COURSE READER

SOCIETY AND RELIGION IN THE

MEDIEVAL CRUSADER STATES
I. Visit to Palestine by Ibn al-Arabi of Seville (1092-
1095)

1. Excerpt 2: Dispute with a Jewish scholar

We had debates with the Karamiyya 1 , the Mutazila 2 the anthrompomorphists
(mushabbiha)3 and the Jews. Among the Jews there was one of their learned named al-
Tustari, skilful in their reasoning. We engaged in controversy with the Christians present
and [at that time] the land was theirs, they cultivated its estates, kept up its monasteries
and preserved its churches. One day we were present at a long session attended by various
denominations. Al-Tustari spoke about his religion and said: No argument exist between
us that Moses was a prophet (whose prophecies) were confirmed by miracles, who taught
the Commandments. Now if anyone claims that there is any prophet other than him, that
person bears the onus of proof.
He aimed, by using sophistic argument, to force us to undertake the burden of
(positive) proof so that his desire be fulfilled and his argument be set out at length. Al-Fihri
replied: If you are alluding to Moses who was confirmed by miracles, who taught the
commandments and announced the coming of Ahmad [i.e. Muhammad], we agree with
you about him, have faith in him and confirm him. But if you mean some other Moses, we
do not know who he is. Those present considered that [response] impressive and praised
him lengthily. It was a clever, convincing, argumentative ruse. His opponent was
astounded and the session concluded. [106-107]

1 Circle of learned disciples mostly of Iranian origin

2 A sect characterised by free theological thinking
3 General definition for theological circles discussing how one should accept and understand Gods humanly described
features.

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2. Excerpt 15: Marys tree trunk in Bethlehem
I entered Bethlehem in the year 485 [1092] and in their place of worship I observed a cave
in which there was a dry tree trunk that the resident monks unanimously assert is Marys
trunk. I came again into Bethlehem in Muharram [4]92 [December 1098] six months
before the Christians took control of it. I saw the cave in their site of worship and lo, there
is no tree trunk there. I asked the monks dwelling there and they replied that it had rotted
and collapsed. Furthermore, pilgrims used to chop off pieces of it as amulets for healing
until it disappeared.

3. Excerpt 16: The graves of the Patriarchs in Hebron

On the words of the Muslim tradition quoted by Malik that Joseph, Peace upon him,
said before his death: I have not avenged a single wrong committed against me and these
are my provisions upon departing this world. My deeds are added to those of my
forefathers. I beg you to add my grave to theirs. Ibn al-Arabi appends the following:
Concerning his words Add my grave to the tomb of my forefathers, we saw it in
the year [4]87 [1094] and we sojourned there for many days in an atmosphere of security,
delight and pleasure, able to dictate ourselves to study and discussion. The tomb is in the
village of Hebron which belongs to Abraham, the Friend. Six farsahs separate it from
Jeruslem, on the downward ridge where the site of Bayt Rama, the place of religious
worship of Abraham, Peace upon him, was located. It overlooks the cities of Lot.
In the centre of the village there is a sturdy building of huge stones, which form a
huge wall, and inside of it is a mosque. In the western wing, next to the quibla is [the grave
of] Isaac and behind it in the wing mentioned, the grave of Abraham, the Friend. At the
rear, on the inner side of the western wing, is the similarly designed [grave of] Jacob.
Parallel to them in the eastern wing rest the graves of their wives in the same order. On
each grave is a huge monolithic stone of [considerable] length, breath and height as we
described in the book Tartib al-Rihla.
In the wing to the south of it, outside this sanctuary (haram) lays Josephs tomb,
standing alone. It has an overseer, who comes from Tartush [i.e. Tortosa in northeastern
Spain], who is paralysed and his mother who officiates in his stead. The design of the tomb
of Joseph, may Gods prayer and blessing be upon him, is like that of the other graves. This
is the most trustworthy reference to his burial-place because Malik mentions it. Malik, may
God be pleased with him, gives the most likely solution that he has found.

Source: These excerpts are adapted from Joseph Drory, Some observations during a visit
to Palestine by Ibn al-Arabi of Seville in 1092-1095, in: Crusades, 3 (2004), pp. 101-124
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II. Nasir-l-Khusrau (mid C11th)
Born in 1104, the Persian poet and scholar Nasir-I-Khusrau in ca. 1046 embarked on a
pilgrimage to the holy shrines of Mecca and Medina which resulted in a seven-year
journey across the Middle East, including Syria and Palestine.

Outside the eastern gate [of Acre], and on the left-hand, is a spring, to which you descend
by twenty-six steps before reaching the water. This they call the 'Ain al Bakar (the Ox
Spring) [This 'Ox Spring' was a place held sacred by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike,
and was a place of visitation. The Muslims had built a mosque here, dedicated to 'Ali, the
Prophet's son-in-law, the eastern part of which the Crusaders made into a church], relating
how it was Adampeace be upon him who discovered this spring, and gave his oxen
water therefrom, whence its name of ' the Ox Spring.
Source: Nasir-I-Khusrau, A journey through Syria and Palestine (1047 CE), trans. Guy Le
Strange, in: The Library of the Palestine Pilgrims Text Society, vol. IV (London, 1897), p.
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III. Letter from Ascalon to Jewish Community in

Cairo or Alexandria (1100)
The following is a letter from three prominent members of a Jewish community to
another town asking for financial assistance. Although we do not know the specific
addressee or the date is was written, historians have reconstructed the letter and have
surmised that the letter must have been from the heads of the community of Ascalon in
Egypt. This letter was written before the fall of the town in 1153, and the Egyptian army
was defeated by the Franks in 1099 and to be handed over to the Franks. This would have
been a time of great concern for Jews in this community. This letter was probably
written after passover in the summer of 1100.

We thank the Most High who gave us the opportunity of fulfulling this pious deed,
and granted to you to take a share in it with us. We spent the money for the ransom of
some of the captives, after due consideration of the instructions contained in your letter,
that is, we send what was available to those who [had already been ransomed.]

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We did not fail to reply to what you have written us, and indeed we answered, but we were
seeking a man who would bring our reply to you. Afterwards it happened that these
illnesses came upon us; plague, pestilience, and leprosy, which filled our minds with
anxiety, that we ourselves or some of our relatives might be stricken with the disease. A
man whom we trust went from here and must have explained to you the position with
respect to the sums you sent: that they reached us safely and that they were spent in the
manner indicated [in your letter.]

News still reaches us that among those who were redeemed from the Franks and remained
in Ascalon some are in danger of dying of want. Others remained in captivity, and yet
others were killed before the eyes of the rest, who themselves were killed afterwards with
all manner of tortures; [for the enemy murdered them] in order to give vent to his anger on
them. We did not hear of a single man of Israel who was in such plight without exerting
ourselves to do all that was in our power to save him.

The Most High has granted opportunities of relief and deliverance to individual fugitives,
of which the first most perfect instanceafter the compassion of Heavenhas been the
presence in Ascalon of the honourable Shaykh Abu l-Fadl Sahl son of Yusha son of Shaya
(may God preserve him), an agent of the sultan (may God bestow glory upon his victories),
whose influence is great in Alexandria where his word is very much heeded. He arranged
matters wisely and took great pain in securing the ransom; but it would require a lengthy
discourse to explain how he did it. But he could only ransom some of the people and had to
leave the others. In the end, all those who could be ransomed from [the Franks] were
liberated, and only a few whom they kept remained in their hands, including a boy of about
eight years of age. It is reported that the Franks urged the latter to embrace the Christian
faith of his own free will and promised to treat him well, but he told them, how could he
become a Christian priest and be left in peace by them [the Jews], who had disbursed on
his behalf a great sum. Until this day these captives remain in their [Franks] hands; as well
as those who were taken to Antioch, but these are few; and not counting those who abjured
their faith because they lost patience as it was not possible to ransom them, and because
they despaired of being permitted to go free.

We were not informed, praise be to the Most High, that the accursed ones who are called
Ashkenazim (Germans) violated or raped women, as did the others.

Now, among those who have reached safety are some who escaped on the second and third
days following the battle and left with the governor who was granted safe conduct; and
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others who, after having being caught by the Franks, remained in their hands for some
time and escaped in the end; these are but few. The majority consists of those who were
ransomed. TO our sorrow, some of them ended their lives under all kind of suffering and
affliction. The privations which they had to endure caused some of them to leave for this
country without food or protection against the cold, and they died on the way. Others in a
similar way perished at sea; and yet others after having arrived here safely, became
exposed to a "change of air"; they came at the height of the plague, and a number of them
died.

And when the aforementioned honoured shaykh arrived, he brought a group of them, i.e.,
the bulk of those who had reached Ascalon; he spent the Sabbath and celebrated Passover
with them on the way in the manner as is required by such circumstances. He contracted a
private loan for the sum that he had to pay the camel drivers and for their maintenance on
the way as well as caravan guards and for other expenses, after having already spent other
sums of money, which he did not charge to the community.

The letter goes on to state the finances for their community and the ransoms.

Source: This excerpt can be found at

http://web.archive.org/web/20070820083538/http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/worldre
ach/assets/docs/crusades/jewdoc1.html. The entire letter is printed in S.D. Goitein,
"Contemporary Letters on the Capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders." Journal of Jewish
Studies. Vol.3, no.4. 1952, pp 162-77 [reprinted in E. Peters (ed.), The First Crusade
(Philadelphia, 1998), pp. 264-68

IV. Caffaro on the Easter Fire Ritual (1101)

Caffaro di Rustico da Caschifellone (c. 1080-c.1164), Genuese statesman, admiral and
chronicler, had travelled to the Holy Land as part of the third wave of first crusaders
who arrived in the Levant in 1100 and 1101. He returned again to the Holy Land in the
1130s and probably in the 1150s wrote a work on the First Crusade entitled On the
Liberation of the Cities of the East. His most important work is the official history of the
Republic of Genoa, the Genoese annals, which was continued by others until 1294.

The Genoese, whilst they wintered in the city of Latakia, destroyed many positions and
forts of the Saracens around that area. And when Lent came, they left Latakia with their
galleys and sailing ships and their whole army. They made their way past the coastal cities,

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which at that time were in the hands of the Saracens, as far as the city of Haifa, killing
many Saracens from these cities. And there they hauled their galleys on to the beach of
Haifa, to avoid the angry seas. While they were inactive there, an Egyptian fleet of 40
galleys hurriedly arrived in the course of a single night at the port of Acre, passing close to
the city of Haifa, during a great storm at sea. The Genoese immediately put some of their
galleys to sea that night. They followed the fleet but because of the storm became separated
in their turn. Early next morning, on Palm Sunday, they celebrated the holy offices with
prayers, and that Monday [15 April 1101] they began their expedition against Jaffa with all
their galleys. As they drew near Jaffa, King Baldwin went out to meet the Genoese a mile
offshore from the city, with two fast escort ships and with trumpets and many battle
standards, to greet them and thank them for coming to serve God and the kingdom of
Jerusalem, without delay, as they had promised. So arriving at Jaffa with the king, the
Genoese wasted no time in drawing up all their galleys on dry land. On Holy Wednesday
they went to Jerusalem with King Baldwin, and there on Easter Eve they went to the Holy
Sepulchre, fasted for a day and night, and watched for Christs radiance to appear. But it
did not appear that day or night, and standing like that in the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre without any light they again and again called out with one voice Kyrie eleison,
kyrie eleison. When morning came, on the day of the resurrection of our Lord [21 April
1101], Patriarch Daimbert, together with Maurizio, bishop of Porto and legate of the papal
curia, delivered the following sermon: Brothers, please listen to me. I see that you are
downcast, because the Lord has not sent his light from heaven in the way He usually does.
You should not feel unhappy because of this, but you should be joyful, because God does
not work miracles on account of believers, but for the benefit of unbelievers. And so long as
this holy city was in the power of unbelievers, it was good and right that God should lead
the non-believers back to the faith by working miracles. Thus now, since it is in the power
of the believers, miracles are unnecessary. Yet because we believe that many amongst you
are weak in your Christian faith and without belief, let us pray to God to let His light shine,
just as has been His custom on account of the lack of belief of the unbelievers. Wherefore
let us all proceed to the Temple of the Lord with prayers to our earlier prayers, until we
successfully obtain what we seek. Know, my brothers, they God promised such a gift to his
servant Solomon after he had completed the Temple of the Lord, with the following words:
Whoever enters the Temple and seeks a gift of the spirit with a heart which is clear of
guilt, God promised to give it to him. [II Chronicles 7.1-15].
Then when the sermon was finished, the patriarch with the legate of the Roman
curia and King Baldwin, and all the rest of the Christians following them, came to the

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Temple of the Lord barefoot and with great piety. They all humbly prayed to God at the
entrance to the Temple with many prayers and invocations that at that moment on the day
of His resurrection God in His mercy would show that same light to His own faithful,
which in the time of the unbelievers used to come to the Holy Sepulchre every single year.
After praying in the Temple, they went back with prayers to the Sepulchre of the Lord.
And immediately the patriarch, with the legate of the Roman curia, went into the enclosed
space of the Sepulchre three times, and the third time the light appeared in one of the
lamps of the Sepulchre. So all were joyful, and all sang the Te Deum laudamus with one
voice, and heard the Sunday mass. After mass, they all went to their lodgings to refresh
their bodies. And again, as they waked around the ambulatory of the church, outside the
Sepulchre itself, the light began to burn in one of the lamps, in the presence of many
witnesses. When the clarion call of such a great miracle resounded through the city,
everyone rushed to the Sepulchre. And there every single person looked up at the lights,
which were outside the actual Sepulchre, in the ambulatory of the church, as each light one
after another in turn caught fire in the same way, as a fiery smoke rose all the way to the
wick through the water and oil, and began to burn as the wicks were struck by three sparks.
Thus on the Day of the Resurrection, after none, the light appeared in 16 lamps in ten way
I have described in front of everybody. And Caffaro, who caused this to be recorded in
writing, was there and saw; his evidence is based on that, and he asserts the truth of this
event to be beyond doubt.

Source: Translated in M. Hall & J. Phillips (trans.), Caffaro, Genoa and the Twelfth-
Century Crusades. Crusade Texts in Translation 26. Farnham: Ashgate. 2013. Pp. 51-53

V. Pactum Warmundi (1123)

The Pactum Warmundi is taken from William of Tyres Historia. It is a formal legal
agreement outlining the privileges accorded to the Venetians for their support in the
attack and capture of Tyre. William was also chancellor of the kingdom of Jerusalem and
it is likely that he copied this document directly from the royal archives into his history
during its composition c.1170-85.

A copy of the treaty containing the agreement made between the Venetians and the princes
of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the matter of the siege of Tyre.

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 In the name of the holy and indivisible trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Domenigo Michieli, doge of Venice, of Dalmatia and Croatia, and prince of the empire,
accompanied by a great host of knights and a mighty fleet of vessels, came as a conqueror
to the much-needed defence of the Christians. He had come directly from his victory over
the pagan fleet of the king of Babylon, upon which he had wrought terrible havoc as it lay
before the harbourless shores of Ascalon.
Baldwin, the second king of Jerusalem, was at that time, because of our sins, held
captive with many others in the toils of the pagans, a prisoner of Balak, prince of the
Parthians. Therefore, we, Gormond, by the grace of God patriarch of the Holy City of
Jerusalem, being assembled at the city of Acre, in the church of the Holy Cross, with the
suffragan brethren of our church, with William of Bures, the constable, with Payens, the
chancellor, and in conjunction with the allied forces of the whole kingdom, w, I say, have
confirmed the promises of the said King Baldwin according to the propositions made in his
own letters and messages which the king himself had previously sent by his own envoys to
Venice to the same doge of the Venetians. This we have given by our own hand and by the
hand of the bishops and chancellor, with the kiss of peace also, as our rank required. All
the barons also whose names are written below have decreed and confirmed on the holy
scriptures of the blessed apostle Mark, to the aforesaid doge and his successors, and to the
people of Venice, the conditions of the treaty as written below; that, without any
contradiction, these promises just as they are written below, so shall they remain
unalterable and inviolate in the future to him and his people forever. Amen.
In every city of the above-mentioned king, under the rule of his successors also, and
in the cities of all his barons, the Venetians shall have a church and one entire street of
their own; also a square and a bath and an oven to be held forever by hereditary right, free
from all taxation as is the kings own property.
In the square at Jerusalem, however, they shall have for their own only as much as
the king is wont to have. But if the Venetians desire to set up at Acre, in their own quarter,
an oven, a mill, a bath, scales, measures and bottles for measuring wine, oil, and honey, it
shall be permitted freely to each person dwelling there without contradiction to cook, mill,
or bathe just as it is freely permitted on the kings property. They may use the measures,
and the scales, and the measuring bottles as follows: when the Venetians trade with each
other, they must use their own measures; that is the measures of Venice; and when the
Venetians sell their wares to other races, they must sell with their own measures, that is,
with the measures of Venice; but when the Venetians purchase and receive anything in
trade from any foreign nation other than the Venetians, it is permitted them to take it by

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the royal measure and at a given price. For these privileges the Venetians need pay no tax
whatever, whether according to custom or for any reason whatsoever, either on entering,
staying, buying, selling, either while remaining there or on departing. For no reason
whatever need they pay any tax excepting only when they come and go, carrying pilgrims
with their own vessels. Then indeed, according to the kings custom, they must give a third
part to the king himself.
Wherefore, the king of Jerusalem and all of us on behalf of the king agree to pay the
doge of Venice, from the revenues of Tyre, on the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul, three
hundred Saracen besants yearly, as agreed upon.
Moreover, we promise you, doge of Venice, and your people that we will take
nothing more from those nations who trade with you beyond what they are accustomed to
give and as much as we receive from those who trade with other nations.

Source: William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, ed. Emily Babcock, tr.
August Key, 2 vols, Columbia University Press, New York, 1943, vol. 1, pp. 552-55 [Taken
from Jonathan Phillips, The Crusades, 1095-1204, 2nd edition, Routledge, Abingdon,
2014, document 8, pp. 225-26]

VI. Bills of Sale for Saracen Slave Girls, 1248

In the thirteenth century Saracen slaves were being sold in Marseilles. The character of
the transactions and the price at which a slave girl might be sold are indicated in the
documents. In the case of Aissa there was a profit of five solidi on the second sale.

1. Bill of Sale for Purchase of one "Aissa", 1248:

May the nineteenth, in year of the Lord 1248. We, William Alegnan and Bernard Mute, of
Cannet, have sold jointly in good faith and without guile to you, John Aleman, son of Peter
Aleman, a certain Saracen maid of ours, commonly called Aissa, for a price of nine pounds
and fifteen solidi in the mixed money now current in Marseilles.

Witnesses, etc.

2. Bill of Sale for Purchase of one "Aissa", 1248:

July the second. I, John Aleman, citizen of Marseilles, in good faith and without guile, sell
and transfer to you, Peter Bertoumieu, son of the late Raymond Bertoumieu, a certain

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Saracen maid of ours, commonly called Aissa, for a price of ten pounds in the mixed money
now current in Marseilles, which I confess to have had and to have received from you,
renouncing the benefit of all laws, etc. And if the said Saracen maid is worth more at any
time in the future I grant it all with the price, or I give all that extra worth to you and yours,
etc.

Witnesses, etc.

Source: L. Blancard, ed., Documents Indits sur le Commerce de Marseille au Moyen Age,
(Marseilles: Barlatier-Feissat, Pere et Fils, 1884), Vol. II, p. 172, reprinted in Roy C. Cave &
Herbert H. Coulson, A Source Book for Medieval Economic History (Milwaukee: The
Bruce Publishing Co., 1936; reprint ed., New York: Biblo & Tannen, 1965), p. 302.

VII. The Tract about the Places and Condition of the

Holy Land (1168x1176)
This treatise, which provides a wide-ranging description of the Holy Land and its
peoples, was written in the years immediately preceding the Battle of Hattin in 1187, and
probably between 1168 and 1176, after the foundation of the Archbishopric of Petra and
the Bishopric of Hebron, and before Nablus (which the tract records as being in the hands
of the king) was enfeoffed to Balian of Ibelin, on his marriage to the dowager queen
Maria Comnena. It would appear that the reference to the coronation of King Leo of
Armenia (which took place in 1198) is a later insertion, and in addition one of the later
manuscripts contains two longer insertions concerning the Teutonic Knights and the
Assassins. The tract was used by a number of later writers, including the German pilgrim
Thietmar in his account of his visit to the Holy Land in 1217, and by Jacques de Vitry,
Bishop of Acre 1216-28, in his History of Jerusalem. Parts of the text survive in quite a few
manuscripts, and full (or fuller) versions in five thirteenth-century, and two fifteenth-
century, manuscripts. The Latin text is edited by Benjamin Z. Kedar, The Tractatus de
locis et statu sancta terre, in The Crusades and their Sources. Essays Presented to Bernard
Hamilton, ed. J. France and W.G. Zajac (Aldershot 1998), pp. 123-31 [discussion ibid., pp.
111-22].

1. About the Site of the Land of Jerusalem and its Inhabitants: The land of
Jerusalem is situated in the centre of the world. It is for the most part mountainous, but

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the land is extremely fertile. To the east of it lies Arabia, to the south Egypt, to the west is
the Great Sea, and to the north Syria. From ancient times it has been the common
homeland of the nations, since they have flocked there from every part to worship at the
holy places, as can be read in the Acts of the Apostles about the gift of the Holy Spirit [to]
the Parthians, the Medes and the Elamites, and others.4 Now, however, these are the
peoples who are located in it and have their homes and places of worship there. Some of
these are Christians, and others are non-Christians. There are various Christian peoples
who are divided into various sects.

2. About the Franks: Of these the first are the Franks, who are more properly
called Latins. [They are] warlike men, practiced in arms, have their heads uncovered, and
alone among all these peoples they shave their beards. All who use the Latin language and
are obedient to the Roman Church are called Latins. They alone are Catholics.

About the Greeks: Others are the Greeks, separated from the Roman Church,
cunning men but with limited skill at arms, who wear tall hats, erring in the Faith and in
the articles of the law, especially in that they say that the Holy Spirit proceeds not from the
Father and the Son but only from the Father, and that they sacrifice only with leavened
bread. They [also] are in error about many other matters. They have their own language.

About the Syrians: Others are the Syrians, unused to arms, for the most part
cultivating beards, but not like the Greeks, for they trim them a little. Their worship is in
between that of the Latins and Greeks, and everywhere subject [to them]; however they
agree with the Greeks in the faith and sacraments. They use the Arabic language in
ordinary life, but the Greek in spiritual matters.

About the Armenians: Others are the Armenians, to some extent practised in
arms, disagreeing with both Latins and Greeks on many issues, undertaking their Lenten
fast at the time of the nativity of Christ and celebrating the nativity of Christ on the day of
the visitation, and differing on many other ecclesiastical issues. They have their own
language. Between the Armenians and Greeks there is implacable hate. The Armenians
have recently promised to obey the Roman Church, when their king received a crown in
the presence of the Archbishop of Mainz, the legate of the Roman See.

4 Acts, ii.9.

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 About the Georgians: Others are the Georgians, who honour St. George with
solemn pomp. They are well-versed in arms, grow their beards and hair very long, and
wear hats one cubit high. Both lay people and clerics have tonsures as though they were
clerics; those of the clerics round while those of the lay are square. They make sacrifice
with leavened bread, and imitate the Greeks in nearly everything. They have their own
language.

About the Jacobites: Others are the Jacobites or Jacobitesses, who take their
name from a certain Jacob, who have fallen into the heresy of the Nestorians, believing in
very bad things. They use the Chaldean language. 5

About the Nestorians: Others are the Nestorians, who are heretical in faith,
claiming that the Blessed Mary was the mother of [someone who was] just a man, and
erring in many other matters. They use the Chaldean language.

About the Latins: The Latins are also divided into various peoples: Germans,
Spanish, French, Italians and other races who share Europe. There are three peoples from
Italy in the land of Jerusalem, who are of great use and profit to that land: the Pisans,
Genoese and the Venetians. They are skilled in naval affairs, invincible upon the sea, and
well practised in all forms of warfare, and wise in matters of trade, and free from all
tributes and renders, exempt from the jurisdiction of all judges, claiming rights of self-
government. They are however envious and quarrelsome, which gives greater security to
the Saracens.

About the Temple and Hospital: There are also two houses of religion in the
land of Jerusalem, the Temple and Hospital, overflowing with great wealth, collecting
renders from the whole of Europe, and having great incomes and possessions in this land
of promise. When the Cross of the Lord is taken into battle, they then take their station by
it, the Templars to the right, the Hospitallers to the left. The Templars are indeed
outstanding knights. They wear white surcoats with a red cross. A two-colour banner
which is called the Balcanum leads them into battle. They go to battle in an orderly
manner and without shouting. They are the first into action and seek out the fiercest

5 i.e. Syriac.

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among the enemy; they are the first to advance and the last to retreat, and they await the
order of their Master. When however they judge the moment is right for battle, at the order
to charge the noise of the trumpet sounds, and the Psalm, not for us, not for us, but in
Your name give glory, O Lord, 6 is chanted with devotion, and lowering their lances they
charge the enemy. Manfully seeking out both the advance guard and the thick of the
battle, they never dream of giving way, and either break the enemy completely or perish. In
a retreat they form the rearguard, sending the rest of the troops ahead of them, to whom
they give complete care and protection. If any among them for any reason turns tail, or
behaves less than bravely, or takes up arms against [other] Christians, he is made subject
to harsh punishment. The white surcoat with its cross which is the badge of their
knighthood is ignominiously torn off him and he is cast out of their fellowship. He shall eat
on the ground without a cloth for one year, and if the dogs should worry him, he is
forbidden to complain. If after one year the Master and his brothers shall judge him to
have rendered condign satisfaction, he shall be restored to his original full knightly status
and reputation. These Templars are directed to the observance of a strict religious way of
life, obeying humbly, without private property, eating and being clad sparingly, and living
outside all the time in tents.

The Hospitallers however wear a white cross on their surcoats. They are good
knights, and along with their warlike activities they take care of the poor and sick. They
have their own observance and discipline.

About the Germans: The German knights also have a house in Acre. They are
wise men, skilled in warfare, fearless in battle, and observe the Epistle of Paul in every
matter. They were at loggerheads with the Hospitallers who sought to seize their property,
and so they went to the Templars, asking them for their support, in return for which they
would be subject to their authority. When they thus became subject to the Templars, the
latter came and took away their badge, a circle around a black cross, which they had worn
up to that point, and which was held in great honour by everyone. They also take care of
the sick and provide everything that they need. 7

6 Psalm, cxiii.9 (Vulgate)

7 This section is a later interpolation, found only in Munich, Clm 5307. The Knights of St. Mary of the Teutons, or the
Teutonic Knights, were originally a charitable order founded during the siege of Acre in 1190, and became a military
monastic order only in 1197/8. The incident referred to occurred in 1191, soon after the original foundation. Although
the Teutonic Knights became a completely independent order, they continued to follow the Templar rule.

13
 About the Patriarch and the bishops: First of all, this land of Jerusalem has a
patriarch, who is the father of the Faith and of the Christians and the vicar of Jesus Christ.
This patriarch has four archbishops: one in the province of Palestine, namely Caesarea;
another in the province of Phoenicia, namely Tyre; a third in the province of Galilee,
namely Nazareth; and the fourth in the province of the Moabites, that is Petra or Montreal.
The Archbishop of Caesarea has one suffragan, the Bishop of Sebastea (where John the
Baptist, and the prophets Elisha and Abdias are buried). The Archbishop of Tyre has four
suffragans, at Acre, Sidon, Beirut and Banyas (which is Caesarea Philippi). The Archbishop
of Nazareth has one suffragan, the Bishop of Tiberias. The Archbishop of Petra has no
Latin suffragan, but he does have one Greek, on Mount Sinai. The lord Patriarch has the
following bishops directly subject to him: those of Bethlehem, Lydda and Hebron (where
Adam and Eve, and the three patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are buried).

About the religious houses: In the church of the Lords sepulchre are canons of
St. Augustine. They have a prior, but promise obedience to the Patriarch alone. In the
Temple of the Lord are an abbot and canons regular. It should be made clear that the
Temple of the Lord is one institution and the knightly Temple another: the former are
clerics, the latter knights. In the church of Mount Sion are an abbot and canons regular. In
the church of the valley of Josaphat are an abbot and black monks. All these abbots are
mitred and assist the Patriarch and the aforementioned bishops in their ministry.8

The cities which do not have bishops. Furthermore, these are the cities
which do not have bishops: Ascalon, which is under Bethlehem; Jaffa, which is under the
canons of the Lords sepulchre; Nablus, which is subject to the Abbot of the Temple, and
Haifa, which is subject to the Archbishop of Caesarea.

