Crusade

The Emperor of Byzantium, Alexius I, sent an emissary to the Pope asking for help in his fight against the Turks, his troublesome neighbours in Anatolia. Although the Turks were far from being the lords of Jerusalem, they were Muslims; Raymond of Toulouse and many others used this to promote a wave of anti-Islamic sentiment. The Pope replied with a call to arms, asking Christians everywhere to promise, by taking an oath, ‘to aid the Emperor most faithfully against the pagans’.

What started as a typical request for military support to overcome an opponent, issued by the leader of one version of Christianity to another, escalated like wildfire. Oaths were taken everywhere, and thousands enlisted to become ‘Soldiers of Christ’ — young and old, men and women, clerics and laypeople, soldiers and civilians.

With Raymond and Bertrand urging him on, the Pope, having unleashed the beast, tried to harness its power, but it was already too potent for any one man to control. Many men of violence convinced themselves that they could be redeemed by more acts of violence, but this time perpetrated against those who defiled God. Even poor people thought that salvation would follow from joining the cause to cleanse the Sacred Places.

We kept our counsel, not wanting to commit to a campaign that seemed dubious at best, while realizing that a major test for all of us was unfolding.

In November 1095, we travelled to Clermont in the Auvergne to hear the Pope address the great and good of Normandy, France and Aquitaine. His speech added fuel to the bellicose mood of an audience that already had the fire of vengeance in its belly.

‘Your brethren who live in the East are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them. They have occupied more and more of the lands belonging to those Christians; they have killed and captured many, and have destroyed their churches and devastated their empire. On this account I, in the name of the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank — foot soldiers and knights, poor and rich — to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends.’

He went on to describe in appalling detail the atrocities committed by the Turks and Arabs against Christians — rape, murder, torture, mutilations — such that by the time he had finished even noble archbishops were baying for blood. The Pope called for an ‘armed pilgrimage’ a ‘crusade’ to ‘free Christians from the brutal oppression of heathens’.

The holy war that Themistius had predicted had begun.

By the time we returned to Rouen, the five of us had made a decision about our future.

Duke Robert asked to see us; he was anxious.

‘Do you believe all these stories about the terrible crimes committed by the Muslims?’

I thought this was an ideal opportunity for Sweyn to give his opinion.

‘Robert, would you let Sweyn speak? As you know, he loved a Muslim woman very much and, had a vengeful father not interfered, she would have borne him a child.’

‘Of course, Sweyn, speak your mind.’

‘My Lord, Mahnoor’s father was a vile and cruel man, but so are many in Christendom. On the other hand, she was the most gentle, beautiful creature who ever walked this earth. All of us became very fond of the Muslims of Sicily and their code of conduct; we live by it to this day. I have no doubt that the Pope’s words are chosen in order to rouse his audience, and that Count Raymond is at the back of it.’

Adela then asked for permission to speak.

‘Sire, it is said among the knights that the Pope wants to unite all Christians under his own sovereignty. He was born into a noble French family and his lofty ambitions are no secret. This is the campaign of a pope who wants to be pontiff in Constantinople as well as in Rome, and behind him stands a man we all know to be driven by an insane hatred.’

The Duke thought for a while before asking me for my view.

‘Edgar, I am being asked to go on this Crusade and lead the Norman contingent. Sovereign lords from all over Europe are being asked to contribute to a huge army. The Pope wants 40,000 men, fully armed and provisioned for a campaign lasting several years. What do you think?’

‘If this comes to pass, it is clear that the world will never be the same again. Everyone must make a personal decision. We have been having our own discussions and have come to a view about how to proceed. We are happy to share it with you.’

‘I would like that.’

‘Estrith will explain on our behalf; she thought of most of the detail.’

Estrith took a deep breath before describing our idea.