1328, (1942; trans. 1960).

William of Newburgh

William of Newburgh or William the Little of Newburgh [Parvus], canon of the Augustinian priory of Bridlington in Yorkshire, was according to his latest editor born in 1136, and died probably in 1198. Of his life there is practically nothing known. His great work, Historia Rerum Anglicarum, extends nominally from 1066 to 1198, as originally written by the author; the continuation reaches to 1298.

William of Newburgh, like his namesakes of Malmesbury and of Tyre, is among the few mediaeval historians who are not mere chroniclers.

Bibliography:

Archer (T. A.), The Crusade of Richard I, London, 1889.

Stevenson (J.), The History of 'William of Newburgh' (1066–1194), LLanerch Press, 1996.

Ibn Al-Athir ابن الاثیر الجزري

Ibn Al-Athir or Abu'l-Hasen Ali ibn al-Athir was the son of Abu'l-Kerim Mohammed Athir ed-Din, who was governor of Djezirat ibn Omar in Mesopotamia, for Kotb-ad-Din Maudoud, the son of Zengy (Zengi زنكي) and brother of Nuradin (نور الدين محمود ابن عماد الدين زنكي), the famous ruler of Damascus and Aleppo. Abu'l Hasen Ali was born 12 May, 116o. At about the age of twenty he went to Mosul with his father, and was in the city at the time of Saladin's siege (Feb. 1186). At Mosul he devoted himself to historical and other studies, but not to the entire neglect of public affairs. He was often sent to the Caliph of Bagdad, and in 1 188-9 accompanied the prince of Sindjar to the Holy War. He must thus have been an eyewitness of the state of things in Syria towards the beginning of the siege of Acre. From this point till his death he appears to have given himself up to letters. He can be traced at Mosul, at Aleppo (where the Arminian eunuch Toghril” who was then ruling in the name of Saladin's little grandson Al Malec al Aziz, the son of that Ad-Daher who figures so frequently in Bohadin بهاء الدين ابن شداد” was his patron), at Damascus, and again at Mosul, where he died in Shaban 630 a.h.

Of Ibn Al-Athir's two chief works one is a history of the Atabecs of Mosul, i.e. an account of the doings of Zengy and his descendants. This work is of great importance in Crusading history, more especially as the recollections of the writer's own father extended back to early days of Frank conquest in the East. It was given to the world in 121 1. More noteworthy still is his gieat Mohammedan history, which embraces the whole period from the creation of the world to the year of the Hegira 628 (9 Nov. 1230—28 Oct. 1 231). This great work was compiled under the protection of Loulou (ob. 1259), who ruled at Mosul first as minister of Naser ad-Din Mahmoud [Zengy's last descendant,] and afterwards in his own name. Upon this great work, one of the glories of Arabic historical literature, Abu'lfeda أبو الفدا based his own history to a great extent.

Bibliography:

ابن الأثير: مقدمة كتاب الكامل في التاريخ، تحقيق أبي الفدا عبد الله القاضي، 10 أجزاء، بيروت 1987م.

Little (D.), "Historiography of the Ayyubid and Mamluk epochs", in The Cambridge History of Egypt, Vol.1, ed. by.  Daly (M.) and Petry (C. F.), Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Partner (P.), God of Battles: Holy wars of Christianity and Islam, Princeton University Press, 1997.