Although this land of Jerusalem is throughout holy and solemn, for it was where the
prophets and Apostles, and the Lord himself, lived, there are however within it certain
places which men hold in veneration before all others. We shall briefly outline their merits
and names.

8 Augustinian canons were installed at the Holy Sepulchre in 1114. The other three houses all claimed to have been
founded by Godfrey of Bouillon, and in the first two cases this may have been correct, although the Augustinian canons
at the Temple of the Lord (the Dome of the Rock) were probably introduced later. St. Mary of Josaphat (built over
what was believed to be the tomb of the Virgin Mary) may only have been founded in 1112. It was closely linked to the
royal house. Abbot Gilduin, appointed in 1120, was a cousin of Baldwin II, and the latters wife Queen Morphia and
their daughter Queen Melisende were both buried there. The abbeys of Josaphat and Mount Sion were both destroyed
by the Muslims after 1187.

14
 About various places: Nazareth in which the Blessed Virgin and Mother of Christ
was born. There indeed, after being announced by an angel, the son of the Most High
descended into a virgin womb. Bethlehem, in which the celestial bread was born, and
where the Magi who were guided by a star brought gifts. There the Latin interpreter
Jerome lies. The [River] Jordan in which our Saviour was baptised and took bodily form
for human salvation, where the Holy Spirit was seen in the form of a dove, and where the
voice of the Father was heard. The place of fasting that is called Quarentena, in which
Christ fasted for forty days and instituted the Lenten observance, and where He was
tempted by the Devil. The pool of Genesareth around which he spent a great deal of time,
worked many miracles and where He summoned the disciples. Mount Tabor in which He
was transfigured, appearing in front of three disciples along with Moses and Elisha. In
Jerusalem there are many venerable places such as the Temple of the Lord where he was
presented, and from which he ejected those who were buying and selling, and from whence
James the brother of the Lord was thrown off. Mount Sion on which he celebrated the
Supper with his disciples and instituted the New Testament, and where the Holy Spirit
visibly appeared above the Apostles, and where also the Virgin Mother of the Lord passed
away. Calvary, where for our sake he received his death on the cross. The Sepulchre in
which His body was placed, and from which he rose again. The Mount of Olives where He
was greeted with honour by the boys while he was seated on an ass, and from whence He
miraculously ascended into Heaven. Bethany where he raised Lazarus and Siloam where
he gave light to the man who had been born blind. The valley of Josaphat, which is called
Gethsemane, where He was arrested by the Jews and where the Virgin Mary is buried.
Sebastea where John the Baptist, Elisha and Abdias were buried. Hebron where Adam and
Eve and the three patriarchs were buried. The church of St. Stephen, where he was stoned.
As is fully recorded in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, there is no mountain
nor valley, no plain, river, spring nor pool that has not been visited by the miracles of the
prophets, apostles or of Christ himself. The spring of Jacob in Samaria changes colour four
times a year, to be muddy, blood red, green and clear. The spring of Siloam does not flow
all the time, but only three days a week. The Asphalt Lake is in the land of Jerusalem, on
the border between Arabia and Palestine. The were once five cities there which were
drowned because of the sins of their citizens. Nothing which has a soul can sink in this
lake. When the Emperor Vespasian heard this, he had seven men who could not swim
thrown into the lake with their hands and feet tied. They remained thereon for three days

15
and did not perish. 9 There are trees around this lake bearing most beautiful fruit which
when it is picked stinks and then speedily dissolves into ashes.

About the mountains: The principal mountains in the land of Jerusalem are
Lebanon, Mount Tabor, Hermons, Gilboa and Carmel. Mount Lebanon is the highest of all
and overlooks Syria from Phoenicia, and it has very tall cedars, but these are not as
abundant as they were in the past. Some people allege that it never rains on Mount Gilboa
as the result of Davids curse, but this is false.

About the animals: There are many animals in this land, but in addition to the
common animals of our lands there are there [also] lions, leopards, bears, different types
of deer, wild goats, and a certain most savage animal which they call a lynx, from whose
savagery no animal can be safe and which, so they say, frightens lions. Moreover there are
hyenas, which they call wild dogs, which are fiercer than wolves. There are here [also] a
great many camels and buffalos.

About the trees: There are many trees here and they are of almost every variety
that grows on the earth. But as well as the common trees which we have in Europe there
are palms here, full of the fruits which are called dates. There are trees here which they call
trees of paradise, having leaves a cubit long and half a cubit wide, growing long apples,
and on one bough there are a hundred fruits that have a honeyed taste. There are also
lemon trees whose fruit is acid. There are also trees here that bring forth apples called
Adams apples, on which apples the bite of Adam appears most clearly. There are also
canes here, from which a most sweet sap flows; they are called canimellae and sugar comes
from them. There are also shrubs here which are sown like wheat, from which silk is
collected. Once indeed the balsam tree was not [to be found] anywhere in the world,
except in the land of Jerusalem, at the place called Jericho. Then the Egyptians came and
carried that tree to Egypt and planted it in their city of Babylon 10 and there alone they
exist. There is also something miraculous about these trees today, for if they are cultivated
by anybody other than Christians they bear no fruit but are condemned to perpetual
sterility. There are cedar trees here which bear a giant fruit like a mans head, but a little
elongated, and this fruit has three [distinct] tastes, one in the skin, another inside the skin,
and the third in its inner pith. It should be known that the cedar tree is very tall and

9 This story about Vespasian and the Dead Sea was taken from Bedes tract on the Holy Places.
10 i.e. Cairo.

16
sterile. The coastal cedar is small and fruitful. There is also here the fig of Pharaoh, which
does not bear its fruit among its leaves as do other trees but on its trunk.

About the changes in the names of cities: The names of towns and of other
places have been changed somewhat because of changes in the peoples who have at various
times lived in this land. Therefore I shall list both the old and the modern names for
various of the towns. Jerusalem was first of all Jebus, then Salem, and thereafter, from
both Jebus and Salem, Jerusalem. Then it was [named] Elya, after Elyus, a Roman
Quaestor who rebuilt it in the place where it now is after the destruction carried out by
Titus. 11 Hebron was first [called] Arbe, then Cariathiarim, thereafter Hebron, and finally
St. Abraham, since he was buried there. In the same way what was Lydda is now called St.
George. Jaffa has always been called by that name. Caesarea was first Dor, then the Tower
of Strato, and was finally called Caesarea, in honour of Caesar. Haifa was first Porphiria,
and Acre first Tholomais. Tye has always been called this. It is a noble city in which there
once reigned Agenor, from whom Dido was descended. Sidon is also called Sagitta. Sarepta
is also known as Sarphent. Bethlehem was first called Effrata. The place which is now
Nablus was first called Sychar. What is now Sebastea was first known as Samaria, and what
is now Mahomeria was first Luzel and thereafter Bethel. What is now Belinas was first
called Banyas and then Caesarea Philippi.

[....]

About the King of Jerusalem: Moreover this same province of Jerusalem has a
Latin king, who receives his crown and sceptre from the Patriarch, and whom all the
nations which are in this land obey. He swears to defend the most Holy Sepulchre, to give
judgement and justice among the peoples, and to preserve the customs of the land and its
way of life. The barons of the whole land are subject to him, and march to war at his order,
they are always ready to defend the land with the number of knights assigned to each one
and to fight for the inheritance of Christ.

The Magnates of the land of Jerusalem: The principal barons of the land are
these: the lord of Beirut, the lord of Sidon, the lord of Haifa, the lord of Caesarea, the lord
of Tiberias who is the Prince of Galilee, the Count of Jaffa and Ascalon, the lord of

11Jerusalem was laid waste by Titus, son of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, in 70 A.D. in punishment for a widespread
Jewish revolt.

17
Montreal and of all the land of Oultrejordain, the lord of Ibelin, the lord of Arsuf and the
lord of Bethsan. Jerusalem, Tyre, Acre and Nablus belong directly to the king, with no
other lord. Moreover the Prince of Antioch and the Count of Tripoli, although there are
outside the boundaries of the kingdom of Jerusalem, are considered to be the kings men
and have sworn fealty to him. All these men have a fixed number of knights whom they are
obliged to hold in permanent readiness with arms and horses, so as to resist the frequent
incursions of the Saracens.

About those who are not Christians: Since we have described above the sects of
the various Christians who dwell in the land of Jerusalem, now we ought to have a look at
those who are not Christians and have their homes there.

About the Jews: The first of these are the Jews, obstinate men, weaker than
women and everywhere slaves, suffering a flux of the blood every month. They observe the
letter of the Old Testament and have the Hebrew language. Among them are the Sadducees
who do not believe in the Resurrection.

About the Samaritans: Others are Samaritans, who like the Jews are feeble. They
wear a round linen hat. Their worship resembles that of the Jews, but they differ greatly
from them in their attitude, for they are cruel enemies one to another. They observe only
the five books of Moses. They use a sort of Hebrew language, but not the whole of it, and in
everyday life they speak Arabic. They are unhappy in the propagation of their race, for in
the whole world there are less than a thousand of them; in fact only some three hundred
can be found.

About the Assassins: Others are the Essenes, whom we popularly call the
Assassins. They are derived from the Jews, but do not observe the Jewish rite in
everything. 12 They observe their superstition as religiously as the Templars do their law.
They treat their leader as though he were a god and obey his commands to the death.
When their prince, who is always called the Old Man as though he were a man of wisdom,
wishes to kill some other prince, [then] in the midst of their knives he nominates whom he
wishes to murder. Then each man rushes to the knives, and the one who is able to take one
gives thanks to the prince and immediately leaves to kill the person who has been named.

12 This deduction, based on the similarities of the names Assassin and Essene, and (probably) on knowledge of
Josephuss Jewish War, is entirely mistaken. The Assassins were a radical Shia Islamic group.

18
Anybody who is killed on this service is esteemed as though an angel. Their life is in
common, and they do not have their own property. [A group] fewer than thirty cannot
come to a decision. They have a master who is the head of their order and religion [and
who lives] in far to the east; they are subject to him and obey him. The Saracens call him
the Lord of the knives. They plot only against great men, and this only for some offence or
[other] good reason. The killing of ordinary people is held by them to be a matter of the
greatest shame. They have a language which is mixed Chaldean and Hebrew.

The aforesaid Old Man recently had the son of the Prince of Antioch killed in the
monastery of the Blessed Virgin in the city of Tortosa. As a result the Templars, the father
of the murdered youth and the King of Armenia were much upset. They sent out an
expedition which laid almost all the Assassins land waste. They violently destroyed
everything except four castles. 13 It is also recounted concerning this Old Man that he will
have kidnapped boys shut away in an underground chamber and has them fed on bread,
water and vegetables until they reach their teens. 14 But after they have reached the years of
discretion, they are brought into his garden, which is furnished with every amenity, and
there they are entertained for some considerable time both with exquisite meals and by the
company of most beautiful maidens. For they find all sorts of dishes in this garden and
every sort of fruit, and the most beautiful young women who can be found throughout the
region are shut up there, and made subject to the lust of these young men. The Old Man
then makes a speech to these young men, along these lines, that the underground chamber
is hell, and that those who refuse to obey his orders will be made subject to such a
punishment for all eternity; those who fulfil his wishes will remain for ever in paradise like
the one there. And hence many are deceived, and so they are deprived both of their lives
and their souls. 15

About the Bedouins: Others are the Bedouins, wild men who are popularly called
country Turks. They always live in the countryside, and have neither land nor home. They
are well endowed with flocks and all sorts of animals which are pastured, with permission,
sometimes in the lands of the Christians and at others in those of the Saracens. The
majority of them are split into tribes in different regions. They feed on meat and milk, are

13 Another interpolation from the Munich manuscript: it refers to the murder of Raymond, eldest son of Bohemond IV,
in 1213. The reprisals were, in fact, much less effective than the interpolator suggested.
14 usque ad iuventutem.
15 A similar legend was later recounted by Marco Polo in his Travels.

19
clad in the skins of sheep and goats, and always sleep in the open air, unless heavy rain is
falling. They have tents made from animal skins. They are friends of fortune, for they help
those whom they see to be the stronger, and are great traitors and remarkable thieves.
They wear red hats with a cloth wound round them. When we prevail against the Saracens,
then they are our brothers and friends. If however the Saracens prevail then they help
them, and sell fleeing Christians to these Saracens (and similarly Saracens to the
Christians). Their good faith is worthless unless fear compels it. Mohammed is alleged to
have been one of them. They use the Saracen language, but in a very corrupt form.

Source:
https://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/download/1113/the_tract_about_the_places_and_condition_of_th
e_holy_land

VIII. Fulcher of Chartres: Chronicle of the First

Crusade
Fulcher went on crusade in the entourage of Stephen of Blois and Robert of Normandy.
He was appointed chaplain of Baldwin of Bourgogne in 1097 and after the conquest of
Jerusalem stayed in the East. He died in 1127. His chronicle deals with the events of the
crusade and also covers the early organization of the new crusader kingdom until 1127. It
is the best account we have of the early history of the crusader states by an eye-witness.
The source is Fulcher of Chartres, A History of the Expedition to Jerusalem 1095-
1127, trans. F. R. Ryan (Knoxville, 1969).

1. The letter of the Princes addressed to the Roman Pontiff (11 Nov. 1098)
We have overcome the Turks and heathens; heretics, however, Greeks and
Armenians, Syrians, and Jacobites, we have not been able to overcome. Therefore we
enjoin you again and again, our dearest father, that you, the father and head, come to the
place of your fatherhood; that you, who are the vicar of Saint Peter, sit on his throne; that
you keep us, thy sons, obedient in doing all things rightly; and that you eradicate and
destroy all heresies, of whatever nature they be, with your authority and with your
strength.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book I, XXIV:14

20
2. Conditions in the Holy Land during the first years of the Latin Kingdom
In the beginning of his reign Baldwin [King Baldwin I of Jerusalem] as yet
possessed few cities and people. Through that same winter he stoutly protected his
kingdom from enemies on all sides. And because they found out that he was a very skillful
fighter, although he had few men, they did not dare to attack him. If he had had a greater
force he would have met the enemy gladly.

Up to that time [c. 1101] the land route was completely blocked to our pilgrims.
Meanwhile they, Franks as well as English, or Italians and Venetians, came by sea as far as
Joppa. At first we had no other port. These pilgrims came very timidly in single ships, or in
squadrons of three of four, through the midst of hostile pirates and past the ports of the
Saracens, with the Lord showing the way.

When we saw that they had come from our own countries in the West, we promptly
and joyfully we advanced met them as if they were saints. From them each of us anxiously
inquired concerning his homeland and his loved ones. The new arrivals told us all that they
new. When we heard good news we rejoiced; when they told us misfortune we were
saddened. They came on to Jerusalem; they visited the Holy of Holies, for which purpose
they had come.

Following that, some remained in the Holy Land, and others went back to their
native countries. For this reason the land of Jerusalem remained depopulated. There were
not enough people to defend it from the Saracens if only the latter dared to attack us.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter VI.49 (p. 149)

3. The siege of Caesarea, 2-15 May 1101

How the City of Caesarea was captured:

But after the Franks had maintained the siege for fifteen days and had somewhat
damaged the upper defenses of the wall with their petrariae [a form of catapult], their
righteous zeal would brook no further delay. So on a certain Friday they suddenly stormed
the city with shield and spear, not using the wooden tower, as yet uncompleted, nor
supplementary aids.

The Saracens defended themselves as stoutly as they could, encouraging each other.
However, The Franks, whose Lord was God, quickly erected ladders, which they had
prepared for this purpose, and ascended to the top of the wall. Then they slew with they
swords everyone whom they encountered.
21
 The Saracens, seeing that our men were so fierce and that the city was already taken
by them, fled precipitately to wherever they thought they might preserve their lives a little
longer. But they were unable to hide anywhere and instead were slain and a death that was
well deserved.

Very few of the male sex were left alive. But a great number of the women were
spared because they could always be used to turn the hand mills. When the Franks
captured the women they bought and sold them, the comely and the ugly, among
themselves, and the men also.

The king spared the amir of the city and the bishop, which the Saracens called the
archadius [ = qadi]. He did this for a ransom rather than for love. How much property of
various kinds was found there it is impossible to say, but many of our men who had been
poor became rich.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter IX.37 (pp. 15357)

4. The Latins in the Levant (c.1124)

Therefore do not marvel when you see signs in the heavens because God works
miracles there as he does on earth. For just as in the heavens so also on earth He
transforms and arranges all things as He wills. For if those things which He made are
wonderful, more wonderful is He who made them. Consider, I pray, and reflect bow in our
time God has transferred the Occident into the Orient.

For we who were Occidentals have now become Orientals. He who was a Roman or
a Frank is now a Galilaean, or an inhabitant of Palestine. He who was of Rheims or
Chartres has now become a citizen of Tyre or Antioch. We have already forgotten the
places of our birth; already these are unknown to many of us or not mentioned any more.

Some already possess homes or households by inheritance. Some have taken wives
not only of their own people but Syrians or Armenians or even Saracens who have obtained
the grace of baptism. One has his father-in-law as well as his daughter-in-law living with
him, or his own child if not his step-son or step-father. Out here there are grandchildren
and great-grandchildren. Some tend vineyards, others till fields.

People use the eloquence and idioms of diverse languages in conversing back and
forth. Words of different languages have become common property known to each
nationality, and mutual faith unites those who are ignorant of their descent. Indeed it is

22
written, "The lion and the ox shall eat straw together" [Isai. 62:25]. He who was born a
stranger is now as one born here; he who was born an alien has become as a native.

Our relatives and parents join us from time to time, sacrificing, even though
reluctantly, all that they formally possessed. Those who were poor in the Occident, God
makes rich in this land. Those who had little money there have countless bezants here, and
those who did not have a villa possess here by the gift of God a city.

Therefore why should one return to the Occident who has found the Orient like
this? God does not wish those to suffer want who with their crosses dedicated themselves
to follow Him, nay even to the end.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book III, chapter 37.27 (pp. 271-72).

5. The Franks Encounters with Villagers (1100)

The Expedition of Baldwin into Arabia
1. Therefore Lord Baldwin, having collected his men, set out for Ascalon, traveling
through Azotus, which is between Joppa and Ascalon and which was one of the five cities
of the Philistines. We had Acharon on our right near Jamnia, which is on the sea.
Moreover when we had come before Ascalon those who came out against us were
vehemently driven back to the walls. Because it was useless for us to proceed farther, we
returned to our tents, already pitched, to lodge there.
2. The following day we went farther out into the country where we found food for
ourselves and our beasts in prosperous areas and where also we had devastated the land of
our enemies. then proceeding farther, we found villas where the Saracen inhabitants had
hidden themselves and their beasts and other possessions from us in caverns. When we
were unable to draw out any of them, we set fires near the entrances to the caverns. Soon
on account of the intolerable smoke and heat they came out to us one after the other.
There were among them robbers who were accustomed to lurk between Ramla and
Jerusalem and to kill Christians. When we were told by some Syrian Christians who were
kept in concealment among them that these malefactors were of this type, they were
beheaded as soon as they came out of the cave. We spared these Syrians and their wives.
Indeed we killed nearly a hundred Saracens.
And after we had eaten and consumed everything we found there, grain as well as
lifestock, we could find nothing more of use to us, we conferred with certain natives of the
country who had formerly been Saracens but had newly become Christians. We discussed
what they knew of cultivated and desert areas far and wide and decided to go into Arabia.
23
 And crossing the mountainous region near the sepulchres of the Patriarchs
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as of Sarah and Rebecca, where the bodies were
gloriously buried, we came to a valley about fourteen miles from the city of Jerusalem.16
Here the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by the judgment of God
[Gen. 19:24-25]

The Dead Sea

Going around the lake on the south side, we found a village most favorably situated
and abounding in the fruits of the palm which they call dates and which we ate all day for
their pleasant taste. We found little else there.
The Saracen inhabitants of the place had all fled when they heard rumours of us, all
except some who were blacker than soot. These we left there, despising them as if they
were no more than sea-weed.
Then we entered the mountains of Arabia and spent the following night in caverns
there. The next morning [c. 25 Nov. 1100] when we had ascended the mountains we found
villages right away. But they were void of anything useful because the inhabitants, having
heard of our approach, had hid themselves together with their possessions in a cavern of
the earth. For this reason we profited little there.
Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter IV-V. (pp. 143-47)

6. The Accession of King Baldwin and the Smallness of his Kingdom (1101)
Up to that time [1101] the land route was completely blocked to our pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the French as well as the English, or Italians and Venetians, came by sea as far
as Joppa. At first we had no other port. These pilgrims came very timidly in single ships, or
in squadrons of three or four, through the midst of hostile pirates and past the ports of the
Saracens, with the Lord showing the way.
When we saw that they had come from our own countries in the West, we promptly
and joyfully met them as if they were saints. From them each of us anxiously inquired

16 Baldwins force crossed the Judean hills at Hebron where there is a walled enclosure that was
called by the Franks the Castle of St. Abraham. Within it is a mosque over the Cave of Machpelah,
inside of which Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives are believed to be entombed. From
Hebron, Baldwins troop made a dramatic descent of about 4,300 feet in seventeen miles to the
shore of the Dead Sea. This was at Engeddi, according to William of Tyre (X, viii), which is twenty-
three miles southeast of Jerusalem. However, the north end of the Dead Sea is about fourteen
miles from Jerusalem.

24
concerning his homeland and his loved ones. The new arrivals told us all that they knew.
when we heard good news we rejoiced; when they told us misfortune we were saddened.
They came on to Jerusalem; they visited the Holy of Holies, for which purpose they had
come.
Following that some remained in the Holy Land, and others went back to their
native countries. For this reason the land of Jerusalem remained depopulated. There were
not enough people to defend it from the Saracens if only the latter dared to attack us.
Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter VI (pp. 148-50)

7. The Siege of the Fortress of Arsuf and Its Capture (1101)

1. During that same winter season a fleet of beaked Genoese and Italian ships had
stayed at the port of Laodicea. In the spring when the men saw that the weather was calm
and suitable for navigation they sailed as far as Joppa with a favoring wind. When they
reached port they were gladly received by the king. Because it was near Easter and since it
was customary for all who could to celebrate this solemn occasion, they beached their ships
and went up to Jerusalem with the king.
2. On Easter Sabbath everyone was much disturbed because the Holy Fire failed to
appear at the Sepulcher of the Lord.17 When the Eater solemnity was over, the king went
back to Joppa and made a convention with the consuls of the above-mentioned fleet. It was
agreed that as long as the Genoese cared to stay in the Holy Land for the love of God, if
with His consent and assistance they and the king could take any of the cities of the
Saracens, they should have in common a third part of the money taken from the enemy
with no injury done to the Genoese, and the king should have the first and second parts.
Moreover they [the Genoese] should possess by perpetual and hereditary right a section in
such a city captured in this way.
3. When this had been agreed under oaths mutually exchanged they immediately
besieged by land and sea the fortified place which is called Arsuf. But when the Saracen
inhabitants realized that they could in no way defend themselves against the Christians,
they shrewdly negotiated with the king and on the third day surrendered to him. Moreover
they departed with all of their money. For those who set out in utmost rejection for Ascalon
the king gave safe conduct.

17The Holy Fire, which usually appeared in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on the day before
Easter, and which is still a feature of the Easter celebrations there, did not appear on schedule in
1101, causing great consternation. Fulcher said little, perhaps feeling skeptical, but other writers
said much. Consult HF 395, note 5.

25
Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter VIII (pp. 151-53)

8. The siege of Caesarea, 2-15 May 1101

How the City of Caesarea was Captured
But after the Franks had maintained the siege for fifteen days and had somewhat
damaged the upper defenses of the wall with their petrariae [a form of catapult], their
righteous zeal would brook no further delay. So on a certain Friday they suddenly stormed
the city with shield and spear, not using the wooden tower, as yet uncompleted, nor
supplementary aids.

The Saracens defended themselves as stoutly as they could, encouraging each other.
However, The Franks, whose Lord was God, quickly erected ladders, which they had
prepared for this purpose, and ascended to the top of the wall. Then they slew with they
swords everyone whom they encountered.

The Saracens, seeing that our men were so fierce and that the city was already taken
by them, fled precipitately to wherever they thought they might preserve their lives a little
longer. But they were unable to hide anywhere and instead were slain and a death that was
well deserved.

Very few of the male sex were left alive. But a great number of the women were
spared because they could always be used to turn the hand mills. When the Franks
captured the women they bought and sold them, the comely and the ugly, among
themselves, and the men also.

The king spared the amir of the city and the bishop, which the Saracens called the
archadius [ = qadi]. He did this for a ransom rather than for love. How much property of
various kinds was found there it is impossible to say, but many of our men who had been
poor became rich.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book 2, chapter IX.37 (pp. 15357)

9. The siege of Sidon (1100)

How Sidon, also called Sagitta, was besieged and captured by King Baldwin and the
Norwegians

26
 Meanwhile there landed at Joppa certain Norwegian people whom God had
inspired to make the pilgrimage from the Western Sea to Jerusalem. Their fleet had fifty-
five ships. Their leader was a very handsome youth, a kinsman of the king of that country.

When King Baldwin returned to Jerusalem he was filled with joy by the advent of
these people. He conversed with them in a friendly manner, urging and even begging them
to remain, for the love of God, in the Holy Land for even a little time in order to aid in
extending and glorifying the Christian name. Then having accomplished something for
Christ, they could afterwards return to their own land rendering generous thanks to God.

They received the request favorably, replying that they had come to Jerusalem for
no other purpose. They said that wherever the king wished to go with his army, there they
would gladly go by sea at the same time, provided that he would supply the necessary
sustenance for them. This was conceded on one side and ratified on the other.

At first they were disposed to march against Ascalon, but at last they adopted a
more glorious project, to advance upon and besiege Sidon. The king moved his army from
Ptolemais, which is more often called Acre; the Norwegians proceeded by ship from Joppa.

At the time the fleet of the amir of Babylon was lying hidden in the port of Tyre. From it
the Saracens very often went in piratical fashion against our Christian pilgrims and thus
protected and encouraged the maritime cities up to then belonging to the king of
Babylon. But when the Saracens heard reports of the Norwegians they dared not come
forth from the port of Tyre and do battle with them.

When Sidon was reached the king besieged it by land and the Norwegians by sea. When
our siege engines were completed, the enemy within the walls were so terrified that the
garrison of mercenaries begged of King Baldwin that he permit them to go forth
safely, and if he pleased he might retain in the city the peasants because of their usefulness
in cultivating the land.

This they sought; this they obtained. The hired soldiers thus departed without their pay;
the rustics remained peacefully under the aforesaid terms.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter XLIV, pp. 199-200

10. The Construction of Montral Castle (1115)

The Castle built in Arabia (1115)

27
 In that year King Baldwin went into Arabia and built a castle strongly situated on a
small mountain. It is not far from the Red Sea, about three days journey, and about four
from Jerusalem. He placed a garrison in it to dominate the country in the interest of the
Christians. He decided to name the castle Montral in honor of himself because he built it
in a short time with a few men and with great boldness.

Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter LV, p. 215

11. The Death of King Baldwin I (1118)

In the year of the Virgin Birth 1118, toward the end of the month of March, King
Baldwin attacked and plundered the city of Faramia, as it is called. Then one day he went
walking along the river which the Greeks call the Nile and the Hebrews the Gihon, near the
city, enjoying himself with some of his friends. Some of the knights very skillfully used
their lances to spear the fish found there and carried them to their camp near the city and
ate them. Then the king felt within himself the renewed pangs of an old wound and was
most seriously weakened.

The news was at once announced to his men. When they heard of it they were all
devoutly sympathetic and were saddened and disturbed. They decided to return to
Jerusalem, but since the king could not ride they prepared for him a litter made from tent
poles and laid him on it. The order to return to Jerusalem was given by the sound of the
heralds trumpet.

When they reached the village called Laris Baldwin finally died, his body nearly
wasted away by illness. They took out his intestines, salted them and laid them in the
coffin, and hurried on to Jerusalem.

On the day when it was customary to carry branches of palms [i.e. Palm Sunday,
April 7, 1118], by the will of God and by a most unexpected circumstance the funeral train
carrying its mournful burden met the religious procession when it was descending from
the Mount of Olives into the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

At the sight of this and as if Baldwin were a kinsman, all who were present gave
themselves over to mourning rather than song, to grief rather than joy. The Franks wept,
the Syrians, and even the Saracens who saw it grieved also. For who, who piously wept
there, could not control himself? Therefore returning then to the city the clergy as well as
the people did what was fitting and customary for the sorrowful occasion.

They buried Baldwin in Golgotha next to Duke Godfrey, his brother.

28
Source: Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, Book II, chapter LXIV, pp. 221-223

IX. William of Tyre, Deeds Done Beyond the Sea

William of Tyre (c.11301186) grew up in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem to which he
returned in 1165 after having spent twenty years studying canon law and liberal arts in
Europe. He served as ambassador to Constantinople, tutor to the future King Baldwin IV,
and royal chancellor, before, in 1175, being elected to the archbishopric of Tyre. From all
we know, he was a prolific historian, although not all his writings have survived. His best
known and most important surviving work is a Latin chronicle written between 1170 and
1184, which covers the pre-history and political history of the crusader states until 1184.
Here he describes how the king brought native Christian settlers to Jerusalem.

1. King Baldwin I' introduction of Syrian Christians to Jerusalem (c. 1115)

At this time [1115-1116], the king realized with great concern that the Holy City, beloved to
God, was almost destitute of inhabitants. There were not enough people to carry on the
necessary undertakings of the realm. Indeed there were scarcely enough to protect the
entrances to the city and to defend the walls and towers against sudden hostile attacks.
Accordingly, he gave much anxious thought to the problem, turning the question over in
his own mind and talking with others concerning plans for filling it with faithful people,
worshippers of the true God. The Gentiles who were living there at the time the city was
taken by force had perished by the sword, almost to a man; and if any had a chance
escaped they were not permitted to remain in the city. For to allow anyone not belonging
to the Christian faith to live in so venerated a place seemed like sacrilege to the chiefs in
their devotion to God. The people of our country were so few in number and so needy that
they scarcely filled one street, while the Syrians who had originally been citizens of the city
had been so reduced through the many tribulations and trials endured in the time of
hostilities that their number was nothing. From the time that the Latins came into Syria,
and particularly when the army began to march toward Jerusalem after the capture of
Antioch, their infidel fellow citizens began to abuse these servants of God greatly. Many
were slain for the most trivial remarks, and neither age nor condition was spared. The
Gentiles distrusted them intensely, for they believed that it was these people who, through
their messengers and letters, had summoned the princes of the West who, it was said, were
coming to destroy the infidels.

The king felt that the responsibility for relieving the desolation of the city rested upon him.
Accordingly, he made careful investigations in regard to some source whence he might
29
obtain citizens. Finally he learned that beyond the Jordan in Arabia there were many
Christians living in villages under hard conditions of servitude and forced tribute. He sent
for these people and promised them improved conditions. Within a short time, he had the
satisfaction of receiving them with their wives and children, flocks and herds, and all their
households. They were attracted thither not only by reverence for the place but also by
affection for our people and the love of liberty. Many, even without being invited, cast off
the harsh yoke of servitude and came that they might dwell in the city worthy of God. To
these the king granted those sections of the city which seemed to need the assistance most
and filled houses with them.

Source: William of Tyre, A History of the Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, trans. E. A.
Babcock and A. C. Krey (2 vols., New York, 1943), vol. 1, Book 11, chaper 27 [pp. 5078]

2. The death of Baldwin III (1163)

Desiring to take a physic before the approach of winter, as was his custom, he [King
Baldwin III] obtained certain pills from Barac, the physician of the court, a part of which
were to be taken at one and the rest after a short interval. For our Eastern princes, through
the influence of their women, scorn the medicines and practice of our Latin physicians and
believe only in the Jews, Samaritans, Syrians, and Saracens. Most recklessly they put
themselves under the care of such practitioners and trust their lives to people who are
ignorant of the science of medicine. It was rumored that these pills were poisoned, and this
was probably the fact. At any rate, when later at Tripoli the rest of the medicine was put
into bread and administered as an experiment to a dog, the animal died within a few days.
As soon as the king had taken the pills, he was seized with a fever and dysentery which
developed into consumption from which he was never able to obtain relief or help. [...]
King Baldwin died on February 10 in the year 1162 of the Incarnation of our Lord, in the
twentieth year of his reign and the thirty-third year of his life.

Source: William of Tyre, A History of the Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, trans. E. A.
Babcock and A. C. Krey (2 vols., New York, 1943), vol. 2, Book 18, chaper 34 [pp. 29293]

X. John of Wrzburg, Description of the Holy Land

(1160-1170)
John went to the Kingdom of Jerusalem as a pilgrim and in ca. 1170 he related his
experiences and the information he had gathered about the places he had visited (or
30
hoped to visit) in a pilgrim guide book to be consulted by others with similar ambitions or
simply curious about the holy places. His name already indicates that he came from
Germany (Wrzburg is in Franconia, which is now part of Bavaria) and this passage
shows that by association of his national heritage he related very strongly to the events
that shaped the crusader kingdom. Here he describes events that took place at the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem around 15 July, the day of the conquest of Jerusalem
by the First Crusaders.

[...] On the following day [16 July], both in the giving of alms and in the prayers, they make
solemn mention of all the faithful dead, more especially of those who fell on the occasion of
the storming of Jerusalem, whose burying place near the Golden Gate is most famous.
Three days afterwards is the anniversary of noble Duke Godfrey of happy memory, the
chief and leader of that holy expedition, who was born of a German family. His anniversary
is solemnly observed by the city with plenteous giving of alms in the great church,
according as he himself arranged while yet alive.

But although he is there honoured in this way for himself, yet the taking of the city is not
credited to him with his Germans, who bore no small share in the toils of that expedition,
but attributed to the French alone. Wherefore some disparagers of our nation have actually
obliterated the epitaph on the famous Wigger [= Wicher the Swabian, a German crusader
who had died at Jaffa in 1101], made glorious by so many brave deeds, because they could
not deny that he was a German, and have written over it the epitaph of some French knight
or other, as may at this day be seen on the spot; for his coffin is visible and still exists
outside in a corner between the great church and the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, with
his name struck out and another name written there. In proof, and as an example of the
contempt with which our people are treated, and in praise of the French, the following
epitaph may be read on the outer side of the monument:

One thousand and one hundred years, save one,

Since Blessed Mary bore her glorious Son;
When rose upon July its fifteenth sun,
By Frankish might Jerusalem was won.

In answer to which I have written:

Not Franks Franconians, warriors far more brave,

From Pagan yoke Jerusalem did save;
Franconian Wigger was, each Frank well knew;
Franconian Guntram, and Duke Godfrey, too,

31
And easy twere to prove my words are true.

Although, however, Duke Godfrey and his brother Baldwin, who was made king in
Jerusalem after him, which the duke had through humility refused to be before him, were
men of our country, yet since only a few of our people remained there with them, and very
many of the others with great haste and homesickness returned to their native land, the
entire city has fallen into the hands of other nations Frenchmen, Lorrainers, Normans,
Provencals, Auvergnats, Italians, Spaniards, and Burgundians, who took part in the
crusade; and also no part of the city, not even in the smallest street, was set apart for the
Germans. As they themselves took no care about the matter, and had no intention of
remaining there, their names were never mentioned, and the glory of delivering the Holy
City was ascribed to the Franks alone; and they at this day, together with the other
aforesaid nations, bear rule in the aforesaid city and the neighbouring country. Indeed, this
province of Christendom would long ago have extended its boundaries beyond the Nile to
the southward, and beyond Damascus to the northward, if there were therein as great a
number of Germans as there are of the others. However, omitting these considerations for
the present, let us return to our appointed task.

[]

In the street which leads from the Gate of David down the hill towards the Temple, on the
right-hand side, near the Tower of David, is a convent of Armenian monks, built in honour
of St. Sabas, the most reverend abbot, for whom, while he was yet alive, the Blessed Virgin
Mary wrought many miracles. In the same quarter, not far away, down the descent beyond
another street, there is a large church built in honour of St. James the Great, inhabited by
Armenian monks, and they have in the same place a large hospice for the reception of the
poor of their nation. Therein is preserved with great veneration the head of that Apostle,
for he was beheaded by Herod, and his body was placed by his disciples on board a ship at
Joppa and carried to Galicia, but his head remained in Palestine. This same head is at the
present day exhibited in this church to pilgrims.

[]
Also, leading out of the street which leads from the Gate of St. Stephen towards the side of
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, not very far to the north of the Holy Sepulchre, there is a
small street in which in a church of the Syrians rests the blessed body of the holy martyr
Chariton, which is there held in great veneration by the Syrian monks, which body, being
at the present day almost entire, is kept in a wooden coffer, the lid of which is taken off
when it is shown to pilgrims. This holy father was slain by the Saracens in his convent on

32
the banks of the Jordan, together with his monks, because he acknowledged the name of
Christ.
[]
On the other side of Jerusalem, a little towards the south, is the city of Hebron, which once
was the chief city of the Philistines and the dwelling place of giants, one diceta distant from
Jerusalem. This was arranged as a city of priests and a city of refuge in the tribe of Judah,
being in that country wherein the Creator made our common father Adam out of clay, and
breathed into him the breath of life. Hebron is called Kariatharbe, which in the Saracenic
language means ' The City of Four'; Kariath, city, arba, four, because four patriarchs are
buried in the double* cave therein, namely, Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their
wives, our mother Eve, Sara, Rebecca, Lia. Now Hebron is situated near the Vale of Tears.
The Vale of Tears is so called because therein Adam mourned his son Abel for a hundred
years; and therein afterwards, at the bidding of an angel, he knew his wife, of whom he
afterwards begot his son Seth, from whose family Christ was descended.
[]
Dan flows underground almost from its source as far as Medan, wherein it openly resumes
its course above ground. This plain is called Medan, because Dan is in the midst of it, and
is called Medan in the Saracen language, but platea in Latin. Medan is also called ' the
market place,' because at the beginning of summer an innumerable number of people
assemble there, bringing with them all kinds of things for sale, and a vast number of
Parthians and Arabians remain there all through the summer, both to protect the people
and to pasture their flocks.
[]
Thus, as well as I am able, I have described the Holy Places in the sacred City, starting
from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and going round about, through the Gate of David,
till I returned to the same place. I have omitted many of the chapels and smaller churches
which are maintained there by men of various nations and languages. For there are Greeks,
Bulgarians, Latins, Germans, Hungarians, Scots, Navarrese, Bretons, English, Franks,
Ruthenians, Bohemians, Georgians, Armenians, Jacobites, Syrians, Nestorians, Indians,
Egyptians, Copts, Capheturici, Maronites, and very many others, whom it would take long
to tell: so with these let us make an end of this little work. Amen.

Source: John of Wrzburg, The Description of the Holy Land, trans. A. Stewart,
(Palestine Pilgrims Text Society, London, 1890), pp. 38-41, 45, 48, 58, 56, 69.

33
XI. Theoderichs Guide to the Holy Land (c.1172)
Theoderich was a German cleric, very likely from the Franconian town of Wrzburg,
who toured the Holy Land as a pilgrim before the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, and very
probably in around 1173. His narrative agrees very closely with that of John of
Wrzburg and seems, in fact, to have been deeply influenced by it. Both John and
Theoderich also copied from earlier pilgrim accounts.

[VII]: Before the door of the choir is an altar of no small size, which, however, is only used
by the Syrians in their services. When the daily Latin services are over, the Syrians are
wont to sing their hymns either there outside the choir, or in one of the apses of the
church; indeed, they have several small altars in the church, arranged and devoted to their
own peculiar use. These are the religious sects which celebrate divine service in the church
at Jerusalem: the Latins, Syrians, Armenians, Greeks, Jacobites, and Nubians. All these
differ from one another both in language and in their manner of conducting divine service.
The Jacobites use trumpets on their feast days, after the fashion of the Jews.

[IX]: Upon the west side of the church, near the door, from which one mounts more than
thirty steps from the church up to the street, in front of the door itself, there is a chapel
dedicated to St. Mary, which belongs to the Armenians. Also, on the left-hand side of the
church, towards the north, there is a chapel dedicated to the holy cross, wherein is also a
great part of the venerable wood itself, contained in a case of gold and silver; and this
chapel is in the hands of the Syrians. Again, on the same side, opposite this chapel, towards
the east, is a chapel of peculiar sanctity, wherein is a most holy altar dedicated to the holy
cross, and a large piece of the same blessed wood covered with gold, silver, and jewels, is
kept in a most beauteous case, so that it can be easily seen. When necessity requires it, the
Christians are wont to carry this holy symbol against the pagans in battle. This chapel is
also wondrously decorated with mosaics. Heraclius, the Roman emperor, rescued this
cross from Cosdre, the king of the Persians, during the war which he waged with him, and
restored it to the Christians. Near this chapel, on the eastern side of it, one enters a dark
chapel by about twenty steps, wherein is a most holy altar, under the pavement whereof
may be seen the mark of a cross. In this place our Lord Jesus Christ is said to have been
imprisoned while He was waiting for Pilate's decision at the place of
His passion for a long time, until His face was veiled and the cross erected on Calvary that
He might be hung thereon. Also, behind this chapel, there is an altar dedicated to St.
Nicholas.
34
Beyond this is the gate of the cloister through which one goes into the canons' cloister,
which stands round about the sanctuary. After one has made the circuit of the cloisters,
and is re-entering the church from the other side of this door, one notices a figure of Christ
on the cross painted above the door of the cloisters so vividly as to strike all beholders with
great remorse.

[XLI]: Two miles from the Holy City, on the northern side, there is a little church at the
place where pilgrims, filled with great joy at their first sight of the city, are wont to lay
down their crosses, and also take off their shoes and humbly strive to seek Him who
deigned for their sakes to come thither poor and humble. Three miles from hence is a large
village called Mahumeria by the moderns, where close by a church dedicated to St. Mary
stands a great cross of hewn stone, raised upon seven steps ; which steps are ascended by
pilgrims, who from thence behold, not without groans, the Tower of David, standing, as
aforesaid, on the mount Sion, at a distance of more than four miles: The old name of this
village has escaped my memory. Eight miles from hence another great village stands on a
lofty mountain height, whence by a precipitous path one descends through a beauteous
and boundless plain and over some other mountains to a very strongly fortified city, which
in ancient days was called Sichem, or Sichar, but now is called Neapolis, or the New City.
As we passed along this road we were met by a multitude of Saracens, who were
proceeding with bullocks and asses to plough up a great and beauteous plain, and who, by
the hideous yells which they thundered forth, as is their wont whenever they set about any
work, struck no small terror into us.
Indeed, numbers of the infidels dwell there throughout the country, as well in the cities
and castles as in the villages, and till the ground under the safe-conduct of the King of
Jerusalem or that of the Templars or Hospitallers.

Source: Theoderich, Guide to the Holy Land, trans. Aubrey Stewart (London: PPTS,
1897; 2nd ed. New York: Ithalica Press, 1986), pp. 14-16, 59-60

XII. Benjamin of Tudela on Jewish communities in

Tyre and Jerusalem (ca. 1169)
Benjamin of Tudela was a Jewish merchant from Tudela in northern Spain who between
1165 and 1173 travelled extensively through Europe, Africa and Asia. Throughout his

35
journey he made it a habit to visit, or at least take record of, Jewish communities. Here
he describes some of those whom he encountered in Syria and Palestine.

From Sidon it is half a day's journey to Sarepta (Sarfend), which belongs to Sidon. Thence
it is a half-day to New Tyre (Sur), which is a very fine city, with a harbour in its midst. At
night-time those that levy dues throw iron chains from tower to tower, so that no man can
go forth by boat or in any other way rob the ships by night. There is no harbour like this in
the whole world. Tyre is a beautiful city. It contains about 500 Jews, some of them scholars
of the Talmud, at their head being R. Ephraim of Tyre, the Dayan, R. Meir from
Carcassonne, and R. Abraham, head of the congregation. The Jews own sea-going vessels,
and there are glass makers amongst them who make that fine Tyrian glass-ware which is
prized in all countries. In the vicinity is found sugar of high class, for men plant it here,
and people come from all lands to buy it. A man can ascend the walls of New Tyre and see
ancient Tyre, which the sea has now covered, lying at a stone's throw from the new city.
And should one care to go forth by boat, one can see the castles, market-places, streets, and
palaces in the bed of the sea. New Tyre is a busy place of commerce, to which merchants
flock from all quarters. [...]

From there it is three parasangs to Jerusalem, which is a small city, fortified by three walls.
It is full of people whom the Mohammedans call Jacobites, Syrians, Greeks, Georgians and
Franks, and of people of all tongues. It contains a dyeing-house, for which the Jews pay a
small rent annually to the king, on condition that besides the Jews no other dyers be
allowed in Jerusalem. There are about 200 Jews who dwell under the Tower of David in
one corner of the city. The lower portion of the wall of the Tower of David, to the extent of
about ten cubits, is part of the ancient foundation set up by our ancestors, the remaining
portion having been built by the Mohammedans. There is no structure in the whole city
stronger than the Tower of David. The city also contains two buildings, from one of which -
the hospital - there issue four hundred knights; and therein all the sick who come thither
are lodged and cared for in life and in death. The other building is called the Temple of
Solomon; it is the palace built by Solomon the king of Israel. Three hundred knights are
quartered there, and issue therefrom every day for military exercise, besides those who
come from the land of the Franks and the other parts of Christendom, having taken upon
themselves to serve there a year or two until their vow is fulfilled. In Jerusalem is the great
church called the Sepulchre, and here is the burial-place of Jesus, unto which the
Christians make pilgrimages.

Source: The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela: Travels in the Middle Ages, trans. Marcus
Nathan Adler (London, 1907), pp. 1819, 22. The entire text can be found at:
36
http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/masaos_binyomin_mitudela_with_engli
sh.pdf

XIII. Diya al-Din The Account of the Hanbalis

(1150s)
This text concerns the Hanbalis, an Islamic sect from around Nablus whose members fled
to Damascus in the 1150s. Writing from Damascus after Saladin's conquest in 1187, Diya
al-Din reflects on the reasons for his people's emigration.

I heard more than one of our teachers saying that the Muslims fell under the domination of
the Franks in the regions of Hayt al-Maqdis and its provinces, working the land for them.
They [the Franks] used to punish them [the Muslims], jail them and levy a fee which
resembles Jizya. The greatest of the Franks was Ahuman b. Barizan [Baldwin of Ibelin]
may God curse him. Under his rule were Jamma'il, the village of our teachers, Marda,
Yasuf and other villages. It so happened that whereas the infidels used to collect one dinar
from everyone under their control, he may God curse him levied four dinars from each
of them. He used to mutilate their legs. Among the infidels there existed no one more evil
or greater in violence than him may God put shame on him. So Ibn Barizan planned to
kill Ahmad b. Qudama. One of his [Ibn Barizan's] clerks, whose name was Ibn Tasir,
informed the shaykh. The shaykh came to a decision to proceed to Damascus and he went
there. Ibn Tasir was an official of Baldwin and his assistant [wazir]. He believed in Muslim
holy men and was benevolent towards them. This was told to me by Muhammad b. Abi'
Attaf. Another person said that of those who were under the subordination of the Franks,
shaykh Ahmad was the first to emigrate both out of fear for his life and because he was
unable to practise his religion.

Source: Joseph Drory, 'Hanbalis of the Nablus region in the eleventh and twelfth
centuries', Asian and African Studies, 22 (1988), pp. 93112, taken from J. Phillips, The
Crusades, 10951197 (Harlow, 2002), doc. 11, p. 179.

XIV. Al-Maqdisi (1173-1245) - The Cited Tales of

Wondrous Doings of the Shaykhs of the Holy Land
This text was composed in Damascus by the Hanbali scholar al-Maqdisi (1173-1245),
whose parents had emigrated from the Palestinian village of Jammail to Damascus
37
shortly before his birth. Al-Maqdisi grew up in a predominantly Hanbali neighborhood
in Damascus amongst relatives and friends many of whom remembered life in Palestine
under Frankish rule well. Judging from the stories included by al-Maqdisi his text, which
takes the form of an hagiographical dictionary, most of storytellers must have been
brought up in villages near Nablus in the twelfth century, where they claimed to have
witnessed the wondrous deeds of the shaykhs, which are at the center of al-Maqdisis text.
Nablus and its surrounding villages came into the possession of the Franks in 1099. The
region was recaptured by Saladin in 1187 and remained in the sovereignty of the
Ayyubids until 1260.

1. Rayan
The old shaykh Abu Najm Sad b. Khalil b. Haydara b. Haffaz al-Harithi who was old,
perhaps a hundred years old or more, but apart from being blind was in his full senses
told me in the village of Dajanya in the province of Jerusalem: A man from Aleppo came
to my father, to Dajanya, with a load of silk and silver bowls. He said to my father: O Abu
Sad, Shaykh Abu al-Husayn, the ascetic from Damascus, sent me to you so that you would
accompany me to Asqalon, and I will sell my load there. My father agreed. There was at
our place a man called Rayan. He lived in the village of Jaryut, and was one of the chaste,
namely righteous. He said to my father: O Abu Sad! He said: At your service. He said:
You shouldnt go. I see the donkeys grazing and the camels resting on the ground. My
father asked: What should I do with this man? then my father talked with the man, that
is, with the owner of the cargo, who said: I must go. Shaykh Rayan repeated his words to
my father, but my father said: I am ashamed to let him down.

The man had with him a servant and two beasts, loaded with the silk and the silver. They
travelled by night, and in the morning arrived at a place he named for me. My father said:
I went first, to be on the lookout, leaving both of the men and the beasts by trees
[prepared, or suitable] for a limekiln. Two men, I mean Franks, came for firewood. They
did not fail to notice the two men and the beasts, while I had missed them. When I saw
them again, they were with the Franks, tied up, and the beasts with the cargo had been
taken. I went back. Rayan, who was in our house, said: Didnt I tell you? Or something to
this effect.

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy Land by Diya al-Din Abu Abd Allah Muhammad b. Abd al-Wahid al-
Maqdisi (569/1173-643/1245): text, translation, and commentary," Crusades 1 (2002), pp.
130-31

38
 2. Salama of Saffarin, one of the villages of Nablus
I heard the venerable shaykh Abu Abd al-Rahim Uthman b. Umar b. Ali b. Umar b.
Uthman, known as Ibn al-Ajami say: My father told me that sheikh Salama of Saffarin
asked his mother to make him an omlet, so she did. That day was the day of Arafa, and he
put the omelet between two pieces of bread, wrapped it in a piece of cloth and went to
Arafat. A group of people from the villages saw him there and greeted him, and he shared
his bread and omelet with them. He stayed three days until he had completed the hajj, and
then he came back. When those who had seen him there returned, they said: Lets go to
Shaykh Salama, to see him. So they went to him and bestowed upon him greetings for the
hajj and for the traveler returning from a journey. He asked: What hajj? and they said:
But we saw you there and ate with you on Arafat?! Or something to this effect.
And I heard him relate what his father had told him, that eleven men were busy
harvesting at some place near Safarin, fearing the infidels, and a party of them actually
arrived. They said: We were afraid and said: O God, for the sake of the shaykhs save us
from them! And we stayed where we were, and they passed near us and did not disturb us,
as if they hadnt seen us, or something to this effect

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy," p. 134

3. Abd Allah b. Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Bukayr of Funduq

I heard Shaykh Abu Ahmad Muhammad b. Abi Attaf al-Maqdisi say that Abu Washi from
Majdal had told him that Shaykh Abd Allah from Funduq had said to the rais
(headman) of the village: O So-and-so, I would like you to go to Nablus to buy me a water-
jug of ablutions. The rais asked: Dont you need anything but the purchase of a water-
jug? The shaykh said no, and the rais set off. I think he said that it was in the afternoon,
so he went quickly. He kept saying to himself: The shaykh has sent me just for a water-
jug. I may make it to town before they close the shops. He arrived and found one shop still
open. He bought th jug and said to himself: I shall spend the night in the Friday-mosque
and not go to anyone, until I leave tomorrow morning.
He sat down in the western side of the Gharbi [one of the neighborhoods of Nablus]
Friday-mosque. There were three fuqara [poor men, or Sufis] there, and he sat with them.
Since nobody came to bring them anything, he went to the market and spent there a dinar

39
he had with him, to buy them bread and something to go with it. He came back and said:
Eat and pray for me, and they ate. When morning came, he went back to the village, to
the shaykh, who said: O So-and-so, I know that you had tired yourself and that on your
way you were wondering why I had bothered you only for a water-jug. However, I had sent
you because of the three men for whom you spent the dinar and bought bread. I have
chosen for you that. Those three are the people who uphold the earth, or something to this
effect. The rais was gladdened and kissed the shaykhs hand.

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy," pp. 138-39

4. Abd Allah b. Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Bukayr of Funduq

Abu Tahir told me that his father heard Shaykh Abd Allah from Funduq say that people
complained to him about what they suffered from the Franks, and said: When shall we be
liberated from them? He said: Before the end of this century, and the proofs that if they
do not return that what has been entrusted to their care, perfidy will appear amongst
them, or something to this effect.

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy," p. 140

5. Abd Allah b. Ali b. Attaf al-Maqdisi Abu al-Mufarrij of Dayr Istiya

Abu Yusuf Ammar b. Sad b. Khalil b. Haydaa al-Harithi told me in Dajana that Shaykh
Abd Allah of Salmiya performed many karamat [wondrous things]. He had a son named
Abd al-Malik, whom the Franks, may God curse them, took to Jerusalem. They said: This
is the son of their priest, they shall give for him any sum of money we demand. But the
shaykh said: By God I shall never pay even one dinar for him and support them thereby,
and he remaind in their hands for a period of time. A year before the reconquest [1186], we
heard that he was free. I went with another man to convey the news to the shaykh. He said:
May God bring good tidings, or something like that, who told you? We said: We heard.
He said: I know that you are trustworthy men, but by God I shall not live to see Abd al-
Malik anymore, and he wept. We said: O Shaykh, dont, but he said: It will be as I had
told you. We went back and found out that in truth he had not been released. Indeed he
was not released before the shaykhs death, or something like that.

40
 Masud, the son of the shaykhs sister, told us that his mother, Burdiyy[?] bint
Umar, told him the following: My brother said: Each year I would dream that I had been
entrusted with two shares, and this year I saw nothing [in my dream] and my son was
taken. He has not been hurt, but he and I will not meet again, or however he had said it.
And between the shaykhs death and his sons release there were only five days, which
means that the shaykh died five days before the re-conquest of Jerusalem. So he said.18

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy," pp. 147-48

6. Abd Allah b. Ali b. Attaf al-Maqdisi Abu al-Mufarrij of Dayr Istiya

The venerable faqih Abu Muhammad Abd al-Hamid b. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr b. Madi
al-Maqdisi told me in Nablus: I went to see Shaykh Ahmad b. Masud with a cousin of
mine. We were told that he was in Salmiya, so we went there and met him at Shaykh Abd
Allahs place. I heard Shaykh Abd Allah tell the following story: I went to al-Bira [i.e. Latin
Magna Mahomeria, 15km north of Jerusalem] with my son and with a friend of ours. We
came across a group of Franks, I mean those who had arrived from across the sea. We were
afraid of them and sat by the road. They passed without addressing a word to us. Following
them, was a man with a stick, I mean leaning on a stick, and he touched one of us with it.
Just then we realized that they had not seen us. This is the gist of what he told me. I said:
They say about those infidels who came from across the sea, that whenever they see a
Muslim they cause him harm.

Source: adapted from D. Talmon-Heller, The Cited Tales of the Wondrous Doings of the
Shaykhs of the Holy," p. 149

XV. Ibn Jubayr

Ibn Jubayr was a Spanish Muslim from Granada who made the hajj (pilgrimage) to
Mecca in the mid-1180s and spent a short period of time in the Latin East in 1184.

We know that some 5,000 Muslim prisoners were freed when Saladin took Jerusalem on 3 October 1187. Abd al-
18

Malik must have been one of them. See Kedar, The subjected Muslims, p. 153.

41
 1. On Muslim hermits and ascetics
Any stranger in these parts whom God has rendered fit for solitude may, if he wishes,
attach himself to a farm and live there the pleasantest life with the most contented mind.
Bread in plenty will be given to him by the people of the farm, and he may engage himself
in the duties of an imam or in teaching, or what he will, and when he is wearied of the
place, he may remove to another farm, or climb Mount Lebanon or Mount Judi and there
find the saintly hermits who nothing seek but to please Great and Glorious God, and
remain with them so long as he wishes, and then go where he wills. It is strange how the
Christians round Mount Lebanon [probably Maronites], when they see any Muslim
hermits, bring them food and treat them kindly, saying that these men are dedicated to
Great and Glorious God and that they should therefore share with them. This mountain is
one of the most fertile in the world, having all kinds of fruits, running waters, and ample
shade, and rarely is it without a hermit or an ascetic. And if the Christians treat the
opponents of their religion in that fashion, what think you of the treatment that the
Muslims give each other?

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), p. 300

2. On travel during times of war

One of the astonishing things that is talked of is that though the fires of discord burn
between the two parties, Muslim and Christian, two armies of them may meet and dispose
themselves in battle array, and yet Muslim and Christian travellers will come and go
between them without interference. In this connection we saw at this time, that is the
month of Jumada 'l-Ula, the departure of Saladin with all Muslim troops to lay siege to the
fortress of Kerak, one of the greatest of the Christian strongholds lying astride the Hejaz
road and hindering the overland passage of the Muslims. Between it and Jerusalem lies a
day's journey or a little more. It occupies the choicest part of the land in Palestine, and has
a very wide dominion with continuous settlements, it being said that the number of
villagers reaches four hundred. This Sultan invested it, and put it to the straits, and long
the siege lasted, but still the caravans passed successively from Egypt to Damascus, going
through the lands of the Franks without impediment from them. In the same way the
Muslims continuously journeyed from Damascus to Acre (through Frankish territory), and
likewise not one of the Christian merchants was stopped or hindered (in Muslim
territories).

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), pp. 300-301

42
 3. The treatment of Muslims under Latin Christian rule
The Christians imposed a tax on the Muslims in their land which gives them full security;
and likewise the Christian merchants pay a tax upon their goods in Muslim lands.
Agreement exists between them, and there is equal treatment in all cases. The soldiers
engage themselves in their war, while the people are at peace and the work goes to him
who conquers. Such is the usage in war of the people of these lands; and in the dispute
existing between the Muslim Emirs and their kings it is the same, the subjects and the
merchants interfering not. Security never leaves them under any circumstance, neither in
peace nor in war. The state of these countries in this regard is truly more astonishing than
our story can convey. May God by His favour exalt the word of Islam.

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), p. 301

4. Saladins raid of Nablus (1184)

We left Damascus on the evening of Thursday the 5th of the said month, which was
the 13th of September, in a large caravan of merchants travelling with their merchandise to
Acre. One of the strangest things in the world is that Muslim caravans go forth to Frankish
lands, while Frankish captives enter Muslim lands. In this regard, as we were leaving, we
observed a singular event. When Saladin was laying siege to the fortress of Kerak, already
mentioned in this diary, the Franks, having been summoned from all sides, had marched
upon him in great strength and sought to arrive before he did at the place of water, and
also to intercept his supplies from Muslim country. But the sultan, leaving the fortress, led
his whole force against them and arrived before them at the watering place. The Franks
shunned his path, and, following a rough road on which most of their animals perished,
directed themselves towards the fortress of Kerak. The Sultan had closed to them all other
roads leading to their own country, and there was left to them no other but the road by the
fortress through the desert. Thus, because of the circuitous route that must be followed,
their supplies were distant from them. Seizing the opportunity, and taking advantage of
the opening that fell to him, Saladin schemed an incursion on their country. Unexpectedly
he arrived at the city of Nablus and attacked it with his soldiers and took it. He took
prisoner all within it, and seized with it fortified places and villages. The hands of the
Muslims were filled with prisoners beyond number, both Franks and a sect of the Jews
known as al-Samarah [Samaritans] descended from al-Samiri [Koran XX, 87]. Large
numbers were put to a speedy death, and the Muslims acquired plunder it is not possible
to estimate, with all the goods, provisions, baggage, furniture, cattle and horses, and such-
like The army erased all traces of the Frankish lands through which it passed, returning

43
victorious, with booty and in safety. Many Muslim prisoners they had also freed. It was a
raid the like of which had not been heard of in the land.

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), pp.313-314

5. The Tree of Measure (1184)

We passed the night of Friday in Darayah, a village belonging to Damascus, and a
parasang and a half from it. We removed from there at daybreak on Friday to a village
called Bait Jann, which lies among the hills. Thence we left, on the morning of Saturday,
for the city of Banyas. Halfway on the road, we came upon an oak-tree of great proportions
and with wide-spreading branches. We learnt that it is called The Tree of Measure, and
when we enquired concerning it, we were told that it was the boundary on this road
between security and danger, by reason of some Frankish brigands who prowl and rob
thereon. He whom they seize on the Muslim side, be it by the length of the arms or a span,
they capture; but he whom they seize on the Frankish side at a like distance, they release.
This is a pact they faithfully observe and is one of the most pleasing and singular
conventions of the Franks.

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), pp.314-315

6. From Banyas via Tibnin to Acre (1184)

(a) This city [Banyas] is on the frontier of the Muslim territories. It is small, but has a
fortress below the walls of which winds a river that flows out from one of the gates of the
city. A canal leading from it turns the mills. The city has been in the hands of the Franks,
but Nur ad-Din may God's mercy rest upon his soul recovered it [in 1165]. It has a wide
tillage in a continuous vale. It is commanded by a fortress of the Franks called Hunin three
parasangs from Banyas. The cultivation of the vale is divided between the Franks and the
Muslims, and in it there is a boundary known as 'The Boundary of Dividing'. They
apportion the crops equally, and their animals are mingled together, yet no wrong takes
place between them because of it.

(b) We departed from Banyas on the evening of the same Saturday for a village called
al-Masiyah, near to the Frankish fort we have mentioned. We passed the night in it, and
removed on Sunday at daybreak. Between Hunin and Tibnin we passed a valley thick with
trees, most of which were bay. The valley was of great depth, like a deep ravine whose sides
come together and whose heights reach to the skies. It is known as al-Astil. Should soldiers
penetrate it, they would be lost, there being no refuge or escape for them from the hand of
those that lay in wait for them. Its descent and ascent, on both sides, is toilsome. Marveling
at the place, we passed it, travelling close beside, and came to one of the biggest fortresses
44
of the Franks, called Tibnin. At this place customs dues are levied on the caravans. It
belongs to the sow known as Queen [Agnes of Courteney, mother of Baldwin IV] who is the
mother of the pig who is the Lord of Acre-may God destroy it.

(c) We camped at the foot of this fortress. The fullest tax was not exacted from us, the
payment being a Tyrian dinar and a qirat [one-twentieth part] of a dinar for each head. No
toll was laid upon the merchants, since they were bound for the place of the accursed King
[Acre], where the tithe is gathered. The greater part of those taxed were Maghribis, those
of all other Muslim lands being unmolested. This was because some earlier Maghribis had
annoyed the Franks. A gallant company of them had attacked one of their strongholds with
Nur-al-Din may God have mercy upon him and by its taking they had become
manifestly rich and famous. The Franks punished them by this tax, and their chiefs
enforced it. Every Maghribi therefore paid this dinar for his hostility to their country. The
Franks declared: These Maghribis came and went in our country and we treated them well
and took nothing from them. But when they interfered in the war, joining with their
brother Muslims against us, we were compelled to place this tax upon them. In the
payment of this tax the Maghribis are pleasingly reminded of their vexing of the enemy,
and thus the payment of it is lightened and its harshness made tolerable

(d) We moved from Tibnin may God destroy it at daybreak on Monday. Our way lay
through continuous farms and ordered settlements, whose inhabitants were all Muslims,
living comfortably with the Franks. God protect us from such temptation. They surrender
half their crops to the Franks at harvest time, and pay as well a poll-tax of one dinar and
five quirat [24 quirat to one dinar] for each person. Other than that, they are not interfered
with, save for a light tax on the fruit of trees. Their houses and all their effects are left to
their full possession. All the coastal cities occupied by the Franks are managed in this
fashion, their rural districts, the villages and farms, belonging to the Muslims. But their
hearts have been seduced, for they observe how unlike them in ease and comfort are their
brethren in Muslim regions under their Muslim governors. This is one of the misfortunes
afflicting the Muslims. The Muslim community bewails the injustice of a landlord of its
own faith, and applauds the conduct of its opponent and enemy, the Frankish landlord,
and is accustomed to injustice from him.

(e) Acre is the capital of the Frankish cities in Syria, the unloading place of 'ships reared
aloft in the seas like mountains' [Koran LV, 24], and a port of call for all ships. In its
greatness it resembles Constantinople. It is the focus of ships and caravans, and the
meeting-place of Muslim and Christian merchants from all regions. Its roads and streets
are choked by the press of men, so that it is hard to put foot to ground. Unbelief and
45
unpiousness there burn fiercely, and pigs [Christians] and crosses abound. It stinks and is
filthy, being full of refuse and excrement. The Franks ravished it from Muslim hands in the
first [last] decade of the sixth [fifth] century, and the eyes of Islam were swollen with
weeping for it; it was one of its grieves. Mosques became churches and minarets bell-
towers, but God kept undefiled one part of the principal mosque, which remained in the
hands of the Muslims as a small mosque where strangers could congregate to offer the
obligatory prayers. Near its mihrab is the tomb of the prophet Salih God bless and
preserve him and all the prophets. God protected this part (of the mosque) from
desecration by unbelievers for the benign influence of this holy tomb.

To the east of the town is the spring called 'Ayn al-Baqar [the Spring of the Cattle],
from which God brought forth the cattle for Adam may God bless and preserve him. The
descent to this spring is by a steep stairway. Over it is a mosque of which there remains in
its former state only the mihrab, to the east of which the Franks have built their own
mihrab; and Muslim and infidel assemble there, the one turning to his place of worship,
the other to his. In the hands of the Christians its venerableness is maintained, and God
has preserved in it a place of prayer for the Muslims.

Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), pp. 315319

7. A note on the city of Sur [Tyre]

This city has become proverbial for its impregnability, and he who seeks to conquer it
will meet with no surrender or humility. The Franks prepared it as a refuge in case of
unforseen emergency, making it a strong point for their safety. Its roads and streets are
cleaner than those of Acre. Its people are by disposition less stubborn in their unbelief, and
by nature and habit they are kinder to the Muslim stranger. Their manners, in other words,
are gentler. Their dwellings are larger and more spacious. The state of the Muslims in this
city is easier and more peaceful. Acre is a town at once bigger, more impious, and more
unbelieving. But the strength and impregnability of Tyre is more marvellous than is told of.
It has only two gates, one landwards, and the other on the sea, which encompasses the city
save on one side. The landward gate is reached only after passing through three or four
posterns in the strongly-fortified outer walls that enclose it. The seaward gate is flanked by
two strong towers and leads into a harbour whose remarkable situation is unique among
maritime cities. The walls of the city enclose it on three sides, and the fourth is confined by
a mole bound with cement. Ships enter below the walls and there anchor. Between the two
towers stretches a great chain which, when raised, prevents any coming in or going forth,
and no ships may pass save when it is lowered. At the gate stand guards and trusted

46
watchers, and none can enter or go forth save under their eyes. The beauty of the site of
this port is truly wonderful. Acre resembles it in situation and description, but cannot take
the large ships, which must anchor outside, small ships only being able to enter. The port
of Tyre is more complete, more beautiful, and more animated [...].

An alluring worldly spectacle deserving of record was a nuptial procession which we

witnessed one day near the port of Tyre. All the Christians, men and women, had
assembled, and were formed in two lines at the bride's door. Trumpets, flutes, and all the
musical instruments, were played until she proudly emerged between two men who held
her right and left as though they were her kindred. She was most elegantly garbed in a
beautiful dress which trailed, according to their traditional style, a long train of golden silk.
On her head she wore a golden diadem covered with a net of woven gold, and on her breast
was a like arrangement. proud she was in her ornaments and dress, walking with little
steps of half a span, like a dove, or in the manner of a wisp of cloud. God protect us from
the seduction of the sight. Before her went Christian notables in their finest and most
splendid clothing, their trains falling behind them. Behind her were her peers and equals
of the Christian women, parading in their richest apparel and proud of bearing in their
superb ornaments. Leading them all were the musical instruments. The Muslims and other
Christian onlookers formed two ranks along the route, and gazed on them without reproof.
So they passed along until they brought her to the house of the groom; and all that day they
feasted. We thus were given the chance of seeing this alluring sight, from the seducement
of which God preserve us.

We then returned by sea to Acre and landed there on the morning of Monday the
23rd of Jumada, being the first day in October. We hired passages on a large ship, about to
sail to Messina on the island of Sicily. My God Most High, in His power and strength,
assure the easing and lightening (of our way).

During our stay in Tyre we rested in one of the mosques that remained in Muslim
hands. One of the Muslim elders of Tyre told us that it had been wrested from them in the
year 518 [27 June 1124], and that Acre had been taken twelve [actually twenty] years
earlier [24 March 1104], after a long siege and after hunger had overcome them. We were
told that it had brought them to such a pass we take refuge in God from it that shame
had driven them to propose a course from which God had preserved them. They had
determined to gather their wives and children into the Great Mosque and there to put
them to the sword, rather than the Christians should possess them. They themselves would
then sally forth determinedly, and in a violent assault on the enemy, die together. But God
made His irreversible decree, and their jurisprudents and some of their godly men
47
prevented them. They thereupon decided to abandon the town, and to make good their
escapes. So it happened, and they dispersed among the Muslim lands. But there were some
whose love of native land impelled them to return and, under the conditions of a safeguard
which was written for them, to live amongst the infidels, God is the master of His affair
[Koran XII, 21]. Glorious is God, and great is His power. His will overcomes all
impediments.

8. On Muslims living among Christians

There can be no excuse in the eyes of God for a Muslim to stay in any infidel
country, save when passing through it, while the way lies clear in Muslim lands. They will
face pains and terrors such as the abasement and destitution of the capitation and more
especially, amongst their base and lower orders, the hearing of what will distress the heart
and reviling of him [Muhammad] whose memory God has sanctified, and whose rank He
has exalted; there is also the absence of cleanliness, the mixing with the pigs, and all the
other prohibited matters too numerous to be related or enumerated. Beware, beware of
entering their lands. May God Most High grant His beneficient indulgence for this sin into
which (our) feet have slipped, but His forgiveness is not given save after accepting our
penitence

9. On the ransoming of Muslim prisoners

Among the misfortunes that one who visits their land will see are the Muslim
prisoners walking in shackles and put to painful labour like slaves. In like condition are the
Muslim women prisoners, their legs in iron rings. Hearts are rent for them, but
compassion avails them nothing

One of the beneficent works of God Most High towards the Maghrib prisoners in
these lands of Frankish Syria is that every Muslim of these parts of Syria or elsewhere who
makes a will in respect of his property devotes it to the liberation of the Maghribis in
particular because of their remoteness from their native land and because, after Great and
Glorious God, they have no other to deliver them. They are strangers, cut off from their
native land, and the Muslim kings of these parts, the royal ladies, and the persons of ease
and wealth, spend their money only in this cause. Nur al-Din God have mercy on him
during an illness which had struck him, swore to distribute twelve thousand dinars for the
ransoming of Maghribi prisoners. When he was cured of his sickness, he sent their ransom,
but with them were dispatched a group who were not Maghribis, but who were from
Hamah, one of his provinces. He ordered their return and the release of Maghribis in their

48
place, saying, These men can be ransomed by their kindred and their neighbours; but the
Maghribis are strangers and have no kindred (here).

Consider now the beneficent work of God Most High towards the Maghrib people.
He decreed that they should have in Damascus two of the most considerable and wealthy
merchants, who were deep inriches. One was named Nasr ibn Qawam and the other Abu l-
Durr Yaqut, lord of al-Attafi. Their business is all along this Frankish coast, and there is
mention of no one else but them. They have agents who take a share in the profits. Their
caravans come and go with their merchandise and stores, bringing great riches; and their
influence over the Muslim and Frankish princes is great. Great and Glorious God assigned
to them the part of ransoming the Maghribi prisoners with their wealth and that of the
bequeathments; for these are made in their name on account of the fame of their probity
and integrity and the vast sums of their own wealth that they have spent in this cause. No
Maghribi can secure release from captivity save at their hands, and for a long time they
have been prodigal of their wealth and efforts in releasing Gods servants the Muslims
from the hands of His enemies the infidels. May God Most High not fail to reward those
who perform these righteous deeds.

10. A case of conversion to Christianity

By an unhappy chance, from the evils of which we take refuge in God, we were
accompanied on our road to Acre from Damascus by a Maghribi from Buna in the district
of Bougie [Bejaia in modern Algeria] who had been a prisoner and had been released by
the agency of Abu l-Durr and become one of his young men. In one of his patrons
caravans he had come to Acre, where he had mixed with the Christians, and taken on much
of their character. The devil increasingly seduced and incited him until he renounced the
faith of Islam, turned unbeliever, and became a Christian in the time of our stay in Tyre.
We left to Acre, but received news of him. He had been baptized and become unclean, and
had put on the girdle of a monk, thereby hastening for himself the flames of hell, verifying
the threats of torture, and exposing himself to a grievous account and a long-distant return
(from hell)

Source: For nos 7-10 see The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London,
1952), pp. 319-24

11. Departure from Acre

On Saturday the 28th of Jumada, being the 6th of October, with the favour of God
towards Muslims, we embarked on a large ship, taking water and provisions. The Muslims
secured places apart from the Franks. Some Christians called bilghriyin [from the Italian
49
pellegrini = pilgrims] came aboard. They had been on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and
were too numerous to count, but were more than two thousand. May God in His grace and
favour soon relieve us of their company and bring us to safety with His hoped-for
assistance and beneficient works; none but He should be worshipped. So, under the will of
Great and Glorious God, we awaited a favouring wind and the completion of the ships
stowing.
Source: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, tr. Ronald Broadhurst (London, 1952), p. 325

XVI. Usama Ibn Munquidh

Usamah Ibn Munquidh (1095-1188) was a Muslim warrior and courtier, who fought
against the Crusaders with Saladin. Yet as a resident of the area around Palestine, he
also had a chance to befriend a number of them. His autobiography dates from around
1175.

1. Encounter with a Frankish Knight

A very important Frankish knight was staying in the camp of King Fulk, the son of Fulk. He
had come on a pilgrimage and was going home again. We got to know one another, and
became firm friends. He called me brother and an affectionate friendship grew up
between us. When he was due to embark for the return journey he said to me: My brother,
as I am about to return home, I should be happy if you would send your son with me, (the
boy, who was about fourteen years old, was beside me at the time), so that he could meet
the noblemen of the realm and learn the arts of politics and chivalry. On his return home
he would be a truly cultivated man. A truly cultivated man would never be guilty of such a
suggestion; my son might as well be taken prisoner as go off into the land of the Franks. I
turned to my friend and said: I assure you that I could desire nothing better for my son,
but unfortunately the boys grandmother, my mother, is very attached to him, and she
would not even let him come away with me without extracting a promise from me that I
would bring him back to her. Your mother is still alive? Yes. Then she must have her
way.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969)

50
2. On Frankish Justice

I once went in the company of al-Amir Mu'in-al-Din (may Allah's mercy rest upon his
soul!) to Jerusalem. We stopped at Nablus. There a blind man, a Muslim, who was still
young and was well dressed, presented himself before al-amir carrying fruits for him and
asked permission to be admitted into his service in Damascus. The amir consented. I
inquired about this man and was informed that his mother bad been married to a Frank
whom she had killed. Her son used to practice ruses against the Frankish pilgrims and
cooperate with his mother in assassinating them. They finally brought charges against him
and tried his case according to the Frankish way of procedure.

They installed a huge cask and filled it with water. Across it they set a board of wood. They
then bound the arms of the man charged with the act, tied a rope around his shoulders and
dropped him into the cask, their idea being that in case he was innocent, he would sink in
the water and they would then lift him up with the rope so that he might not die in the
water; and in case he was guilty, he would not sink in the water. This man did his best to
sink when they dropped him into the water, but he could not do it. So he had to submit to
their sentence against him--may Allah's curse be upon them! They pierced his eyeballs
with red-hot awls.

Later this same man arrived in Damascus. Al-Amir Mu'in-al-Din (may Allah's mercy rest
upon his soul!) assigned him a stipend large enough to meet all his needs and said to a
slave of his, "Conduct him to Burhan-al-Din al-Balkhi (may Allah's mercy rest upon his
soul!) and ask him on my behalf to order somebody to teach this man the Koran and
something of Muslim jurisprudence." Hearing that, the blind man remarked, "May
triumph and victory be thine! But this was never my thought...... What didst thou think I
was going to do for tbee?" asked Mu'in-al-Din. The blind man replied, "I thought thou
wouldst give me a horse, a mule and a suit of armor and make me a knight." Mu'in-al-Din
then said, "I never thought that a blind man could become a knight."

Source: This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a
collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine
history. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is
copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for
educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the
source. No permission is granted for commercial use. Paul Halsall, July
1998 halsall@murray.fordham.edu

51
3. On the Templars in Jerusalem
This is an example of Frankish barbarism, God damn them! When I was in Jerusalem I
used to go to the Masjid al-Aqsa, beside which is a small oratory which the Franks have
made into a church. Whenever I went into the mosque, which was in the hands of
Templars who were friends of mine, they would put the little oratory at my disposal, so
that I could say my prayers there. One day I had gone in, said the Allah akhbar and risen
to begin my prayers, when a Frank threw himself on me from behind, lifted me up and
turned me so that I was facing east. That is the way to pray! he said. Some Templars at
once intervened, seized the man and took him out of my way, while I resumed my prayer.
But the moment they stopped watching him he seized me again and forced me to face east,
repeating that this was the way to pray. Again the Templars intervened and took him away.
They apologized to me and said: He is a foreigner who has just arrived today from his
homeland in the north, and he has never seen anyone pray facing any other direction than
east. I have finished my prayers, I said, and left, stupefied by the fanatic who had been so
perturbed and upset to see someone praying facing the qibla!

I was present myself when one of them came up to the amir Muin ad-DinGod have
mercy on himin the Dome of the Rock, and said to him: Would you like to see God as a
baby? The amir said that he would, and the fellow proceeded to show us a picture of Mary
with the infant Messiah on her lap. This, he said, is God as a baby. Almighty God is
greater than the infidels concept of him!

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969)

4. Orientalized Franks
There are some Franks who have settled in our land and taken to living like Muslims.
These are better than those who have just arrived from their homelands, but they are the
exception, and cannot be taken as typical. I came across one of them once when I sent a
1
friend on business to Antioch, which was governed by Todros ibn as-Safi, a friend of mine.
One day he said to my friend: A Frankish friend has invited me to visit him; come with me
so that you can see how they live. I went with him, said my friend, and we came to the
house of one of the old knights who came with the first expedition. This man had retired
from the army, and was living on the income of the property he owned in Antioch. He had
52
a fine table brought out, spread with a splendid selection of appetizing food. He saw that I
was not eating, and said: Dont worry, please; eat what you like, for I dont eat Frankish
food. I have Egyptian cooks and eat only what they serve. No pigs flesh ever comes into my
house! So I ate, although cautiously, and then we left. Another day, as I was passing
through the market, a Frankish woman advanced on me, addressing me in her barbaric
language with words I found incomprehensible. A crowd of Franks gathered round us and
I gave myself up for lost, when suddenly this knight appeared, saw me and came up. What
do you want with this man? This man, she replied, killed my brother Urso. This Urso
was a knight from Apamea who was killed by a soldier from Hamat. The old man scolded
the woman. This man is a merchant, a city man, not a fighter, and he lives nowhere near
where your brother was killed. Then he turned on the crowd, which melted away, and
shook hands with me. Thus the fact that I ate at his table saved my life.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969)

6. On the Franks and Jealousy

The Franks are without any vestige of a sense of honour and jealousy. If one of them goes
along the street with his wife and meets a friend, this man will take the womans hand and
lead her aside to talk, while the husband stands by waiting until she has finished her
conversation. If she takes too long about it he leaves her with the other man and goes on
his way. Here is an example of this from my personal experience: while I was in Nablus I
stayed with a man called Muzz, whose house served as an inn for Muslim travellers. Its
windows overlooked the street. On the other side of the road lived a Frank who sold wine
for the merchants; he would take a bottle of wine from one of them and publicize it,
announcing that such-and-such a merchant had just opened a hogshead of it, and could be
found at such-and-such a place by anyone wishing to buy some; ...and I will give him the
first right to the wine in this bottle.

Now this man returned home one day and found a man in bed with his wife. What
are you doing here with my wife? he demanded. I was tired, replied the man, and so I
came in to rest. And how do you come to be in my bed? I found the bed made up, and lay
down to sleep. And this woman slept with you, I suppose? The bed, he replied, is hers.
How could I prevent her getting into her own bed? I swear if you do it again I shall take
you to court!and this was his only reaction, the height of his outburst of jealousy!

53
 I heard a similar case from a bath attendant called Salim from Maarra, who worked
in one of my fathers bath-houses. This is his tale: I earned my living in Maarra by opening
a bathhouse. One day a Frankish knight came in. They do not follow our custom of wearing
a cloth round their waist while they are at the baths, and this fellow put out his hand,
snatched off my loin-cloth and threw it away. He saw at once that I had just recently
shaved my pubic hair. Salim! he exclaimed. I came toward him and he pointed to that part
of me. Salim! Its magnificent! You shall certainly do the same for me! And he lay down
flat on his back. His hair there was as long as his beard. I shaved him, and when he had felt
the place with his hand and found it agreeably smooth he said: Salim, you must certainly
do the same for my Dama. In their language Dama means lady, or wife. He sent his valet
to fetch his wife, and when they arrived and the valet had brought her in, she lay down on
her back, and he said to me: Do to her what you did to me. So I shaved her pubic hair,
while her husband stood by watching me. Then he thanked me and paid me for my
services.

You will observe a strange contradiction in their character: they are without jealousy
or a sense of honour, and yet at the same time they have the courage that as a rule springs
only from the sense of honour and a readiness to take offence.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

7. On Frankish Medicine I
The ruler of Munitira wrote to my uncle asking him to send a doctor to treat some of his
followers who were ill. My uncle sent a Christian called Thabit. After only ten days he
returned and we said You cured them quickly! This was his story: They took me to see a
knight who had an abscess on his leg, and a woman with consumption. I applied a poultice
to the leg, and the abscess opened and began to heal. I prescribed a cleansing and
refreshing diet for the woman. Then there appeared a Frankish doctor, who said: This
man has no idea how to cure these people! He turned to the knight and said: Which would
you prefer, to live with one leg or to die with two? When the knight replied that he would
prefer to live with one leg, he sent for a strong man and a sharp axe. They arrived, and I
stood by to watch. The doctor supported the leg on a block of wood, and said to the man:
Strike a mighty blow, and cut cleanly! And there, before my eyes, the fellow struck the
knight one blow, and then another, for the first had not finished the job. The marrow
spurted out of the leg, and the patient died instantaneously. Then the doctor examined the
woman and said; She has a devil in her head who is in love with her. Cut her hair off! This
54
was done, and she went back to eating her usual Frankish food, garlic and mustard, which
made her illness worse. The devil has got into her brain, pronounced the doctor. He took
a razor and cut a cross on her head, and removed the brain so that the inside of the skull
was laid bare. This he rubbed with salt; the woman died instantly. At this juncture I asked
whether they had any further need of me, and as they had none I came away, having learnt
things about medical methods that I never knew before.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

8. Usama ibn Munquidh on Frankish Medicine II

I have, however, witnessed a case of their medicine which was quite different from that.

The king of the Franks bad for treasurer a knight named Bernard, who (may Allah's curse
be upon him!) was one of the most accursed and wicked among the Franks. A horse kicked
him in the leg, which was subsequently infected and which opened in fourteen different
places. Every time one of these cuts would close in one place, another would open in
another place. All this happened while I was praying for his perdition. Then came to him a
Frankish physician and removed from the leg all the ointments which were on it and began
to wash it with very strong vinegar. By this treatment all the cuts were healed and the man
became well again. He was up again like a devil. Another case illustrating their curious
medicine is the following: In Shayzar we had an artisan named Abu-al-Fath, who had a boy
whose neck was afflicted with scrofula. Every time a part of it would close, another part
would open. This man happened to go to Antioch on business of his, accompanied by his
son. A Frank noticed the boy and asked his father about him. Abu-al-Fath replied, "This is
my son." The Frank said to him, 'Wilt thou swear by thy religion that if I prescribe to you a
medicine which will cure thy boy, thou wilt charge nobody fees for prescribing it thyself? In
that case, I shall prescribe to you a medicine which will cure the boy." The man took the
oath and the Frank said:

Take uncrushed leaves of glasswort, burn them, then soak the ashes in olive oil and sharp
vinegar. Treat the scrofula with them until the spot on which it is growing is eaten up.
Then take burnt lead, soak it in ghee butter and treat him with it. That will cure him.

The father treated the boy accordingly, and the boy was cured. The sores closed and the
boy returned to his normal condition of health.

I have myself treated with this medicine many who were afflicted with such disease, and
the treatment was successful in removing the cause of the complaint.

55
Source: This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a
collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine
history. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is
copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for
educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the
source. No permission is granted for commercial use. Paul Halsall, July
1998 halsall@murray.fordham.edu

9. On Muslim and Frankish Piety

I paid a visit to the tomb of John the son of Zechariah - God's blessing on both of them! - in
the village of Sebastea in the province of Nablus. After saying my prayers, I came out into
the square that was bounded on one side by the Holy Precinct. I found a half-closed gate,
opened it and entered a church. Inside were about ten old men, their bare heads as white
as combed cotton. They were facing east, and wore (embroidered?) on their breasts staves
ending in crossbars turned up like the rear of a saddle. They took their oath on this sign,
and gave hospitality to those who needed it. The sight of their piety touched my heart, but
at the same time it displeased and saddened me, for I had never seen such zeal and
devotion among the Muslims. For some time I brooded on this experience, until one day,
as Mu'in ad-Din and I were passing the Peacock House he said to me: 'I want to dismount
here and visit the Old Men [the ascetics].' 'Certainly,' I replied, and we dismounted and
went into a long building set at an angle to the road. For the moment I thought there was
no one there. Then I saw about a hundred prayer mats, and on the each a sufi, his face
expressing peaceful serenity, and his body humble devotion. This was a reassuring sight,
and I gave thanks to Almighty God that there were among the Muslims men of even more
zealous devotion than those Christian priests. Before this I had never seen sufis in their
monastery, and was ignorant of the way they lived.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

10. On Frankish Piracy (before 1175)

I entered the service of the just King Nur ad DinGod have mercy on him!and he wrote
to al-Malik as-Salih asking him to send my household and my sons out to me; they were in
Egypt, under his patronage. Al-Malik as-Salih wrote back that he was unable to comply
because he feared that they might fall into Frankish hands. He invited me instead to return
to Egypt myself: You know, he wrote, how strong the friendship is between us. If you
have reason to mistrust the Palace, you could go to Mecca, and I would send you the

56
appointment to the governorship of Aswan and the means to combat the Abyssinians.
Aswan is on the frontier of the Islamic empire. I would send your household and your sons
to you there. I spoke to Nur ad-Din about this, and asked his advice, which was that he
would certainly not choose to return to Egypt once he had extricated himself. Life is too
short! he said. It would be better if I sent to the Frankish King for a safe-conduct for your
family, and gave them an escort to bring them here safely. This he didGod have mercy
on him!and the Frankish King gave him his cross, which ensures the bearers safety by
land and sea. I sent it by a young slave of mine, together with letters to al-Malik as-Salih
from Nur ad-Din and myself. My family were dispatched for Damietta on a ship of the
viziers private fleet, under his protection and provided with everything they might need.

At Damietta they transferred to a Frankish ship and set sail, but when they neared
Acre, where the Frankish King wasGod punish him for his sinshe sent out a boatload of
men to break up the ship with hatchets before the eyes of my family, while he rode down to
the beach and claimed everything that came ashore as booty. My young slave swam ashore
with the safe-conduct, and said: My Lord King, is not this your safe-conduct? Indeed it
is, he replied, But surely it is a Muslim custom that when a ship is wrecked close to land
the local people pillage it? So you are going to make us your captives? Certainly not. He
had my family escorted to a house, and the women searched. Everything they had was
taken; the ship had been loaded with womens trinkets, clothes, jewels, swords and other
arms, and gold and silver to the value of about 30,000 dinar. The King took it all, and then
handed five hundred dinar back to them and said: Make your arrangements to continue
your journey with this money. And there were fifty of them altogether! At the time I was
with Nur ad-Din in the realm of King Masud, at Ruban and Kaisun; compared with the
safety of my sons, my brother and our women, the loss of the rest meant little to me, except
for my books. There had been 4,000 fine volumes on board, and their destruction has been
a cruel loss to me for the rest of my life.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

11. On the Ransoming of Prisoners

I had sought an opportunity to visit the King of the Franks to sue for peace between him
and Jamal ad-Din Muhammad ibn Taj al-MulukGod have mercy on him!basing my
hopes of success on a service that my late father had once performed for King Baldwin, the
father of King Fulks wife. The Franks brought their prisoners for me to ransom, and I
ransomed those whose survival was Gods will. There was a fanatic called William Jiba who
57
had gone off to sea as a pirate in his own ship and captured a vessel carrying four hundred
men and women who were coming from the Maghrib on the Pilgrimage. Some were
brought before me with their owners, and I ransomed as many as I could. Among them
was a young man who greeted me and then sat without speaking. I asked who he was, and
was told that he was a young devout, who was owned by a tanner. How much do you want
for this one? I asked. Well, be said, I shall only sell him if you buy this old man as well,
for I bought them together. The price is forty-three dinar. I redeemed a certain number on
my own account, and another group for Muin ad-DinGod have mercy on himfor a
hundred and twenty dinar. I paid in cash as much as I had on me, and gave guarantees for
the rest. On my return to Damascus I said to Muin ad-Din: I redeemed some captives on
your behalf for whom I could not pay cash. Now that I am back, you can pay for them
yourself if you like, or if not then I will pay for them. No, he said, I insist on paying, for
my dearest wish is to gain merit in Gods eyes. He was outstanding in his eagerness to do
good and earn a heavenly reward. He paid the sum I owed the Franks, and I returned to
Acre a few days later. William Jiba had thirty-two prisoners left, among them the wife of
one of the men I had been able to ransom. I bought her, but did not pay for her at once.
Later that day I rode to his houseGod damn him!and said to him: Sell me ten of these.
He swore that he would only sell the whole lot together. I have not brought enough money
for all of them, I said; I will buy some of them now and the rest later. But he insisted that
he would sell the whole group together, so I went away. That night, by Gods will, they all
escaped, and the inhabitants of that quarter of Acre, who were all Muslims, sheltered them
and helped them to reach Muslim territory. The accursed Jiba searched for them in vain,
for God in his mercy saved them all. Then Jiba began to demand the money from me for
the woman whom I had bought from him but not yet paid for, and who had fled with the
rest. I said: Hand her over, and I will give you the money for her. The money was due to
me yesterday, before she escaped, he said, and forced me to pay. But it meant little to me
beside the joy of knowing that these poor things were safe.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

XVII. Imad al-Din al Isfahani on the arrival of

Frankish women at the siege of Acre in 1189

58
Imad al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al Isfahani (1125-1201) studied jurisprudence
in Baghdad before joining the administration of Nur al-Din and, later, Saladin. He
functioned as the personal secretary of Saladin until the latters death in 1193.

There arrived in a ship 300 Frankish women who were considered attractive, endowed
with youth and adorned with beauty. They had gathered from the islands and devoted
themselves to sin. They had emigrated to provide assistance to the foreigners, dedicated
themselves to cheering the wretched, sustained themselves to provide help and support,
and were burning for fornication and sex. [] Each trailed her head cloth on the ground
behind her and bewitched her observer with her gracefulness. She swayed like a tree
branch, revealed herself like a castle [waiting to be stormed], swung her hips like a switch
and counterfeited her religion with a cross on her breasts. [] They said that they intended
by their coming out [to the east] to dedicate their privates [to the cause], that they would
not refrain from any unmarried man, and that they were of the opinion that they would not
receive a better Eucharist than this.

[Al-Isfahani then provides an extended and lurid description of the activities that the
women apparently engaged in, ending with the following:]

According to the Franks there is no sin imputed to an unmarried man if a woman gives
herself to him, and what enhances her in the eyes of the priests is if she offers her privates
as a relief for those who are suffering as a result of their celibacy.

There also arrived by sea a woman who had great power and abundant wealth. In her
country she was a woman of great influence. In her entourage were 500 knights with their
horses, followers, servants and adherents, to whom she gave all the provisions that they
needed, exceeding the necessary level of support in what she spent on them. They rode at
her side, attacking when she attacked, rushing [into battle] when she did, and standing
firm as long as she did.

Among the Franks were women knights, with armour and helmets, dressed like men, who
distinguished themselves in the thick of battle and did acts of intelligent men while being
gentlewomen. They considered these all to be acts of worship, and they believed that they
would gain happiness through them and made them their customary practice. Praise be to
the One who led them astray and made them slip off the path of restraint! [] They wore
no clothing except a loose-fitting garment, and they were not known [to be women] until
they were stripped of their arms and undressed. A number of the were found out and sold
[as slaves], and as for the old women, the town centres were full of them! At times they
59
were a reinforcement and at others a source of weakness. They goaded and incited [others
to action], saying that the cross would only be satisfied by scorn [of the enemy], that there
would be no immortality through it except through [fighting to the] death, and that the
tomb of their god was under enemy occupation. Observe the agreement in error of their
men and women!

Source: Imad al-Din al-Isfahani. (1965) Al-Fath at-Qussi fil Fath al-Qudsi, pp. 347-49.
Translation: Niall Christie. (2014) Muslims and Crusaders. Christianitys Wars in the
Middle East, 1095-1382, from the Islamic Sources. London: Routledge. Doc. 15.ii, pp. 152-
53

XVIII. Ibn al-Athir on the Discord between the

Franks in Syria
The ruler of Tripoli, known as Count Raymond son of Raymond of Saint-Gilles married the
Countess of Tiberias and moved to Tiberias to be with her. The King of the Franks in Syria
died of leprosy and left the kingdom to his sisters son, a minor, with the Count as Regent.
He took over the government and administration of the kingdom, and indeed at that time
the Franks had no one braver or shrewder than he. The Count aspired to become King
himself through the agency of the child, but the young King died and the kingdom passed
to his mother, and the Counts ambitions were frustrated. Then the Queen fell in love with
a knight called Guy who had come from the West to Syria, married him and handed over
the crown and the royal authority to him. The Patriarch, the priests and monks, the
Hospitallers, Templars and Barons were summoned, and she announced her abdication in
favour of her husband. She called on them to be witnesses of the deed, and they swore
loyalty and obedience to him. This displeased the Count, who was stripped of his authority
and asked to account for the moneys collected during his regency. He swore that he had
spent them on the young Kings behalf, but his loyalty to the new King was strained so far
that he reached a position of open secession and rebellion. He began a correspondence
with Saladin, established a cordial relationship with him and turned to him for help in
achieving his ambition to rule the Franks. Saladin and the Muslims were pleased and
Saladin promised to help him and to give him every possible assistance in his plans. He
guaranteed to make him King of all the Franks. He freed some of the Counts knights
whom he held prisoner, which made the best possible impression on Raymond, who
openly displayed his obedience to Saladin. A certain number of Franks followed his
60
example, which led to discord and disunity and was one of the chief reasons why their
towns were reconquered and Jerusalem fell to the Muslims, as we shall narrate. Saladin
sent guerrilla bands from the Tiberias region who devastated the Frankish lands and
returned unscathed. This weakened the Franks but gave the Muslims energy and
enthusiasm for attacking them.

Source: Franceso Gabriell, Arab Historians of the Crusades (University of California

Press, Berkeley, 1969).

XIX. Donation of individuals from Lattakia to the

Order of St John (1185)
I, Bohemond, by grace of God prince of Antioch, son of Prince Raymond,...give, and in
perpetual charity I concede these men, whose names are written below, to God and to his
holy house of the poor of the Hospital of Jerusalem, and to brother Roger de Molins. These
are the names: from the Greeks: Afanas, Sergius, a bricklayer, and his children, Leo, a
barrel-maker, Mambarak and his children, Mambarak, a shoe-maker, Leo. From the
Armenians: Hanes, a butcher, Castor, a baker, Hanes, an archer, Hanes, a blacksmith,
Vasil, a blacksmith. From the Jews Bolcaran, Zao, Bolchae, and his mother, Temin,
Bolshassen, Stellator. And in addition to these Hugo Straigot. These above-mentioned
men, whether Latins or Greeks or Armenians or Jews, the Hospital owns, holds and
possesses in perpetuity, in peace and without challenge, freely and peacefully from all
tallage.

Source: Delaville le Roulx (ed.), Cartulaire gnral des Hospitaliers, vol. 1, no. 648, pp.
436-47, translated in Christopher MacEvitt, The Crusades and the Christian World of the
East (Philadelphia, 2008), pp. 147-78

XX. A Letter of Jacques de Vitry (1216/17)

Jacques de Vitry, the newly appointed Bishop of Acre, describes his journey out to the
Holy Land in 1216 and his impressions of the society that he found there. The first part of
the letter was written between his arrival in the East early in November 1216 and
February 1217, the second part probably in March 1217, and before Easter, which is not
mentioned (Easter in 1217 fell on 26th March). Jacques was a Frenchman, educated at
Paris, who was Bishop of Acre from 1216 until 1228, and subsequently Cardinal Bishop of
Tusculum. He died in 1240. This letter has been translated by Iris Rau, who completed an
61
M.A. in Medieval History at Leeds in 2001, with assistance from I.S. Moxon and G.A.
Loud, from Lettres de Jacques de Vitry, ed. R.B.C. Huygens (Leiden 1960), pp. 79-97 no.
2.

a] To the venerable men and most dear in Christ, the Parisian masters [lacunae]
William du Pont de lArche and Raoul de Namur and Alexander de Couron and Philip
Archdeacon of Noyon, with Divine mercy permitting, James, the humble minister of the
Church of Acre, in order to help the Holy Land of the promise of the Lord with [lacunae]
execution.

b] To the Lady Lutgard of Saint Trond, his most spiritual friend, and to the convent
of Aywires, James, by the mercy of God, the humble minister of the Church of Acre, in
order that they may go up from excellence into excellence until they see the God of Gods in
Sion.

Minds which the Holy Spirit has joined cannot be divided by being in different
places, but they are impressed upon the minds of friends by the seal of love. They do not
slide away easily from the memory because of the interval of time. The Lord is my witness
19 that I am afflicted by constant suffering on behalf of his grace, [and that] I am exposed to
daily dangers on behalf of his name, that I hold the memory of thee without intermission,
with burning desire and intense affection, desiring to see you again in this world. But if
God arranges [things] in another manner, I often beg him that I shall see you after death in
the splendour of the saints and in the council and congregation of the just. I desire that, as
long as you live, you should have a fresh memory of my humble self, just as I always have
the memory of you. By means of [this] letter, when I am able to obtain a messenger, I
willingly impose myself upon your memory and I wish to inform you about my situation.
Therefore, let your love know that I am through the grace of God safe and unharmed, as
are all the people who are with me, and I wish to hear the same thing about you.

After we left the harbour of the city of Genoa to set out across the sea, we toiled for
five weeks at sea with many hardships and underwent many difficulties in different places.
When we had sailed past Sardinia, we found an island surrounded by the sea on every side,
in which a hermit was living alone amid snakes and wild beasts without any companion or

19 Romans, i.9.

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servant. He never ate bread, except for a biscuit given to him once or twice a year by those
passing by. Before we went past, he complained that winter was already approaching and
so far no one had passed who would give him bread. To him it was replied by the Holy
Spirit that ships would soon pass from whom he would receive biscuit and other
necessities. When our ships were passing near the island of the said hermit, we passed
straight by at speed with no intention of looking back at the island or of visiting the hermit.
But after we had sailed many miles past the island, a strong wind suddenly rose up against
us, the force of which drove us and our ships back to the hermits island. Seeing out arrival
the hermit, a very old man and full of days, 20 came to us and presented cabbages and a
bunch of berries to me, while near his cell we found wild cattle and rams and many deer, of
which we received fourteen, which we ate. Leaving behind bread, oil and some clothes for
the hermit we departed.

Not long after this a great and very fearful danger threatened us. Another ship was
heading towards our ship at great speed. If it had collided with our own ship, we could
hardly have escaped without one or both [of us] being dashed to pieces, nor could we turn
aside in the opposite direction because there was a rock that was dangerously close; thus
we would be forced either to undergo ramming by the other ship or to drive our ship onto
the rock. Then there arose a great cry 21 [and] in both ships people were heard weeping
tears and confessing their sins. People jumped from one ship into the other or vice versa,
depending on whether someone believed that one ship was stronger or if another believed
that the other ship was. Others took off their clothes and bound what they had in terms of
gold and silver to themselves in case they might be able to escape by swimming. Some of
the sailors, feeling sorry for me and showing their respect, tried to persuade me to enter a
little boat that had been attached to the great ship, but I absolutely refused to comply
because of the bad example [that this would set], for I wanted to experience the common
danger with the others. But the Lord had seen our affliction, 22 for while we were pushing
away the ship which was pressing upon us with lances and staffs, neither one of ships was
broken into pieces, even though they were banging into each other. However, as the result
of the violence of the collision our ship was turned some way to the left and left the rock
behind on the right hand side. The other ship was already near to the rock and was about
to be holed and sunk, but with its sails furled and anchors cast out it stood still and as if by

20 Genesis, xxv.8.
21 Acts, xxiii.9.
22 Genesis, xxxi.42; cf. Exodus, iv.31.

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a miracle escaped unharmed through Gods grace. Indeed, some people threw their gold
and silver out of this ship into ours.

Although we had a most unfavourable wind when we sailed from there, we gained
harbour as best we could on another island where we stayed for some fifteen days. Since
the weather was continuously unfavourable and winter was very close, we now almost gave
up [the idea of] crossing over the sea, greatly fearing that we would have to winter on this
other island. The captain of our ship wished make all the poor people from our ship
disembark and leave them behind on the island, for he lacked sufficient provisions. I
entreated him that he should await the mercy of God for a little longer and should not
expose these poor people to the danger of death. While the captain was by no means
willing to agree, the Lord suddenly sent upon us such a mighty storm that the fifteen
anchors which we cast in the sea could scarcely hold our ship fast and save us from
perishing. The fore part of our ship was now lifted up towards the stars, the next moment it
was sunk into the depths. The storm lasted continuously for two days and nights; so that
some of our people could hardly bear the violence of the winds, which laid low the
forecastle of our ship, and broke down [in panic], while others did not eat nor drink for the
fear of death. Indeed, I did not eat anything cooked for no one dared to light a fire on our
ship. When I drank, I held the cup with one hand and held on for dear life with the other
hand for fear that I might fall or spill the cup. Because we feared that our water would run
out, we stretched out our linen clothes to the rain, and so consequently we gained a double
advantage - we were both washing our clothes and drinking the water which washed them.

This storm did however cast out a storm from the minds of many sinners, for a
number of people came to me in tears to make their confession, even though they had for
many years remained immured in their sins. [Both] merchants and powerful men received
the sign of cross from my hand. With them crying unto the Lord, 23 and He sent us calm
weather and bestowed a suitable wind from astern upon us, as a help after our distress. 24
Thus within a few days we sailed past Sicily and Crete, leaving behind Scylla and Charybdis
to the left and Malta, where Saint Paul spent the winter after his ship had been wrecked
and where a snake bit him while he was collecting twigs, 25 on our right, [and] coming close
to the island of Cyprus. The sailors realised that we were not very far from land because of

23 Cf. Psalm, iii.4, lxxvii.1, cxli.1

24 Psalm, cvii.13.
25 Acts, xxviii.1-6.

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the great fish that both followed and swam in front of our ship, and played around it,
leaping [out of the water].

On the sixth day after the feast of All-Saints we approached the port of the city of
Acre.26 The whole city ran out to meet us with great joy, yet I found the town of Acre, like a
monster or a beast, having nine heads, each fighting the other. There were at that place
Jacobites with their archbishop, who in the manner of Jews were circumcising their
children and revealed their sins in confession to no one except to God. Though some of
them were uncircumcised and confessed their sins to priests, both the latter and the
former when making the sign of cross signed themselves with one finger. I gave a sermon
to them in their church through an interpreter who knew how to speak the language of the
Saracens, explaining to them that if they were circumcised Christ would not profit them
and that they had to be cured from the leprosy of sins through priests, whose duty was to
discriminate between leprosy and leprosy, 27 as the Lord said in the Gospel, go and show
yourselves unto the priests. 28 Listening to the word of God, which they had not been
accustomed to hearing, they were through the grace of God strongly pierced by the stings
of conscience, with the result that they earnestly promised to me that they would not
circumcise themselves in the future and that from now on they would make their
confessions to priests. Concealing, so to speak, my true thoughts I allowed them to sign
themselves with one finger, because of the unity of the Essence and the Trinity of the
Person, for in one finger there are three parts, and thus we too sign ourselves with three
fingers joined in one hand in the name of the Trinity and Unity. But someone afterwards
secretly pointed out to me that they signed themselves with one finger because they
believed that there was in Christ only one will, although the will of the Divinity was one
thing and the will of humanity was another; and one of them was put under the other, just
as has been written in the Gospel, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 29

Moreover, I found the Syrians to be traitors and very corrupt men, for having been
brought up among the Saracens, they had adopted their bad character, and some of them,
who had been bribed, revealed the secrets of Christianity to the Saracens. Because they
administered the sacraments with leavened bread according to the Greek manner, they

26 Friday 4th November 1216.

27 Deuteronomy, xviii.8.
28 Luke, xvii.14.
29 Matthew, xxvi.39.

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scorned our sacraments which we administered with unleavened bread, to such extent that
they refused to respect them or [even] to bow their heads towards them when the Holy
Body of the Lord was brought by our priests for the sick. Furthermore they were unwilling
to celebrate [the mass] on our altars unless they had first washed them down. Although
their priests wore [clerical] headgear, they dressed their hair in the manner of lay people.
These priests took wives after the fashion of the Greeks, and they did not allow their lay
people to marry for a third time. The daughters of these Syrians went about with their
faces veiled so that no one could recognise them, not even those to whom they were
betrothed until they were joined in marriage. I arranged for both men and women to be
assembled on the instructions of their bishop, and through the interpreter I presented to
them the Word of life. 30 Through the grace of God they were so struck by conscience that
both their bishop and his followers manifested their obedience to me and promised me
faithfully that they would live according to my recommendations.

Some of them, so I heard, baptised themselves on the day of the Epiphany every
year. I also came across Nestorians, Georgians and Armenians, but because they did not
have bishops or any other official leader, I have as yet been unable to assemble them. The
Armenians administer [the sacrament] with unleavened bread, but they do not put water
into the wine for the sacrament. Furthermore, I found that there were men who were
disobedient to our church but on their own authority installed chaplains in their own
chapels and did what they liked with impunity. These people, from the communes of the
Genoese, Pisans and Venetians, were contemptuous of a sentence of excommunication that
we imposed. They rarely if ever listened to the Word of God. They even refused to come to
my sermon. However, I went to them and presented the Word of God to them on the
street in front of their houses. Making the sign of the cross and having said their
confession, they piously received the Word of God. After that, they willingly listened to the
Word of God on Sundays outside the city, where was accustomed to preach, with
repentant and humble heart. 31

In addition, I found that the men born in this land were called Pullani, which in
French is translated as Poulains. They alone acknowledged that they were under my
concern and jurisdiction. It was hard to find one in a thousand who was willing to keep his
marriage lawfully for they did not believe that fornication was a mortal sin. They have been

30 John, vi.69.
31 Psalm, L.19

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spoiled from childhood and they are utterly devoted to the pleasures of flesh. They were
unaccustomed to listening to the Word of God and seemed to regard it as worthless. I
found, moreover, foreigners who had fled from their own lands as outlaws because of
various appalling crimes. Having cast aside their fear of the Lord, they were corrupting the
whole city by their wicked deeds and evil example. The last type of people I found, worse
than all others, more intransigent and completely blinded, are the scribes and Pharisees.32
Taking only milk and wool 33 from the sheep and not looking after their own souls, they
corrupted the lay people by word and by example. While other people had been pricked by
the sting of conscience and turned towards the Lord, these people alone resisted the Word
of God and all that is good. As a result what is written [in the Gospel] will be fulfilled: the
publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of Heaven in front of you. 34

When I entered this horrible city and had found it full of countless disgraceful acts
and evil deeds, I was very confused in my mind. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon
me and horror hath overwhelmed me, 35 because I had received such a heavy burden and
grievous to be borne 36 and I was about to give an account for these people to the stern
Judge. Murders took place, both in public and private almost every day and night.
Husbands strangled their wives by night when they displeased them. Women murdered
their husbands with poisons and potions in accordance to ancient custom so that they
might marry someone else. There were people selling deadly potions and poisons in the
city. Hardly anyone dared to entrust himself to somebody else, and a mans foes shall be
they of his own house. 37 One man admitted to us that he was feeding certain animals in
his house. From the dung of the animals he mixed the potions in such a skilful manner that
the person who wanted to destroy his enemy found there the means through which he
could kill him in the way he wanted. Thus his enemy might, if he wished, be weak for a
year, or a month, or if he wanted to hasten his death then his enemy would not live for
more than a day. The city was everywhere filled with prostitutes, and because these
prostitutes paid higher rents for their lodgings than did other people, not only laymen but
even churchmen and some members of the regular clergy rented out their lodgings to
public prostitutes through the whole city. Who would be able to list all the crimes of this

32 Matthew, xxiii.13 &15.

33 Cf. Ezekiel, xxxiv.3.
34 Matthew, xxi.31
35 Psalm, liv.6 (Vulgate), lv.5 (AV).
36 Matthew, xxiii.4.
37 Matthew, x.36.

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second Babylon, where Christians refused baptism to their Saracen servants, even though
these Saracens earnestly and tear fully begged for it? For their masters used to say Oh
my soul come not into their counsel! 38 if those people should be Christians, we shall not
be able to exploit them as we would like.

Being put in such great and unhappy confusion I took refuge in the unique and
singular help of the Divine piety, who has no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that he
should turn from his way and live. 39 And since the grace of the Holy Spirit does not work
slowly, once they began willingly and eagerly to hear the word of God, that cures all, 40
where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly. 41 For within a short time they
had turned towards the Lord, so that both by day and night they ran unceasingly to me
with tears and groans and confessed their sins to me with contrition. I gave the sign of the
holy cross to almost everyone, enjoining upon them that they should prepare arms and the
other things needed for the rescue of the Holy Land. I gave orders to the women who had
been signed by the cross that they give money to the army according to their own
resources. Nevertheless I imposed a moderate penitence upon them for their sins. Some
of Saracens, hearing how the Lord worked, flowed together to baptism. 42 Many of them,
so they claimed, had been warned in a dream, either by Lord Jesus Christ or by the Blessed
Virgin or by some other saint, that they should bring themselves over from the error of
Mohammed to the grace of Christ. They declared that the Blessed Virgin had said to them
that if they did not become Christians, they would soon die an unhappy death when the
Christians arrived and obtained victory.

Through what happened in the city of Acre the Lord opened a great door unto
me,43 for the remaining cities of our land in which Christians live desired to follow the
example of Acre and to hear the word of Divine preaching. After receiving the sign of the
cross, they wanted to hand over themselves and their own property to the Lord for the
defence of the Holy Land, on account of their sins. These places were Tyre, Beirut, Gibelet,
the town of Crac, Tortosa, Margab, Chastel Blanc, Tripoli, Antioch, and the island of
Cyprus it had an archbishopric with three bishoprics as well as Jaffa and Caesarea.

38 Genesis, xlix.6.
39 Ezekiel, xxxiii.11.
40 Wisdom, xvi.12.
41 Romans, vi.20.
42 Sulpicius Severus, Life of St. Martin, III.5.
43 I Corinthians, xvi.9

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These are the cities and towns which the Lord has left to us. They were very much in need
of preaching [there].

The Saracens were very afraid of the arrival of the pilgrims, whereas with joy and
with longing we looked forward to the help of the Holy One and the early arrival of the
faithful pilgrims to succor the Holy Land. Thus the heritage of the Lord 44 might be
liberated from the infidel, the Church of God might be rebuilt in the East, and the
Saracens, who were still held back by the fear of other people, might be securely converted
to the Lord, while our Christians in the East who were oppressed under the lordship of
pagans might be set free. I believe, as I learned by report from many people, that there are
almost as many Christians among the Saracens as there are Saracens themselves and that
they are every day waiting tearfully for the assistance of God and the help of the pilgrims.
Yet I did not enter the promised land, the holy and pleasant land,45 although the city of
Acre is not far away from the land where Jesus Christ lived where he was conceived and
brought up and [where] the Angel Gabriel announced the unique joy to the Virgin that is
no more than eight miles from Nazareth, and no more than three miles from Mount
Carmel, where the Prophet Elias led the life of a hermit, which I looked at with deep sighs
every time that I opened the windows of my house. Through fear of the Saracens I have not
yet visited the Holy places; it is as if I have water at my chin but have not yet drunk it.
However, I am waiting for the help of God, which He will send to us at an appropriate
time.

Just as the bond of Christs love joins our minds together, I want to link our names
by means of the present letter and to write to you jointly in order that there may be shared
joy about my success and shared suffering about my failures. You are to write back about
your situation and about these matters from which my soul may derive some consolation.

Before the army arrived I arranged my life in the following way. After mass was
celebrated at daybreak I receive sinners right through until after midday. Finally, once I
have with some difficulty taken food - for I have lost my appetite for eating and drinking
since I entered this land beyond the sea it is my duty to visit the sick throughout the city
up until nones or vespers. After this there is an upsetting and most anxious matter, for I
receive the pleas of orphans, widows and other people upon whom the injustice of men

44 Psalm, cxxvi.3 (Vulgate), xxvii.3 (AV).

45 Psalm, cv.24 (Vulgate), cvi.24 (AV).

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had brought such great evil that I am unable to describe it. As a result I do not have leisure
time for reading unless I hide myself at mass or at matins or some other moment for a very
short period of time. I have indeed reserved time for prayer and contemplation at the dead
of night. Yet there were moments when I was upset that I could not have time either for
prayer or for the consideration of my weakness. You, my dearest friends, pray for me that
God should give me true humility and patience to endure suffering for the salvation of my
soul and to assist the Holy Land, that the good Lord should deem to lighten the darkness
in the East, that he should advance the affairs of the Holy Land and that he should grant
me and all my friends a good life and a happy end, in order that in this way we may pass
through good things in this world and that we may not lose the eternal things [to come].

After I had sown the Word 46 of God by Divine grace among the people of Acre
throughout the entire winter period and [after] a great multitude from this totally
depraved city had been converted to the Lord, other cities heard how the Lord was working
and inspired by the example of the people of Acre sent frequent messengers to me, begging
that, moved by charity, I should visit them. I realised that a great door had been opened
unto me 47 since Lent was approaching even though the route was very difficult and
dangerous, for I had to go through the land of Saracens, and in particular through the land
of the people who were called the Assassins. Trusting in the help of the Lord, I set out on
my journey, with many people lamenting and weeping.

On my arrival in the city of Tyre I was received with joy and love both by clerics and
by the laity, to whom I preached the word of God for several days. The seed fell on good
ground 48 because of Divine grace; for almost all of them, after making confession of their
sins and receiving the sign of the cross, presented themselves and their property to the
Lord. I saw the well of waters upon which it is said that the Lord rested when he came to
the districts of Tyre and Sidon. Solomon described it literally in the Song of Songs, as a
well of living waters, which flows with a rush from Lebanon. 49 Mount Lebanon is not far
away from that place. Through underground channels the abundant waters flow all the
way down to that place where they form a great well, almost like a small lake, which does
not have, as I believe, anything like it in the whole world. The knights of Tyre led me all the
way to Sarepta [Zarephath], which belongs to the people of Sidon, where I made a delay

46 Mark, iv.14.
47 I Corinthians, xvi.9 (cf. above).
48 Mark, iv.8.
49 Song of Solomon, iv.15.

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over night, preaching to the Christians whom I found there. I made it clear to them how
they ought to live properly among the Saracens, that the name of the Lord should not be
blasphemed 50 among the Gentiles because of them; for they were very corrupted [living]
in the city of Saracens. I uncovered to them to the best of my ability the deceit of
Mohammed and his damnable teaching because some of them were limping along, as if
hesitating between the law of the Christians and that of the Saracens. I visited a small
chapel that lies abandoned in the field outside the city, where Elias came to a widow who
was collecting firewood in Zarephath. 51

When I was about to go from there to Beirut, past the city of Sidon, which the
Saracens hold, I sent messengers in advance so that the knights of that city might come to
meet me. Meeting me with a large number of armed men, they escorted me and my
companions through the territory of the Saracens. The archbishop of the Syrians, who was
living in Sidon among the Saracens, rushed out to me on foot outside the city. I passed
through the place where the woman of Canaan shouting after the Lord ran [towards him]
and declared with all humility that the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their
masters tables. 52 I passed by two springs at the foot of Mount Lebanon, namely Jor and
Dan, from which the River Jordan has its source and from these the name Jordan is
drawn. When the heat is very great in summer, snow is brought forth from Mount Lebanon
and kept safe under straw and sold at great price so that it may be mixed with wine to cool
it and make the wine chill.

After I had stayed for several days in the city of Beirut and preached the Word of
God to its inhabitants, with both women and men and even children all having been
marked with the sign [of the cross] and having given this sign [also] to the lord of the city
along with his knights, 53 I passed on to the city of Biblos. It is said in the Book of Kings
that the elders of Biblos used to send wood from Lebanon for the building of the temple of
the Lord. 54 The people of the city, from the most humble to the greatest, received me with
great joy. Having heard the word of God, they were contrite and moved their to penitence.
This city was most corrupt and the bishop of this place was extremely poor but generous
and humble. He received the sign of the cross along with the lord of the city and all its

50 I Timothy, vi.1.
51 I Kings, xvii.10.
52 Matthew, xv.27.
53 John of Ibelin (died 1236).
54 Cf. I Kings, v.6-10.

71
people. I then set off for Tripoli, and I found vineyards which were harvested twice a year
and a spring irrigating a large number of vineyards, which fulfils to the letter what the
Song of Songs says about a fountain of gardens. 55 As I approached Tripoli, the count of
the city and prince of Antioch came out to meet me with many knights. 56 In this city I had
to fight with beasts at Ephesus. 57 Seeing that everyone was turned towards the Lord, I
stayed in the city for a month. Because the general language of the city was the Saracen
tongue, I often used interpreters to preach and listen to confessions.

From there I passed on to a town which was called Crac. This was next to the land of
those people who were called the Assassins. Everywhere men and women and little
children hastened to me with great devotion. Since we did not dare to send the messengers
in advance, we despatched pigeons which carried our letters under the wings to the effect
that the men of the city should run to meet us because of our fear of the pagans. From
there we came to a certain town of the Templars, which is called Chastel Blanc. After I had
preached the word of God for several days there, the brothers of the Military Order of the
Temple escorted me with an armed troop all the way to the city which was called
Antaradus [Tortosa], so called because it was situated opposite the island of Aruad. On this
island there used to be pillars made of glass. [And] in the island the blessed Peter found a
woman of noble birth the mother of Saint Clement, who was begging for alms on that
island and brought her back to her son, who had lost her for many years. In that city
there was a certain small and very holy chapel, which Saint Peter while passing through
to Antioch built in honour of the blessed Virgin, [and] which was the first church built in
honour of the blessed Virgin, so it is said. The Lord performs so many miracles in the
chapel that not only Christians but also Saracens came to it for the sake of pilgrimage.
After I had celebrated mass in this church and had given a sermon to the people, I baptised
two Saracens. When I had returned to my lodging, one of the Assassins, who had followed
me over both sea and land in order to kill me, was caught after he was denounced by those
who had converted to the Faith. He was put into prison, and thus the Lord delivered me
from his hands.

From there I travelled with an armed guard to a city that had a most strongly fortified
citadel. This castle was called Margab. There I preached the word of God for several days. I

55 Song of Solomon, iv.15 (cf. above).

56 Bohemond IV (1201-33).
57 I Corinthians, xv.32.

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had intended to go on to Antioch by sea, for the lord of the city along with the clergy and
people were eagerly expecting my arrival. But the Patriarch of Jerusalem 58 sent a letter
telling me to return because the fleet had been announced and we were expecting the
arrival of the pilgrims. I then returned to Tripoli, intending to sail to Cyprus. Because the
king of Cyprus sent a letter to me along with his messengers, I had a galley prepared.
However, I waited for fifteen days and could not get a favourable wind. Then I heard that
one of hermits of the Black Mountain which is called Nero in Greek had crossed to
Cyprus; he, so he claimed, having a cross branded on his flesh which the blessed Virgin had
indented onto his breast, and that she had sent him to Cyprus. I was reluctant to go there
since this hermit had [already] given the sign of the cross to the king, the clergy and
people. Therefore, through the grace of God and avoiding the many deadly dangers, I
returned to our city.

The people of Acre had been annoyed my absence and they frequently went out of the
city when they had been told that I was about to return. After they had been going out to
meet me for several days, they received reliable news of my arrival. They rushed out to
meet me with their women and little children. Now in the city of Acre I usually look out to
the sea with tears and great longing, expecting the arrival of the pilgrims, for I believe that
if through the grace of God we had four thousand armed knights, we would not find
anyone able to stand against us, for there is great division among the Saracens. Many of
them, indeed, realising the error of their ways, would be converted to the Lord, if they
dared and had the help of the Christians. I believe too that Christians who live among the
Saracens are more numerous than the Saracens. Many Christian kings living in the regions
of the East as far as to the land of Prester John, hearing of the arrival of the crusaders,
would come to help them and make war on the Saracens.

Because they have many different sects, the Saracens are very much divided among
themselves. Some observe the law of Mohammed, [while] others treat it with little respect
and so they drink wine and eat pork contrary to the teaching of Mohammed, nor do they
circumcise themselves after the manner of other Saracens. The old abbot of the mountain
belongs to the cult of Brothers of the knife, who do not uphold any law except that they
believe they will be safe by obedience [to him], no matter what instruction is given to them.
These people are called the Assassins. They kill both Christians and Saracens. There are
other Saracens who are called members of the Hidden Law. They observe a law which they
58 Ralph of Merencourt, Patriarch 1215-24.

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reveal to no one except for their sons when the latter are already of advanced age, with the
result that their wives know nothing about what their husbands believe. They allow
themselves to be killed before they reveal the secret of their law to anyone except to their
sons. There are other people, miserable and without any law, who say that on the Day of
Judgement when the Lord will ask: why have not you uphold the law of Jews?, they will
respond: Lord, we were not bound to follow it, because we have not accepted it and we
were not Jews. Why have you not upheld the law of the Christians? Oh, Lord, we were
not bound to uphold it, because we have not been Christians; similarly, we have been
under no obligation to uphold the law of Saracens, because we have not been Saracens. In
this way they believe to escape on the Day of Judgement by separating themselves off from
others. Nevertheless, the Lord says He that is not with me is against me. 59 I found other
people who say that their souls die along with their body. Hence they follow their worst
instincts and do anything they want to, just like beasts.

Because I could not preach in the land of the Saracens, I preached whenever I could
on the frontier between the lands of the Christians and the Saracens. Through a letter
written in the Saracen language, which I sent to them, I showed them their faults and the
truth of our law. Many Saracens had their sons baptised by Syrian priests with the sole
purpose of them living longer. Among those who are reckoned by the name of Christians I
found many who through a lack of sound teaching were erring greatly in our faith. They are
divided into four principal groups. The Syrians, just like Greeks, say that the Holy Spirit
proceeds from the Father alone. The Nestorians assert that there are two persons in
Christ, just as there are two natures and two wills in Him. Hence, although Christ is God,
they say that Mary was the mother of Christ, but not the mother of God. All the
inhabitants who live in the land of Prester John used to be of this denomination, or so I
was told by a merchant who had recently come from there. They recently all became
Jacobites, who say that there is only one nature and one will, just as [there is] one person
in Christ. For His human nature was taken away, as they wrongly assert, by the Divine
nature, just as a drop of water which is poured into wine will be absorbed by the wine.
However, the Patriarch of the Maronites, along with his archbishops and bishops as well as
people of the Maronites who are subject to him, has abandoned all his errors and placed
himself under obedience to the holy and catholic Roman Church. In my opinion, many
people, both from the heretics remaining in the Eastern regions and from the Saracens,
would be easily converted to the Lord if they heard sound doctrine. [I ask] you [to] pray to
59 Matthew, xii.30

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the Lord, who hates nothing of those that he has made and who will have all men to come
unto knowledge of the truth, 60 that He should see fit to enlighten the darkness of the East
in these days. Amen.

Pray for me and for my companions and especially for my chaplain and most
faithful friend, John of Cambrai.
Source:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/downloads/file/1147/a_letter_of_jacques_de_vitry_121617]

XXI. Letters relating to the Crusader States during

the Pontificate of Gregory IX
1. Gregory IXs encyclical letter to the bishops announcing the
excommunication of Frederick II (10th October 1227)
Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the bishops of Marsia, Valva,
Chieti, Penne, Aprutium and the other bishops established in these lands.

The bark of Peter is afloat in the wide expanse of the sea, or rather it is exposed to
the raging storms, which shake it with winds and waves together, so that its steersmen and
oarsmen can barely manage to breathe amid the torrents of waves swamping them. For if
when the sails filled with a favourable wind are carrying it to port, a sudden wind rushes
against them, and stricken by this wind, whose breath kindleth coals, 61 the ship is
snatched from the turbulent depths of the ocean and rises high in the sea. It plunges into
the waves that surround it, but it is not submerged, since the Lord resides within it, and
finally, roused by the cries of his disciples, he puts the storms to flight; he commands the
wind and waves, and there is calm. 62

There are indeed four particular storms that rock this bark. Thus the treachery of
the pagans tries wickedly to hold on to that special land consecrated by the blood of Christ.
The rage of tyrants seizing temporal property destroys justice and tramples ecclesiastical
liberty underfoot. The madness of heretics strives to rend the tunic of Christ and to

60 Wisdom, xi.25; I Timothy, ii.4.

61 Job, 41: 21.
62 Cf. Mark, 4: 37-9.

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overturn the foundation of the faith, while the cunning perversity of false brothers and
sons shakes it from within and attacks its mother from the flank. And so, without were
fightings, within were fears, 63 the sword kills from the outside and death similarly
threatens from within the house, and it frequently happens that the Church of Christ is
beset with a host of worries, for while it tries to raise its children it nourishes fire, serpents
and little tyrants in its breast, who strive with blast, bite and flame to lay it all waste. Hence
to destroy monsters of this sort, fight against the enemy ranks and to calm the raging
tempests, the Apostolic See at this time raised a certain ward with great care, namely the
Emperor Frederick, taking him on its lap as though from his mothers womb, giving him
milk from its breasts, carrying him on its shoulders, and frequently snatching him from the
hands of those who sought his life. It took care to raise him at great labour and expense,
until he could be brought to the fullness of manhood, and it raised him to the dignity of
royal rank, and eventually to the height of the imperial throne, believing that he would be a
rod for its defence and a staff for its old age.

However, after he had travelled to Germany to obtain rule over the empire, the
prospects so it was believed were favourable, but in fact he threw darts at those who looked
on from his mother. For voluntarily, and without advice, unknown to the Holy See, he
attached the Cross to his shoulders, solemnly vowing that he would make the journey to
assist the Holy Land. Then he pledged that he and the other Crusaders [crucesignati]
would be excommunicated if they did not set off within a set time; but it happened that he
sought and received absolution [from this], after having taken an oath to be obedient to the
commands of the Church concerning this. The Apostolic See poured out its overflowing
grace upon him, and so that he might set off the more speedily to the assistance of the Holy
See, contrary to custom it summoned him to his coronation, although it was usual not to
invite someone but rather for this to be requested through repeated requests and high-
status envoys. And so he has succeeded in his own affairs the more fully and completely
under the banner of the cross up to the present time.

At last, after he had received the imperial crown from our predecessor Pope
Honorius of happy memory in the basilica of St. Peter, he once more took the Cross, from
our own hands, we being then appointed to a lesser office, and renewed his vow in public.
He influenced many others to receive the Cross in the hope of receiving his assistance, and
he was given a clear deadline for making the voyage. Thereafter he had a meeting with the
63 II Corinthians, 7:5.

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Roman Church at Veroli, and there he publicly swore that within a time set by the Roman
Church he would set off, as was proper for an emperor. 64 Then in another meeting, at
Ferentino, 65 he chose and fixed for himself a term of two years within which to make his
journey, and he solemnly promised and took an oath to sail there, and that he would take a
noble woman, the daughter of our dearest son in Christ the illustrious King John of
Jerusalem, the heiress to this kingdom, as his wife, adding that through this he was
binding himself in perpetuity to the service of the Holy Land, not as other pilgrims but like
a Hospitaller or Templar. However, as the aforesaid deadline approached, he started to put
forward all sorts of excuses, claiming that he was not ready for the voyage, and he offered
great services to the Holy Land, with correspondingly great obligations, in order to gain for
himself a further term of two years. The whole enterprise was borne upon the shoulders of
this prince, the most important one after the Roman Church, and to avoid it collapsing,
with great efforts wasted and energy expended to no purpose, the Apostolic See took the
advice of many bishops and other trustworthy men, omitting nothing that might be
relevant, and he sent our venerable brother Bishop Peter of Albano, and John, cardinal
priest of St. Martin, of good memory, to confirm those things which the emperor had of his
own free will promised for the service of the Cross. They met at S. Germano, along with
many princes from Germany, and the emperor swore with his own hand that in two years
time, in the next August sailing season [passagium] to take place, he would abandon all his
excuses and delays, and set sail. He would support a thousand knights there at his own
expense for the service of the Holy Land, and he would dispatch a hundred thousand
ounces of gold there in the next five sailing seasons, entrusting this money to reliable
persons. 66 The aforesaid cardinals then, with the agreement of the emperor and in his
presence, with the princes and people standing around, publicly pronounced a sentence of
excommunication with the authority of the Apostolic See if he should fail to fulfil any of the
aforesaid conditions. The emperor agreed to this. Furthermore, the emperor pledged
himself to lead a hundred chelandia and fifty galleys, 67 and to keep them beyond the sea
for two years, and that within a set period he would subsidise the passage of two thousand
[more] knights, having an oath sworn on his behalf that he would fulfil these pledges that

64 12th April 1222.

65 March 1223, the results of which were announced by Pope Honorius in a circular letter to the rulers of Europe at the
end of April of that year, MGH Ep. Selectae Saeculi XIII, pp. 152-5 no. 225.
66 The uncia was a nominal accounting sum, worth 30 tar in the currency of the kingdom of Sicily. The tar was the

equivalent of an Islamic quarter-dinar coin.

67 Chelandia were large war galleys, sometimes with a double et of oars, galleys (galea) were smaller and faster

vessels.

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we have described above, and willingly agreeing that both he himself and his kingdom
would suffer the sentence if these conditions were not observed.

How he fulfilled this, you may perceive. In response to his frequent demands many
thousands of crusaders were forced by the threat of excommunication to hasten within the
designated time period to the port of Brindisi, since the emperor had withdrawn his grace
from almost all the [other] cities designated as ports. This same man was frequently
warned by our predecessor, and by us, that he should diligently and faithfully prepare
everything that he had promised to provide, but he paid no attention to all the promises
that he had made, both to the Apostolic See and those that he had given in writing to the
[other] crusaders for the provision of the passage, of food and [other] supplies, nor did he
consider his own salvation. He delayed the Christian army for a long time in the summer
heat in an insalubrious climate until many died, not only a great part of the common
pilgrims, but not a few nobles and magnates, from pestilence, thirst, and from many other
afflictions. Among those who passed away were that noble man, the Landgrave, and the
Bishop of Augsburg. 68 No small part of the army, laid low by illness, left and now scattered
along the roads and hid itself in the forests, mountains, plains and caves. Those who were
left could not obtain the emperors permission to leave, while the galleys, chelandia and
ships in the numbers required for the carriage of victuals, men and horses, which he had
promised, were not there. However, on the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, 69 when the
time was fast approaching when ships would start to return from overseas, they set off to
plough through the billows, risking the dangers for the sake of Jesus Christ, and thinking
that the emperor would follow closely in their wake. He, however, was contemptuous of all
his promises, and he broke the chains by which he was held bound, trod the fear of God
underfoot, thinking nothing of ecclesiastical censure. He abandoned the Christian army,
left the Holy Land open to the infidels, wasted the devotion of the Christian people, and
went back home, to his own shame and that of the whole of Christendom, giving way to
and allured by the customary pleasures of his kingdom, and making, so it is said, frivolous
excuses of illness for the spinelessness of his heart.

Wait and see if there is grief like the grief of the Apostolic See, your mother, so
cruelly and completely deceived in its son, in whom it had placed its trust and hope in this
matter, and on whom it had heaped up an abundance of benefits, while at the same time,

68 Ludwig IV, Landgrave of Thuringia 1217-27, and Siegfried [III] of Rechenberg, Bishop of Augsburg 1208-27.
69 8th September.

78
lest he take the opportunity to prevent help going to the Holy Land, ignoring the exile of
prelates, the plundering, imprisonment and innumerable injuries that he imposed upon
churches, members of religious orders and clergy, and listening to the complaints of
countless poor people and nobles from the patrimony of the Church crying out against
him, which we believe have entered into the ears of the Lord Sabaoth. And although the
Roman Church laments that the son who was raised with such diligence and raised up on
high, should now have been shamefully vanquished without a fight and without being laid
low by the enemy, overthrown so ignominiously and with such confusion and disgrace. It
mourns no less the destruction of the Christian army, which has been defeated not by the
swords or valour of the enemy, but has been wiped out by such a wretched disaster. It also
laments that what is left of the warriors has been exposed to the perils of the sea and the
storm-tossed waves without its leader, and is led by a commander or prince whom it does
not know, and its journey will be of little use to the Holy Land, for we cannot provide, in
accordance with our vow, the comfort of appropriate consolation and the assistance of
timely reinforcement from those who are now suffering the raging storms of the sea and
the anxiety of the [present] time. Furthermore, the Church [also] laments the loss of the
Holy Land, which we were hoping would by now have been snatched from the hands of the
pagans, as once, so it is claimed, the Christian army would have recovered it in exchange
for Damietta, had it not been forbidden to do this, not once but several times, by imperial
letters. Also, the army would not have been trapped by the pagans, had the help of the
emperors galleys then arrived, as had been promised on his behalf and which could have
been provided, nor would Damietta have been lost, which, so it is claimed, was
surrendered by his envoy, and under the banner of the imperial eagles it was that day
cruelly betrayed by its own men, shamefully abandoned and wretchedly handed over by
these men to the infidels. It is indeed forced to renewed sighs and once again bursts into
floods of tears, when thinking of this loss of Damietta described above, for which there had
been so much effort, such monetary expenditure, so many of the faithful had died, and on
which so much time had been wasted; nor is there any one who gives it consolation from
all its woes and wipes the tears from its cheeks.

Therefore we beg you in the Lord, my brothers, and order you through this
Apostolic letter, that you faithfully explain this to the clergy and people entrusted to you,
and persuade these same persons to turn their minds to prepare to put these measures into
effect, and you urge them with diligent exhortation to revenge this injury to Jesus Christ,
so that when, after more extended persuasion, the Apostolic See will see them roused and

79
find them ready and prepared. Meanwhile, lest, like dumb dogs unable to bark, 70 we seem
to be influenced by men rather than God, not inflicting punishment on one who has caused
so much damage to the people of God, we announce publicly, albeit unwillingly, that the
Emperor Frederick, who has neither sailed within the deadline, nor send the agreed sum of
money there in the agreed conveyances, nor did he lead there the thousand knights to be
maintained for two years at his own expense for the reinforcement of the Holy Land, but
rather in these three stipulations he was manifestly wanting, and has thus voluntarily
incurred for himself the snare of excommunication, as has been described. We declare him
to be excommunicated, and we instruct that he should be strictly shunned by everyone. We
order you and the other prelates of the Church publically to proclaim that he has been
excommunicated, and that even graver steps will be taken against him if he persists in his
contumacy.
Source: MGH Epistolae Saeculi XIII e Registris Pontificum Romanorum Selectae, ed. C.
Rodenberg (3 vols., Berlin 1883-94), i.281-4, 284-5 no. 368.]

2. Frederick II addresses a circular letter to all Crusaders, explaining and

justifying his delay to set off on Crusade, complaining about Gregory IXs
behaviour towards him and about his excommunication, and announcing
that he is preparing to set off in the forthcoming spring (written from Capua,
6th December 1227).
Frederick, Emperor of the Romans and always Augustus, to all Crusaders. We are
struck by utter amazement because we are suffering all sorts of attacks and even abuse
from one from whom we expected gratitude for many benefits. We speak reluctantly, but
we cannot keep quiet those matters about which we have for too long kept silence: that the
hopes, which have deceived many, have perhaps deceived us too. We appear to be
approaching the end of time, in which charity is seen to grow cold, not only in its branches
but in its roots. For not only does people rise against people, not only does kingdom
threaten kingdom, not only do pestilence and famine fill the hearts of the living with
terror, but charity itself, by which heaven and earth are ruled, is threatened, not just in its
streams but at its source. The Roman Empire, ordained by Divine providence as the
defender of the Christian faith, has come under serious attack, not by the lowest of the low
but by those whom it honours and whom it had considered as fathers. For if a man rose up
against us as an enemy, if a persecutor of the Church, or an enemy of the faith, was stirring

70 Isaiah, 56: 10.

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up the people subject to our empire in hatred against us, we would take up arms in
defence, and draw the sword, power over which has been entrusted to us by God for the
protection of the faith and the liberty of the Church, and we would begin to fight the good
fight for the Lord with all our strength. But when that universal father, the Vicar of Christ
and successor to St. Peter, in whom we had placed our trust, moves viciously and
unworthily against our person, and appears totally devoted to stirring up hatred against us,
who would not be disturbed, and [also] astonished that such fierce wars were being
prepared against our innocent person? Nothing except pressing necessity would force us
unwilling to resist [him], since we believe that one ought humbly to defer to the Blessed
Peter, as the one to whom the Lord has granted the power of binding and loosing on earth,
71 because of our respect for the One who has granted that power. So let the world hear and
understand that we have for a some time been provoked and are being attacked by the
letters and envoys of our mother the Church, who is behaving towards us, her son, like a
stepmother, and these messages, so we understand, have been sent out against us to every
land.

Indeed you have heard that the Empress Constance, our mother of sacred memory,
showing praiseworthy concern for us as a son whom she loved, by her final wish entrusted
that son by provident arrangement to the bosom of mother Church, that he might not be
deprived of maternal assistance, but having lost the consolation of his mother who had
recently been taken away from him, he might be compensated more effectively and with
more healthful care, to the extent that he could as its ward be provided with assistance
through its spiritual and temporal power. Although the holy and Apostolic See ought to
have shown praiseworthy solicitude for his protection, the ward, however, did not lack
danger from the father, 72 and his kingdom suffered no little harm. Although we might
seem to be telling at too great a length what is already known, our kingdom lay completely
open to invaders, and like a ship in a storm without its oarsmen, so without the
government of the guardian the inheritance of the ward lay powerless and was split into
pieces, and was all but squandered by the gnawing of his enemies. Finally, the rightful
interests of the ward were attacked by a nobleman who was a kinsman, although deeply
hostile to our house, Otto of Saxony, who owed a great deal, although inappropriately, to
the favour of the Apostolic See, in that he was raised to the height of the imperial throne,

71 Cf. Matthew, 16:19.

72 i.e. the pope, who was as a father to his ward, the young king. Frederick was just short of his fourth birthday when
his mother died, leaving Innocent III as his guardian.

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while it appeared that the position of the ward, reeling because of Ottos power, was about
to suffer annihilation. 73 Because man sees matters one way, and God another, Divine
mercy, though reproaching the intention of the man, with great sympathy permitted this
said noble kinsman of ours, although as we have said he was an enemy, arranging
everything through his pride, wickedly to plot, not only against us, his enemy, who had
been entrusted to the Church, but even against our guardian by whom he had been
crowned. After seizing through premeditated evil intention the greater part of our
kingdom, which had already been ravaged by him, he viciously turned his aggression on
the Apostolic See that had promoted him, inflicting many different persecutions upon it; so
that with the bark of Peter wracked by storms, the situation was now even more truly
perilous than previously, when the sailors contained therein could call out, Lord, save us
for we perish. 74 Since no one else was to be found who was willing to assume the offered
dignity of the empire in defiance of us and our right, and who would take care of the bark,
endangered as it was out of port, the princes summoned us, and to their election we owe
the imperial crown. While the Lord was then sleeping in the stern, he was woken by the
cries of his disciples, and that man was cast down by us, whom God had miraculously
saved in a way that man cannot understand. By overthrowing the proud and exalting the
humble, He rebuked, as it were, the wind, and not only saved his bark from the waves, but
miraculously placed it in a safer and higher eminence.

The Almighty knows that coming to Germany recklessly and without assistance we
exposed our person to many dangers, and thanks to Divine help and also that of the
princes of the empire, through our rule Divine power overthrew that proud man, above all
so that the condition of the Church might be reformed, which with the dangers totally
removed He foresaw [would come to pass] in our peace. Thinking devotedly on how we
would give thanks to the Lord for the many benefits which he had conferred upon us, as
soon as we received the royal crown of empire at Aachen, we humbly gave our person and
resources to God with a pure and sincere heart, not as a sacrifice but as a pious bestowal,
even though this was not an equal recompense to make to the one He had made to us. We
persuaded many of the princes and a great crowd of nobles and magnates through our
example, promises and gifts to receive the Cross, some of whom we assisted with financial
subventions and who went at that time to the aid of the Holy Land. For we enthusiastically

73 Fredericks second cousin, Otto IV (1177-1218), the leader of the Welf family, whom Innocent III crowned emperor
in 1209, but subsequently excommunicated. Frederick defeated him in the contest for the German throne after 1212.
74 Matthew, 14:30; Mark, 4:38; Luke 8:24; the imagery of this miracle is continued through the rest of the paragraph.

82
undertook this business out of our devoted wish and for zeal in the Divine service alone;
and because we intended to journey in person with the rest of the crusaders at a more
appropriate time, we requested with great urgency that a deadline be fixed, both for us and
the others, under penalty of ecclesiastical censure. We would most willingly have fulfilled
this, had not the wishes of the princes and evident necessity hindered what we desired,
since the disturbances within the empire had not yet been fully put to rest. Taking
advantage of this delay, our good intentions were then given an evil interpretation,
although they deserved praise and approval. Once the empire was at peace, we came in
response to the Apostolic summons and solemnly received the [imperial] diadem. While
our summons was not made known to many people by the Apostolic See, but we made it
known to the greatest and best men from the provinces of Italy, which are distinguished by
their wealth and the valour of their men. After receiving the imperial crown, we once again
reverently received the sign of the Cross from the hand of the reverend Pope Gregory, now
the pope, but then bishop of Ostia, bringing nearer the vow of vows and the desire of
desires. We then entered with high hopes our kingdom [of Sicily], where we found that its
property and wealth were ruined through long conflicts, and its strongest citadels and
impregnable fortresses had been seized by those who were in rebellion against us, both
Christian and Saracen. It was thus necessary to render these once more subject to us;
nevertheless, amid these labours and at a time when these disturbances had not yet been
stilled, we did not neglect to provide help for the Holy Land. We sent ahead our beloved
princes the duke of Bavaria and the late bishop of Passau, along with many others, to help
Damietta. 75 We urged through envoy after envoy, and letter after letter, begging and
advising the whole Christian army to wait for our fleet and army [to arrive] and not to
advance from Damietta, for we were going to arrive there in person very soon. But ignoring
our requests and advice, and without the counsel of the more noble and wiser men, and
without waiting for the assistance of our fleet, the people rashly set forth and fell into an
unexpected lake, or rather a snare. Knowing nothing of this unlooked for event, we sent
Anselm of Justingen, at that time the marshal, with a force of knights and a supply of
foodstuffs, and in his wake we despatched our faithful subject Count Henry with forty
galleys to reinforce that land on a fine and admirable scale. 76 He arrived at Damietta
safely, but did not find the army there. Since he had received orders from us to contact and
prepare the legate of the Apostolic See, who was then in command of the army until our
happy arrival [for this], he hastened to the army up the river with his galleys, where he met

75 Ludwig of Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria 1183-1231, and Ulrich II, Bishop of Passau 1215-21.
76 Count Henry of Malta, the Genoese admiral of Fredericks fleet.

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the envoys of the legate, namely the Masters of the Knights of the Temple and the house of
St. Mary of the Teutons, and the count of Percy, ordering him on behalf of the legate to
retire. He retreated along with those who had come with him, in order to return the city to
the Sultan to secure the release of the prisoners, and it was in this way that the city was
lost. This did not occur because, as has been recently and untruthfully claimed, we had
sent instructions by letter forbidding the exchange of Damietta. It is not to be credited that
we who have laboured to free the Holy Land, with great care and at vast expense, would
send orders to him [the legate] forbidding an exchange through which the end that we
wanted, and for which we had been working, might have been achieved.

After we had heard the unfortunate rumours about the loss of Damietta, we sent
envoys to the Apostolic See so that we might find appropriate solutions for this terrible
setback, and we decided to meet with the reverend Pope Honorius of happy memory at
Veroli to plan for a rearranged expedition [passagium]. But in the gathering at Veroli it
was decided that unfortunately there were hindrances [to this]. A period of two years had
elapsed when the matter became urgent and we met with this same pope at Ferentino. In
response to his encouragement and Apostolic admonishments with regard to those matters
that he considered important, we inclined our majesty joyfully to take the lady heiress of
the kingdom of Jerusalem as our wife. A deadline was established there for departure,
while Bishop Conrad of Porto of pious memory was sent to Germany and other preachers
to various kingdoms to convey Apostolic warnings and decisions. 77 Finally, after obtaining
our promise, King John and the Master of the Order of the Teutons were able to induce a
few people, albeit of low estate, who were appalled at the recent loss of Damietta, to
undertake the Cross, while to avoid the business being delayed for any reason and to omit
nothing that was relevant, we met at S. Germano with those venerable men Pelagius,
Bishop of Albano, and Gualo of pious memory, cardinal priest of S. Martino, and so that
everyone be encouraged by our gifts and promises, the deadline for the expedition was
postponed for two years. 78 We promised to make the crossing in person and to lead a
thousand knights and to maintain them for two years at our expense in the service of the
Holy Land, to send within the aforesaid term 100,000 ounces to the lands beyond the sea,
in five instalments to be consigned to specified persons, furthermore to provide a hundred
chelandia and fifty galleys, and to arrange the voyage for two thousand knights within the

77 Conrad of Urach, a Cistercian, Cardinal bishop of Porto from 1219, who died on 2nd October 1227.
78 Pelagius, Cardinal bishop of Albano 1213-30, the legate who had accompanied the Fifth Crusade; Gualo, cardinal
priest of S. Martino 1211-27, who had died shortly before in the late summer of 1227

84
specified time. After these matters had been formally agreed, we sent the Master of the
Order of the Teutons to hire troops, but gave him the power at his discretion to select
valiant men and to promise them wages in accordance with their personal merits.
Furthermore, with others about to make the passage, we made an agreement with the
noble prince, our relative, the Landgrave of Thuringia, with regard to the March of
Meissen, that he might assume the Cross and come with us. 79 We allowed him to hold by
right of the empire this same march, worth more than 20,000 marks of silver a year, and
we even added to this five thousand marks from our chamber, preferring to neglect our
own interest rather than the service of the Cross. Following the example of this same
landgrave, and from that of the duke of Limburg and other princes whom we persuaded to
take the Cross through gifts and promises, 80 a great multitude took the sign, while seven
hundred knights were hired by the Master at our expense.

We also instructed masters to be gathered from the various parts of our kingdom to
build the chelandia, of whom eighty were eliminated either by death or illness through the
unhealthiness of the air. As a result not all the vessels were completed, although the
majority were built. At length, with departure becoming imminent, we had the chelandia
and fifty galleys prepared and brought to the departure ports, which were not chosen by us
but were those chosen through long usage, particularly Brindisi, the main departure point,
was always the customary meeting place. We went in person to meet the Landgrave of
Thuringia of distinguished memory and the other princes who were coming. On their
arrival and while we were returning to the expedition, we were visited on the journey by
grave illness from the Lord, which struck us down so fiercely that the doctors urged us to
make a delay, but to ensure that our absence did not prevent the passage taking place, we
ignored the persuasion of the doctors, and we did hesitate to ride in the summer heat
towards Brindisi, where we had ordered the ships and chelandia to be assigned to the
princes and other pilgrims, and for our seven hundred salaried knights, who were paid as
was appropriate, each according to the scale of their equipment and the number of persons
[in their following]. For eight days the ships were loaded with water and other provisions,
with the wind favourable for sailing in safety. With the help of God, the time was now
ready for the ships in which our chamber and household were received after the eighth day

79 The March of Meissen had long been ruled by the Wettin family, but Margrave Henry, whose father had died in
February 1221, was only a small child (he came of age in 1230): Ludwig of Thuringia, his maternal uncle, was thus
given the right of administration.
80 Henry IV, who had become duke of Limburg on the death of his father Walram in July 1226.

85
to set sail, within eleven days. 81 We had such a large fleet of ships that for lack of pilgrims
many vessels remained in port. Through the corruption of the air that harmed the pilgrims,
through which divine Providence, which cannot be foreseen by man, punished by secret
judgement the various parts of the world and especially of our kingdom, nobody was more
severely troubled and injured than were we. For we experienced in our own person what
we lamented in others. Although our convalescence was not yet completed, along with our
beloved relation the landgrave we boarded the galleys, to follow in the wake of those who
had gone on before. But then we were both suddenly struck with such illness that we fell
into a much worse state than before, and after our arrival at Otranto the landgrave was
sadly taken from our midst. 82 His death made us even more deeply upset and we suffered
greatly. The princes and other distinguished persons from the eastern regions who were
present had come to us to discuss the plan for our sailing. After seeing us and realising
what state we were in, and the various problems with which we were surrounded, they did
not think that they could advise us to travel. Since it would be a savage blow to lose us,
when the life and safety of many people depended upon us, our own voyage was delayed so
that we might resume our convalescence; but, the Lord permitting, it was not abandoned,
for our enthusiasm for this enterprise will not be extinguished by any setback while there is
life in our body. Furthermore, we entrusted the supervision of the entire Christian army to
our beloved prince and blood relative the duke of Limburg for the time being, until we
could safely make the crossing. We ordered that the fifty galleys that were laying ready in
the port for our voyage be assigned to the venerable father the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the
Master of the Teutonic Order and other magnates who were about to sail, of whom we
wished no less than twenty to be taken on board for the journey. Being still determined to
reinforce those whom we had sent on in advance and to aid the Holy Land, we ordered
further preparations to be made on other ships and chelandria, intending to set sail with a
larger force the next summer, round about the middle of the next May, when the time
would be more appropriate and conditions more favourable for putting to sea.

We sent two of the judges of our magna curia, our faithful subjects, as envoys to
explain all this in the presence of the pope. Although we hoped to be granted by the father
of fathers the remedy of paternal consolation and the comfort and assistance of gentle
compassion, the lord pope refused to receive or to hear these envoys of ours. Rather he
would not allow anyone to examine or pass judgement on the request from our envoys,

81 Presumably within eleven days of loading having commenced.

82 Ludwig IV died on 11th September 1227.

86
would not investigate the inevitable consequences of our illness, would not consider the
payment of the aforesaid money nor think upon the knights who had already been sent at
our expense. We had not done this without some anxiety of mind, but he denounced us
with regard to these same three issues, and he was pleased to claim that these had not been
fulfilled, although they had been, namely that we did not personally set sail, that we had
not sent the 100,000 ounces, and that we had not despatched a thousand knights for the
assistance of the Holy Land, to remain there for two years at our expense. When the pope
summoned a provincial council of various prelates from all over Italy to discuss this
matter, we responded by sending solemn envoys to the Apostolic See, namely the
archbishops of Reggio and Bari, the duke of Spoleto and Count Henry, our familiares and
faithful subjects, appointed as our representatives in this matter, 83 to explain in the
presence of everybody how illness, which was manifest and of which traces still remained,
had presented our journey in person; and how at the present time we are maintaining
more than a thousand of our knights in the lands overseas at our own expense for the
service of God. These comprise seven hundred knights from north of the Alps, recruited by
the Master of the Teutonic Order and paid at our expense; two hundred and fifty knights
from the regno, recompensed in the past year from the money of the Church, but whom we
have maintained there for a second year with our own money. There were also more than a
hundred knights, split between our own household and other knights from the kingdom,
who had accomplished the sea passage at our expense, and furthermore there were the
four hundred knights promised by the Lombards through the mediation of the Church. We
have therefore arranged to be sent for this same service more than we were committed to
by our promise, unless the Church itself conspires to delay and hold back those whom it
ought rather to encourage to hasten. 84 We have also fulfilled the terms with regard to the
100,000 ounces. We sent first in three instalments 60,000 ounces. For the fourth deadline
the Master of the Order of the Teutons, who is one of those appointed to guard that money,
sought to be assigned our customs revenues at Brindisi for the payment of the fourth
instalment of 20,000 ounces, and he received this and its revenues in lieu of payment. If
indeed the lord pope has remembered, on the vigil of St. Martin, 85 in the presence of his
brothers and all the prelates, with our envoys also present, as we have heard from them,

83 Lando of Anagni, Archbishop of Reggio 1218-32, Marinus Filangieri, Archbishop of Bari 1226-51, Rainald of
Urslingen, Duke of Spoleto and Count Henry of Malta.
84 Here Frederick was correct in his suspicions: Honorius III had written to the Lombard cities on 5th January 1227,
saying that if Frederick did not go in person to the east, they would not be bound to send the 400 knights they had
promised, Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.250-1 no. 331.
85 10th November.

87
the said Master received absolution on our behalf [for this sum]. The remaining 20,000
ounces, which we retained to be carried with us when we sailed, we have sent on ahead
with our chamber, and our envoys and procurators were prepared fully to pledge their faith
concerning this. These men ought to have received a hearing before the prelates discussed
the matter. However, he postponed consideration of our business, and virtually denied
them admission; for first of all each prelate was consulted individually, and then they were
all warned, so it is said by means of a general recommendation expressed in writing, that
they were not to disagree with the policy formulated in advance in any way whatsoever.
Only then did the pope grant an audience to our envoys and procurators. There was
thereafter no further discussion with the prelates, nor did he admit our envoys any further,
nor accept their justifiable explanations and reasoned arguments. He closed the doorway
of justice, which at the Apostolic See ought to be available to everyone and in every case, to
these same envoys and procurators of ours, and repeated his denunciation just as he
wanted [to do].

Furthermore, as soon as the people of Rieti, who are subjects of the Church, to
which they were granted through our generosity, were informed that we had boarded the
galleys at Brindisi, invaded the frontiers of our kingdom in warlike array. They did this
through the instigation of men who, if they remembered the benefits [they had received]
from the empire ought to have prevented the action, for without their permission the
Rietini would not have attempted this. They sought to defeat our faithful subjects who
were closely besieging a man who had recently been in rebellion against us. 86 But through
the action of the right hand of God they were defeated and put to flight by our men, and fell
into the pit which they had dug. 87

We wish for all this to come to universal notice: this is a true account of the series of
events that took place, and we proclaim before Heaven and earth that we are entirely
guiltless, that each and everyone may understand fully the manifest injury [that we have
suffered] and we [also] issue complaint about the injustice brought upon those who have
provided so much service and expense, from whom we and the whole world hoped would
come the longed-for assistance in the cause of the Cross. However great the accusation that
burns from the wounded Church, we trust rather than fear the justice of God, since we

86 It is probable that some words are missing at this point: the rebel was almost certainly Rainald of Bareto, who was
besieged at Antrodoco in the Abruzzi by imperial forces led by Rainald of Urslingen, Duke of Spoleto.
87 Psalm, 7: 15.

88
have a pure conscience. As Scripture says of those who curse unjustly: a blessing on your
curses. We shall never desist from the service to Christ that we have begun, which derives
not from the mouth but from action driven by genuine feeling, an imperial undertaking
that we wish to continue until its desired conclusion, its author being He who is the
beginning and the end, provided that even more serious dispute arises (may this not
happen) that recalls us, unwilling and by force, from such a holy journey. For we hope that
the Divine One has through his mercy delayed our journey for the greater good of the Holy
Land and to bring it more help, since the princes and other prudent men who were
previously consulted now see that if we had happed to make the crossing with the small
force of men who did sail, the truces [in force] could not be breached, but it would have
been necessary for us, who have obtained rank and power beyond that of other Christian
princes, and whose reputation strikes terror into barbarians, to await the help of others,
which would have been a matter of lasting shame to the empire and to the whole Christian
name. We therefore request all of you, we earnestly advise and exhort you, that the general
vow to undertake the business of Christ does not grow cold, but that the greater the
urgency that threatens the more ardently it burns. In the meanwhile you should prepare
yourselves, both those who have already taken the Cross and those whom we move with
zeal for the voyage, to come in good time so that in the middle of the next month of May we
may successfully make the crossing with a strong force and arm raised on high. Everybody
should know for certain that we shall make generous provision for those who set sail, both
in the passage and in other things. Moreover, it is our plan before our crossing to hold a
conference in Ravenna around the middle of next Lent, both with many princes and with
you, so that we may still all the worries in the hearts of our faithful subjects and also to still
rancour and restore peace in Italy, pouring out our grace upon all. Thus we strongly advise
you all and urge you to make sure that you are represented at this conference through men
of diligence as your accredited envoys.
Source: J.L.A. Huillard-Breholles, Historia Diplomatica Friderici II (6 vols. in 12 parts,
Paris 1852-61), iii.37-48.

3. Patriarch Gerold of Jerusalem writes to Gregory IX denouncing the

peace treaty that Frederick II has made with the Sultan al-Kamil (26th March
1229)
To the most holy father in Christ and lord Gregory, by Divine providence supreme
pontiff, G(erold), through Divine mercy humble and unworthy Patriarch of Jerusalem,
[sends] greeting, with the greatest reverence and devotedly kissing his blessed feet. Holy
89
Father, we have sent to inform your holiness about the state of affairs in the Holy Land at
the present time, so that through a fuller understanding of what is going on, your
blessedness may have wider information on particular issues. Your holiness should
therefore know that the emperor travelled to Jaffa from Acre around the feast of St.
Clement, 88 and the Christian army followed him. Once he had arrived there and begun to
fortify it, the pilgrims hastened to the surrounding villages to seek out foodstuffs. On
hearing this, the sultan, who was nearby with his army, responded badly to the envoys of
the emperor, who had previously gone to him from Acre. He said that during the peace
negotiations he [Frederick] ought not to have come to Jaffa with the intention of
constructing fortifications, nor should his villages be harmed, and because of this he sent
back the aforementioned envoys with anger and confusion. The emperor [then] had all
that the pilgrims had taken from the said villages restored to him, and promised to protect
these villages with all [their people], thinking thus to please the sultan. At this time the
sultan sent to him certain vile and contemptible equipment that outwardly seemed to be
the apparatus of a turcopole and of a barber, saying that his land was full of such things. 89
In response, the emperor sent his notary back to the sultan to begin the peace negotiations
once again. He was badly received by the sultan, and immediately departed from him. On
his return journey he was shamefully treated by the Saracens and despoiled of all his
goods. Afterwards, this same notary was sent back again, not without grave scandal and
extraordinary amazement among the pilgrims, [with the emperor] sending his own arms to
the sultan, namely his cuirass, helmet and sword, and telling him, as we have heard from a
reliable report, that he should do as he wished [with these things] from the emperor, since
the latter would never bear arms against him again. To this the sultan made no reply,
despising everything that was being done. Meanwhile, one of the sultans counsellors
[familiares], who pretended to love the emperor, said to the notary that, if this was
pleasing to the sultan, [then] Count Thomas 90 should return to [meet] him, and these two
might once again negotiate some sort of peace and agreement. The oft-mentioned notary
begged the sultan most forcefully that he give his assent to this proposal; and the latter
finally granted the favour requested by the suppliant. So therefore the count returned to
the sultan, and the peace negotiations that had been abandoned, to the shame of all
Christendom, (as described above) were once again begun between him and the aforesaid
counsellor, doubling the shame. While they were going on, our wretched pilgrims were

88 23rd November [1228]; Frederick actually arrived at Jaffa on 15th November.

89 Clearly what the patriarch was suggesting here is that the Sultans gifts were contemptible. A turcopole was a light
cavalryman, usually a mounted archer.
90 Count Thomas of Acerra.

90
being captured or killed indiscriminatingly, and, as we have learned on reliable authority,
we lost more than five hundred of our men, while (so we know for a fact) from the time
when the emperor entered Syria [up to then] the Saracens had only managed to capture or
kill a handful of either his men or those of the Christian army. 91 However, one particular
man from the army who was captured was immediately set free, clad in fine garments and
sent back by the sultan in an honourable manner; but the people from the emperors side
who were escorting him back were, while they were on the way, plundered by the Saracens
of all their goods, and were barely able to escape with their lives. Thus those who were
attacked by the enemies of the faith lacked the help of [their] prince; but if anybody
offended them [the Saracens] for whatever reason, he was punished by him hence fear of
the sword constantly threatened our men, both from the enemy and from within [our own
ranks]. Nor ought one to pass over in silence what was seen to be permitted, to the [even]
greater shame of Christianity. The emperor asked the sultan to have the Christian army
guarded by his Saracens, at the emperors own expense. After the sultan had given
instructions for this, and since the wolves were [now] turned into shepherds, many of our
men fell under their influence. This is something which we mention with the utmost shame
and embarrassment; but the sultan, hearing that the emperor was adopting the style of life
of a Saracen, sent him singers (who are called dancing-girls) and jesters, people who are
indeed not only notorious but ought not even to be mentioned among Christians. This
same prince enjoyed with them all sorts of worldly pleasures, drinking and fancy clothing,
and all in the Saracen manner. The army of Jesus Christ was horrified by such happenings;
still, with the Lords help those who saw these things with their own eyes will tell them to
the ears of your holiness at [another] time and place. Thus he showed himself not merely
generous to the Saracens but extravagant, as if he wished to buy a peace that he was unable
to obtain through force or fear.

Indeed, long before the Nativity of the Lord he [Frederick] ordered the biscottus to
be made ready and the galleys and all [the other] vessels to be prepared; as a result when
the Saracens heard [of this], although previously they were not afraid of him, now they
regarded him with greater contempt. Thereafter, on Septuagesima Sunday, 92 wishing to
make public the peace treaty, which up until now had been secret, he summoned to him
four of the greater men of Syria, and told them that he was now a poor man, that he could

91 Literally a penny number: the Christian army is clearly the resident troops from the kingdom of Jerusalem itself, in
contrast to those who accompanied the emperors expedition.
92 11th February 1229.

91
not prolong his stay there much longer, since he was now very short of money, so that he
looked to them for advice the more easily [to achieve] his objective and desire. However,
when he had finished his introductory speech about [his] poverty, he revealed to them that
the sultan had offered the Holy City to him, keeping for himself the Temple of the Lord,
which must be under the guard of the Saracens, so that Saracens who wished to come there
on pilgrimage would be able to enter it freely [and] without payment, and that he could
fortify the city. [The sultan had also offered] Bethlehem and two insignificant villages
[casalia] 93 which are above the road between Bethlehem and Jerusalem; the villages on
the direct road between Jerusalem and Jaffa; Nazareth and two middle-sized villages
which are on the direct road between Nazareth and Acre; Toron, 94 with some of its
appurtenances, which was not to be fortified; Sidon with [its] plain and two middle-sized
villages in that plain. And it was to be known that not one yard of land was to be restored
to the Patriarch outside the city, nor to the house of the Lords Sepulchre, nor to the
Hospital of St. John, nor to the abbots of the Latins, Jehosophat, the Templum Domini, the
Mount of Olives, nor of Mount Sion; so, to put it briefly, nothing was to be restored outside
the city apart from those things that are named above; that however does not include the
villages belonging to anyone from within the city, apart from the house of the Temple, to
which some of those places between Jerusalem and Jaffa belong. Indeed, the villages that
are claimed to have been restored are few in number, nor are they reckoned to be of any
great value.

The aforesaid nobles replied to this, that they would not dare to criticise him for the
circumstance that he was so poor that he was unable to remain there any longer, provided
that he was able to hold and fortify the city [of Jerusalem]. The Masters of the houses 95
were thereafter summoned and asked about this. They replied, along with the bishops from
England, that they could not really say anything without our advice, saying that our
counsel was the most useful and should be sought, both on account of the status of the
patriarchate and because in particular we held the office of Christs legate in these parts
and for [that] business. To this the emperor responded that he neither had, nor needed,
our advice about this matter. So therefore the emperor, in the presence of the sultans
envoys but with nobody from [this] land present, secretly swore that he would observe
what was contained in a certain sealed document that had never been read or revealed to

93 A casale was an unfortified village.

94 The MS. says Tyre, but this was a scribal error, since Tyre had remained in Christian hands after 1187.
95 That is, the Masters of the Military Monastic Orders.

92
any pilgrim nor any [native] of that land, nor read out by this emperor to the barons or the
masters, nor [been] made public by the sultan. And the sultan was happy with the oath of
the prince alone, nor was any further safeguard required about this, since the emperor
knew well that, if this security should happen to be required from somebody else, then it
was customary that the one from whom it was required would wish for every clause to be
carefully explained to him, before he swore. But since the emperor was acting badly, he
refused the light of reason in everything. Then the emperor summoned his Teutonic
[Knights], who sought nothing except that they might be able to visit the [Holy] Sepulchre.
The emperor began to claim, and the Master of the Germans after him, how he was exalted
through them, and how much the Lord honoured him in that business, not through his
[own] merits but through their prayers. Even if everybody else criticised this, he reckoned
that he was happy with their approval, asking them to rejoice in his honour, and they sang
a chant as a sign of exaltation and joy. This one nation alone raised a chant and made light;
everybody else thought what had been done was folly, since many now fully realised their
trickery. After this had taken place, the Master of the Germans, Count Thomas and the lord
of Sidon went to the Sultan of Babylon, in order to receive an oath from him concerning
these agreements. After receiving this, the lord of Sidon went to the Sultan of Damascus, so
that he might similarly receive an oath from him. But this same sultan now realised that
the Sultan of Babylon and his [other] uncle Seraphius [al-Ashraf] intended to disinherit
him completely, and divide his land among themselves, and because of this he took himself
to Damascus, mustered his men [there], and attempted to resist them stoutly. He was in no
way ready to swear to this truce, saying that his uncle the Sultan of Babylon ought not to,
nor could not rightfully, return land belonging to him to the Christians without his
consent.

Amid all this, the Master of the Germans, to increase his influence, 96 sent to us,
advising and requesting, that we come [to join] the army in person, to make a solemn
entrance to the holy city with the pilgrims, that in future they should be guided by our
advice in everything, and that the emperor was eagerly expecting our arrival. The master
took great pains on this same matter, [sending messages?] to our friends and counsellors
in the army, earnestly entreating that they persuade us to come 97 We advised all those
who had received and read these letters to take note and consider the matter carefully,

96 literally, to make his voice greater.

97 Some words have been omitted here.

93
because the emperor intended to spread all sorts of lies, 98 and one would expect that the
truces and agreements that he had dishonestly and maliciously concluded with the sultan
would lack all real truth and permanence, nor could such wicked madness be hidden for
long. For he was on the point of leaving this land, nor could the land that he claimed to
have gained be kept through his effort; rather he thought himself to be without
responsibility for any of this burden. After his departure he would leave [this] to us,
whatever the situation, whether it be the acquisitions that he claimed to have made, or the
continuance of the work at Jaffa. If subsequently some emergency forced us to leave
Jerusalem or to abandon the work incomplete, then he would say: I gained the Holy City,
which the Patriarch and legate of the Roman Church has [now] lost; I began the
fortification of Jaffa, and it has been lost by the same man, and indeed it would not just be
us who was blamed for this, but also the Church. Although, Holy Father, we were well
aware of the evil intent of the emperor and the deceit and deception of the master on this
issue, we let this pass for the moment and intentionally replied to what we had been told,
writing back to the master, asking that he send us a word-for-word copy of the truce and of
every part of the agreement, so that we might give it the proper consideration that it
deserved and could then more confidently and safely put it into effect. For it was not safe
for us, rather it was utterly foolish, that we should trust ourselves to the hand of the sultan,
without us being certain of the nature of the truce from him. On reading this, the master
immediately sent the above-mentioned copy to us, via brother W[alter] of the Order of
Preachers, our confessor. 99 We have retained this and diligently studied it, we have
noticed among the other extraordinary things contained within it, which we have decided
to send to your Holiness word-for-word, leaving to your blessed self to inspect and pass
judgement upon the proven evildoing of this prince.

From the contents of the treaty document, since we sought [to have] nothing else,
we therefore decided what policy to pursue from then on, and how we ought to proceed on
this whole issue. What was apparent to us from the first was that the sultan had given the
Holy City to the emperor and his representatives to hold and fortify, with no mention
either of the Church or of [other] Christians. So, it was decided that we did not wish to take
our station in that fortress, for after the emperors departure, the sultan would be able to
say; Leave, I have no agreement with you, while the Sultan of Damascus, with whom we
had no truce, would be able seriously to harm us. Furthermore, the wording of the treaty

98 Literally, the borders of his falsity.

99 Cf. Matthew Paris, Chronica Majora, ed. H.R. Luard (7 vols., Rolls Series 1872-4), iii.177.

94
said expressly that the Saracens would as before retain the Temple of the Lord in their
hands, and that only their law would be proclaimed there in its usual way. Since the whole
city would not be restored to the Christian faith, and especially since the Sultan of
Damascus, on whom the said restitution was being imposed by force, had not sworn to
(keep) the treaty, and thus it seemed likely to be of short duration, we took the advice of
wise men and forbade the cleansing of, and the celebration of Divine service in, the holy
places there, because on this issue the advice and consent of your Holiness would be
required. And since we have seen that in all these matters the emperor has acted
treacherously and with evil intent, we have refused permission for any pilgrim whatsoever
to enter Jerusalem and to visit the Sepulchre, saying that decrees on this issue have been
promulgated [both] by you and by your predecessors, and since from such an entry and the
afore mentioned visit no little harm would follow, as well as danger to individuals, we did
not believe that what had been done could be acceptable to you, nor that because of this
you would revoke the prohibition above. And since the right to give absolution from this
sentence did not pertain to us, we had it publicly announced to them through preachers
that it would be necessary to obtain the blessing of this absolution from your Holiness.

But behold, on Holy Saturday, 100 when the Oculi mei was chanted, they all as one
made entrance to the city with the prince, who at first light on that day of the Lord entered
the Sepulchre, and clad in royal robes placed a crown on his head. After that, the Master of
the Germans rose up and commenced a long and prolix sermon to the nobles and people,
first in German and afterwards in French, and (so we have been told), not just exonerated
but praised the prince, and saving his grace laid many accusations against the Church. At
the end of his sermon, he asked the nobles to support the work for the fortification of the
city. The emperor [then] had secular knights receive the offerings made to the Holy
Sepulchre and to the other churches, to be used for the aforesaid work, even though the
canons were unwilling and were ejected. After lunch he left the city. He had the venerable
Bishops of Winchester and Exeter 101 summoned to him, along with the Master of the
Hospital of St. John and the preceptor of the knights of the Temple the Master of the
Temple being absent and on the advice of the Master of the Germans, and through that
master, he first of all requested their assistance in constructing these fortifications. They
replied that they wanted some time to discuss this issue. Secondly, on the masters advice,

100 17th March 1229.

101 Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester 1205-38, and William Brewer, Bishop of Exeter 1223-44, both of whom
had taken part in Fredericks Crusade.

95
and [again] through this same master, he sought their opinion as to whether it would be to
his advantage to carry out the said work. They replied that they would make their response
to him on this matter tomorrow (Sunday) morning. But when morning came, he and his
whole household left the city in haste, to everybodys astonishment, having decided to set
off on the journey home. Hearing of this, those who were supposed to be making a
response to his words that day, hastened after him. The brothers of the Temple responded
as one that if he wanted to fortify the city, as he had promised, they would do their best to
help him accomplish this, for the house of the Temple would receive commendation from
both God and men for this meritorious work. He [then] replied that he wanted to have
fuller discussion about this issue on another occasion. And so he abandoned them, and
without any ceremony in the city he set off in haste that same day for Jaffa, so fast that he
found scarcely anyone who could follow him. Seeing this, the pilgrims, who thought that he
was on their side, were troubled; hearing among other things the proclamation of the law
of Mahomed solemnly and loudly repeated, they were doubly covered with confusion, as
though by a cloak, and now that they realised his evil doing they all left the city and
followed him to the port for his embarkation, because it was not to be hoped that any
Christian should remain there. The emperor arrived in Acre in the middle of Lent, hurrying
to embark in whichever way was possible. He tried to drag the Teutonic knights away with
him, but he was unable to get his own way in this matter, since they feared a sentence of
excommunication, and from this time on did not have great faith [in him]. Meanwhile
some pilgrims were killed as they travelled to the Sepulchre; as a consequence it eventually
seemed to those making the journey that there was no security from this sort of evildoing.
What took place thereafter, we shall take care to inform your holiness faithfully and
diligently as quickly as we can. We shall be sending this letter by several different
messengers, so that at least one of these documents will arrive.
Source: MGH Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.299-304 no. 384

4. Pope Gregory IX writes to Duke Leopold of Austria (and other prelates

and rulers), denouncing Frederick IIs treaty with al-Kamil (18th July 1229)
To the noble man, the Duke of Austria, 102
Among the other crimes by which the so-called emperor, Frederick, has harmed and
betrayed the faith of the Christian name, you ought to take note of four in particular, to be

102Leopold [VI] of Babenberg, Duke of Austria 1198-1230, who had taken part in the Fifth Crusade, and whose
daughter had married the emperors son Henry in 1225.

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deplored in a four-fold manner, that have been faithfully reported to us by the Patriarch of
Jerusalem, the legate of the Apostolic See, and are clearly shown in the content of a treaty
that has been concluded with the pagans. First, having taken the power of the sword from
the altar of St. Peter, assigned to him by Christ through his vicar for the punishment of
evildoers and the encouragement of the good, through which he might strengthen the
peace of Christ and defend the faith of the Church, he has most shamefully surrendered the
arms of Christian knighthood to the Sultan of Babylon, the enemy of the faith and the
adversary of Jesus Christ, announcing to him that he may do with this as he wishes, and
asserting that he is unwilling to take up arms against him further this from he who
received the dignity of imperial rank that he might fight loyally as a warrior of the faith.
From this it is clearly shown that he has freely renounced both his honour and the imperial
dignity. Since he has abandoned the use of the sword against the enemies of the faith in a
disgraceful agreement and with unheard-of presumption, he disqualifies himself from the
exercise of power and rank and for this reason he renders himself [only] a private person,
because he promised and swore that he would be charitable towards others; for someone
who has abused the power that has been granted to him deserves to lose his privileged
position. Secondly, and even more disgraceful and to be abhorred and greeted with
astonishment, he has impudently and irreverently ejected that same [faith] from the
Temple of God, in which Christ was given and where he established his first cathedral seat
when he sat in the midst of the doctors, replying to them, and in His seat he has placed
that lost man Mahomed, allowing his evil doctrine and law to be preached and proclaimed
in the Temple of God. He has imposed silence on the herald teaching the truth, and
entrusted guard on that temple and the keys of His enclosure to the Saracens. He has
decreed that no Christian shall enter it, unless having first been questioned from the
Temple mount he shall reveal his faith to a pagan. From this it is manifestly clear that it is
left to the judgement of a Saracen whether a Christian ought to enter the Temple of God.
The third thing is that he has exposed Antioch and the province of Antioch, and also
Tripoli and those places near it, the castle called Crac, Chastelblanche and Margab, to
occupation by the pagans, when he excepted those places from the coverage of the truces.
Rather, if it should happen that they were to be invaded by the pagans, not only has he
agreed that he should deny all help to them, but he has bound himself by a most wicked
oath to prevent and hinder all those bringing help. As if it was not sufficient that with
unheard of tyranny and treacherous decree to make the Temple of God subject to the
power of the enemies of the faith and to be profaned by the impurities of the pagans or to
have Christ shamefully cast out from his seat, he has also through this oath taken by him

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served the first seat of the Prince of the Apostles, His vicar, badly. He has exposed [it] to
the enemies of the Christian faith, clearly showing that he [has been] unfaithful to the head
[of Christianity] and not just to one member [of it], and should be cast out of the whole
body [of the faith]. Fourth, he has ranged himself against the whole Christian people and
by open alliance with the pagans, whence therefore he has damnably pledged himself, that
he shall be obliged on oath to wage war, at his own expense with his army, to the utmost of
his power, against all those who wish in any way to obstruct what has been agreed in these
negotiations between them. From this it is clear that if the Christian army wants to revenge
the injury done to its Redeemer, and to drive the filthiness of the pagans from the Temple
of God and the Holy Land, he will be obliged openly to oppose himself against the
Christians.

Does not your zeal consider this to be unworthy, that Christ should with impunity
be driven out from His seat and His kingdom, or will you, with eyes closed to the Christian
religion, approve the action of a prince who is a Christian in name only, through which the
Temple of God is granted to Mahomed? Let it not happened that you should be an
accomplice or accessory of someone who is guilty of this treason! If someone by whose
action or deceit a city or province is betrayed to the enemy is guilty of this crime, how
much greater is he guilty of this same crime who has contrived wicked plots with the
enemies of the faith of Christ against the king of Heaven and eternal ruler, so that his
throne should be transferred to the enemy? If according to the laws of secular princes this
crime is to be punished with such a severe and frightful penalty that revenge will be meted
out not just to those responsible for this wickedness but also to the accomplice of the
condemned, and one guilty of this crime shall be deprived not just of [his] honor 103 but his
life, and his sons shall be condemned to perpetual infamy, so that they will thereafter be
appointed to no honor nor [be allowed] any sacrament, so that death will be a comfort to
them and life will be turned into a torment, by how much greater a penalty does he merit
who offends our Lord, Jesus Christ the Son of God, by so many and so great acts of
impiety, since it is far more serious to give offence to the eternal rather than earthly
majesty? Hence, we ask your nobility, and advise you in the Lord, begging through the
shedding of the blood of Christ, that you rise up to avenge the injury to God our Saviour in
such a way that, when you shall be required by us, the Church your mother shall find you
ready to expunge the infamy of the enemies of the Cross of Christ and to wipe away the

103 honor = lordship or property, not honour in our sense, although this is also implied by the sentence as a whole.

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stain of such great infamy from the glorious name of Christ. 104 We have recently received
letters concerning these matters from the patriarch, the first on the Sunday after the feat
of the Apostles, and the other on the Saturday following, 105 in which, among other
matters, we have read that after the said Frederick left the city of Jerusalem, he besieged
the patriarch and the brothers of the Temple in Acre for five days, and launched a fierce
attack on them and those who were with them, intending to plunder their house of all its
goods. But since the Lord defeated his wicked attempt, he was unable to achieve what he
intended, he has had the crossbows and other weapons that had been left there, both by
our most beloved son in Christ King John of Jerusalem and by other pilgrims, and kept
safe for a long time for the defence of that land, transported in secret to his ships. Some of
these he has taken away with him, others he has sent to that enemy of the faith the sultan,
while the galleys that should have been left there to guard the land have been destroyed.
He has abandoned the city in secret and with great haste on the feast of the Apostles Philip
and James [1st May], and thus leaving the land deprived of men and its forces, arms and
defences, has has exposed it to occupation by the enemies of the faith.
Dated at Perugia, on 18th July, in the third year of our pontificate.

Identical letters have been written to the Archbishop of Rouen and his suffragans,
the Archbishop of Sens and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Rheims and his suffragans,
the Archbishop of Bourges and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Bordeaux and his
suffragans, the Archbishop of Tours and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Embrun and his
suffragans.

[And] to the Archbishop of Compostella and his suffragans, the Archbishop of

Toledo and his suffragans, and to the Archbishop of Narbonne and his suffragans, to the
Archbishop of Canterbury and his suffragans, and to the Archbishop of York and his
suffragans, to the Archbishop of Cologne and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Trier and
his suffragans, the Archbishop of Bremen and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Mainz and
his suffragans, the Archbishop of Magdeburg and his suffragans, the Archbishop of
Salzburg and his suffragans, the Bishop of Speyer, the Bishop of Passau, the Bishop of
Regensburg, to the Bishop of Modena and legate of the Apostolic See, to O[tto] [cardinal

104 Literally, from the glory of the name of Christ. Note also the word play: exprobandum obprobrium.
105 Thus on 1st July and 7th July 1229.

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deacon] of S. Nicola in Carcere Tulliano, legate of the Apostolic See, 106 the Archbishop of
Cracow (Colocensi ?) and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Estragom (Strigoniensi ?) and
his suffragans, the Bishop of Prague, the Patriarch of Aquileia and his suffragans, the
Patriarch of Grado and his suffragans, the Archbishop and Podest of Genoa, the rectors of
Lombardy, the Marches and the Romagna, the people of Parma, Alessandria and Cremona,
the Archbishop of Tarantaise and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Auch (Aquensi ?) and
his suffragans, the Archbishop of Upsala and his suffragans, the Archbishop of Nidaros
and his suffragans, G[offredo]. Cardinal priest of S. Marco, legate of the Apostolic See in
Lombardy. 107

To the Kings of Portugal, Leon, Castile, Navarre, Aragon, France, England,

Scotland, Denmark, Hungary, King Bela, the King of Bohemia, King Coleman, Brother
Guala, [and] to the Duke of Bavaria and Carinthia, the Duke of Austria, 108 the Duchess of
Austria, the Duke of Norway, the Doge of Venice, and to the Landgrave of [Thuringia?].
Source: MGH Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.315-17 no. 39

5. Pope Gregory IX warns John of Ibelin to make peace with Frederick II

(7th August 1234)
To the noble man John of Ibelin, [wishing him] the spirit of wiser counsel.
You will know that it has come to our ears that, influenced by evil influence, you
have gravely offended our dearest son in Christ, Frederick, Emperor of the Romans [and]
always Augustus, illustrious King of Jerusalem and Sicily. You have not deferred to his
imperial majesty, nor have you been mindful of him, so that you might have avoided the
problem of this sort of difficulty. Since therefore one should provide suitable medicine for
this wound, we advise your nobility and earnestly entreat and counsel you in good faith,
that when the matter is considered more carefully, you make satisfaction to him without
being violently coerced, through suitable envoys whom you should not delay in sending to
him; [and] you should offer satisfaction to him of your own accord for the harm and the
injuries inflicted. For we shall take steps to provide with paternal solicitude for your safety
and that of your people, and that you be restored to his [good] grace, as opportunity shall

106 Ottone da Tonengo, created cardinal deacon in September 1227, formerly a cathedral canon of Ivrea in Piedmont,
papal envoy to England in 1225, papal legate to Germany and Denmark 1229-31, and subsequently to the British Isles
1237-41. He was promoted to be Cardinal Bishop of Porto in 1245, and died at Lyons during the winter of 1250/1.
107 Goffredo Castigliano, from Milan, nephew of Pope Urban III, created Cardinal priest in September 1227, elected
pope 25th October 1241 as Celestine IV, died after a pontificate of 17 days.
108 The scribe clearly forgot to whom the model for this letter was addressed.

100
allow. Because if any doubt shall have perhaps restrained you [hitherto] from [heeding]
our advice, [now] trusting in our instruction[s], you may at least, of your own free will,
make satisfaction to the aforesaid emperor, as the Roman Church has told [you] should be
done. Otherwise, since we cannot, nor also ought we not, to be lacking in [that] justice to
him, for which we are indebted to others, we shall be forced to exercise against you the
rigour of justice, in accordance with the office entrusted to us by God, and you will only
have your own stubbornness to blame for the dangers that will then face you.
Dated at Arronis [Narni?], on the 7th August, in the eight year [of our pontificate].
Source: MGH Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.480-1 no. 593]

6. Pope Gregory IX to the barons of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the

citizens of Acre, ordering them to observe the peace (8th August 1234)
To the noble men, the barons of the kingdom of Jerusalem and the citizens of Acre.

We remain unceasingly anxious and worry without pause about the liberation of the
Holy Land, as we contemplate its wretched state, thinking on suitable plans for its welfare.
Thus, having recently consulted with our brothers the venerable patriarchs of
Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem, with the bishops and many other prelates of
churches found at the Apostolic See, and with the presence and agreement of our dearest
son in Christ, Frederick, Emperor of the Romans [and] always Augustus, illustrious King of
Jerusalem and Sicily, we have taken steps for widespread assistance to be brought to that
sacred land from the Christian people everywhere. So it is particularly necessary for that
enterprise that peace treaties and truces must be observed. For indeed that land lies in
great danger as a consequence of strife, because on this account effort of this sort would be
useless if that [place] does not have peace, and it might easily happen that the few
remaining parts of it that are left would be lost: as a result this plan has been set forth.
Inasmuch as we are unwilling, nor ought we, to suffer its annihilation, we have decided to
send to your parts our venerable brother the Archbishop of Ravenna, as legate of the
Apostolic See, whose qualities of discretion and trustworthiness encourage us to entrust to
him with confidence [the task of] acting in our stead in these difficult negotiations. We
advise and earnestly entreat all of you, begging [you] through the shedding of the blood of
Jesus Christ and enjoining you in the remission of sins, that you observe absolutely the
peace which formerly the aforesaid Patriarch of Antioch and [our] beloved son the Master
of the House of the Teutons were at pains to make between the emperor on the one hand
and you on the other, accepting it without [making] any difficulties even though since
101
letters [about this] did not arrive for us at an appropriate time, it was not [formally]
confirmed by the Apostolic See. 109 Thus with the Lord being propitiated, there exists no
obstacle to prevent the Church calling the Christian people to your assistance, as it intends.
In addition, as we are unwilling that justice should be denied to the aforesaid emperor,
whom we are obliged to sustain in his affairs in more abundant affection as a special son of
the Church, we have by letter enjoined that archbishop whom you have received with due
honour as a legate of the Roman Church, humbly receiving his advice and instructions,
that in making peace he restore by our authority all those matters which pertain to the
right of possession and property to that state in which they are understood to have been,
before discord arose between the imperial marshal and yourselves.
Dated at Spoleto, 8th August, eighth year [of our pontificate].
Source: MGH Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.481-2 no. 594

XXII. Assizes of Jerusalem by John of Ibelin (1264-

1266)
These are those who are not able to give testimony in the High Court, and who cannot
bring testimony before the court: perjurers, the insane, traitors, bastards, adulterers, those
whose champion has been defeated in the field [of judgment], those who have served the
Saracens and fight against Christians, or Greeks or people of such birth who are not
obedient to Rome.
Source: Translated from Jean dIbelin, Le livre de Jean dIbelin, Recueil des
historians des croisades: Lois, vol. 1, p. 114, in Christopher MacEvitt, The Crusades and
the Christian World of the East (Philadelphia, 2008), pp. 138-39

XXIII. Guide book to Palestine (c.1350)

(43) Thence you shall go out of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and on the left hand you
shall find a little chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under Mount Calvary, where she stood
gazing upon her Son hanging on the cross. And there the Nubians minister. And there is an
indulgence for seven years and seven Lenten seasons.

109 Here Gregorys chancery let him down, since in fact he had confirmed this peace five months earlier, on 22nd March
1234, Epistolae Saeculi XIII Selectae, i.471- no. 578.

102
(46) Then you shall have opposite you a chapel built in honour of St. Mary Magdalene,
where along with the other women she wept and bewailed the Lord as He hung on the
cross. And there the cinctured Christians [i.e. in this case Georgians] minister. And there is
an indulgence for seven years and seven Lenten seasons.

(72) Then you come to the fountain of blessed Mary, where she washed the little clothes of
her blessed Son. There both Saracens and Christians now bathe, and are often relieved
from their infirmities. And there is an indulgence for seven years and seven Lenten
seasons.

(92) Then a bow-shot off is the temple of the Lord, which has four entrances and twelve
gates.
The holy temple of the Lord, which was built by Solomon on Mount Moriah at the
threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite, is not to be passed by among the holy places worthy
of veneration. It was, indeed, first destroyed by the Babylonians, and afterwards by the
Romans ; but it was rebuilt in the same place in a round form, suitably and magnificently,
with wonderful and subtle workmanship, by faithful and godly men. In this temple is the
rock above which it is said that the destroying angel stood and appeared to David, who, for
the sin of numbering the people which was done at David's command, slew countless
thousands of them. Indeed, the Saracens to this day call the Lord's temple The Rock: it is
held in so great veneration that none of them dare defile it with any filth, as they defile the
other holy places ; but from remote and far-distant regions they come to adore it from the
days of Solomon to the present time. Whenever the Saracens have possession of the holy
city, Jerusalem, they allow no Christian to enter the temple. It is believed by some that to
this day the ark of the Lord is shut up in the aforesaid rock, and that Josiah, King of Israel,
foreseeing the impending destruction of the city, ordered it to be placed in the sanctuary of
the temple, and hidden there.

(97) Also Solomon's temple is near; but Christians do not enter it for fear of the Saracens.

(99) Thence you go to the church of blessed Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, which is
near the gate through which you would go to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, on the north side.
Here is the crypt in which the Virgin Mary was born, formerly the house of Joachim and
blessed Anna his wife. (100) Into this Christians do not enter, because the Saracens have
there built their mosque; that is, their church.

103
(131) Twelve miles from Bethlehem is Hebron, a very ancient city, the metropolis of the
Philistines, the dwelling place of the giants, in the tribe of Judah. Hebron is situated in the
Plain of Damascus, in that field where the Great Creator first fashioned our father Adam
'after His own image.' In this city is a temple of wondrous beauty, in which is that Double
Cave where were buried those four venerated men, viz., Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
with their wives, Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah. (132) Christians do not enter that temple
for fear of the Saracens. And there is absolution from pain and guilt.

(169) Then you come, five miles, to the village of Caromus [This is the reading of the MS.,
but the place meant is probably Bab-ed-Diron]. They make very good wine there. And
there the cinctured Christians live. There used to be here a great hostel of St. John of
Jerusalem, but it has been utterly destroyed by the Saracens.

(170) Then six days' journey on you come to a place where is a certain fountain, called the
Fountain of Blessed Mary. For Joseph, being warned in a dream by the angel that he
should take the boy and his mother and fly into Egypt, they came to this place. And the
blessed Virgin was not able to proceed further for the intolerable thirst from which she
suffered; and, having nothing to drink, for her grievous pain she laid the Infant down on
the ground ; and He striking the earth with a very gentle blow of His foot, forthwith
delicious water bubbled forth.
And she drank and was strengthened. This fountain waters the balsam gardens to this day,
and the place is called La Materye [Or Matarea, as the place is called in the 'Arabic Gosple
of the Infancy,' whence the legend is derived]. Saracens and Christians alike bathe there.

(204) Also in Damascus there is a church where Ananias on a set day in the baptismal font
made Saul into Paul, a wolf into a lamb. There the cinctured Christians minister.

(206) Ten miles from Damascus is the city of Sardinaya, in which is the venerated image of
the glorious Virgin Mary, which was brought from Jerusalem. This blessed image was
entirely converted into a fleshly substance, so that it ceases not night and day to emit a
sacred oil, which the pilgrims who come there from every quarter carry away in little glass
jars. No Saracen can live in this city; they always die within a year.

Source: Guide-Book to Palestine (ca. 1350), ed. J.H. Bernard, Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society,
vol. 26, London 1894.
104
XXIV. Burchard of Strasbourg on the holy icon at
Saydnaya (c.1175)
Four miles from Damascus [actually ca. 25km NE of Damascus] is a certain place located
in the mountains that is called Saydaneia and is inhabited by Christians; there is a church,
located in the rock [and] dedicated in honor of the Blessed Virgin, in which twelve virgin
nuns and eight monks serve God and the Blessed Virgin. In that church I saw a wooden
panel one ell long and half an ell broad, placed in the wall behind the altar, visible without
obstruction through a window, and secured by a barred iron ceiling. On this panel there
glittered once the painted image of the Blessed Virgin, but now - which is wondrous to
relate - the picture of the wood is made flesh, and oil more fragrant than the odor of
balsam spreads from it unceasingly. By this oil many Christians and other people, who
suffer from diverse illnesses, are restored to health and the oil never diminishes no matter
how much one takes of it. Nobody dares to touch the said panel, but all are permitted to
see it. The oil, guarded by a Christian monk, augments; and if one takes it for whatever
sickness with devotion and sincere faith, he will undoubtedly obtain his request for the
honor of the Blessed Virgin, at the celebration of Mass. All Saracens of that country flock to
that place on the Assumption and the Nativity of the Glorious Virgin, together with the
Christians, in order to pray there. The Saracens offer there their ceremonies with utmost
devotion.

Source: Translated by Benjamin Kedar in id.,'Convergences of Oriental Christian, Muslim

and Frankish worshippers: the case of Saydnaya and the knights Templar', in: Zsolt
Hunyadi & Jzsef Laszlovszky (eds.), The Crusades and the Military Orders (Budapest,
2001), p. 93, from the Latin edition in Paul Lehmann & Otto Glauning, 'Mittelalterliche
Handschriftenbruchstcke der Universittsbibliothek und des Georgianum zu Mnchen',
Zentralblatt fr Bibliothekswesen, Beiheft 72 (1940), 67-68.

XXV. The Pilgrimage of Abbot Daniel (1106/1107)

1. The Holy Fire Miracle at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The following is a description of the Holy Light, which descends upon the Holy Sepulchre,
as the Lord vouchsafed to show it to me, his wicked and unworthy servant. For in very
truth I have seen with my own sinful eves how that Holy Light descends upon the
105
redeeming Tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many pilgrims relate incorrectly the details
about the descent of that Holy Light Some say that the Holy Ghost descends upon the Holy
Sepulchre in the form of a dove; others that it is lightning from heaven which kindles the
lamps above the Sepulchre of the Lord. This is all untrue, for neither dove nor lightning is
to be seen at that moment; but the Divine grace comes down unseen from heaven, and
lights the lamps of the Sepulchre of our Lord. I will only describe it in perfect truth as I
have seen it. On Holy Friday, after Vespers, they clean the Holy Sepulchre and wash all the
lamps that are there; they fill the lamps with pure oil without water and after having put in
the wicks, leave them unlighted they affix the seals to the Tomb at the second hour of the
night. At the same time they extinguish all the lamps and wax candles in every church in
Jerusalem. Upon that same Friday, at the first hour of the day, I, the unworthy, entered the
presence of Prince Baldwin, and bowed myself to the ground before him. Seeing me, as I
bowed, he bade me, in a friendly manner, come to him, and said, 'What dost thou want,
Russian abbot?' for he knew me and liked me, being a man of great kindness and humility
and not given to pride. I said to him, 'My prince and my lord! for the love of God, and out
of regard for the Russian princes, allow me to place my lamp on the Holy Sepulchre in the
name of the whole Russian country.' Then with peculiar kindness and attention he gave me
permission to place my lamp on the Sepulchre of the Lord, and sent one of his chief
retainers with me to the custodian of the Resurrection, and to the keeper of the keys of the
Holy Sepulchre. The custodian and the keeper of the keys directed me to bring my lamp
filled with oil. I thanked them, and hastened, with much joy, to purchase a very large glass
lamp; having filled it with pure oil, I carried it to the Holy Sepulchre towards evening, and
was conducted to the afore-mentioned keeper, who was alone in the chapel of the Tomb.
Opening the sacred portal for me, he ordered me to take off my shoes; and then, having
admitted me barefooted to the Holy Sepulchre, with the lamp that I bore, he directed me to
place it on the Tomb of the Lord. I placed it, with my sinful hands, on the spot occupied by
the sacred feet of our Lord Jesus Christ; the lamp of the Greeks being where the head lay,
and that of St. Sabbas and all the monasteries in the position of the breast; for it is the
custom of the Greeks and of the Monastery of St. Sabbas to place their lamps there each
year. By God's grace these three lamps kindled on that occasion, but not one of those
belonging to the Franks, which hung above, received the light. After having placed my
lamp on the Holy Sepulchre, and after having adored and kissed, with penitence and pious
tears, the sacred place upon which the body of our Lord Jesus Christ lay; I left the Holy
Tomb filled with joy, and retired to my cell.

On the morrow, Holy Saturday, at the sixth hour of the day, everyone assembles in front of
106
the Church of the Holy Resurrection; foreigners and natives people from all countries,
from Babylon, from Egypt, and from every part of the world, come together on that day in
countless numbers; the crowd fills the open space round the church and round the place of
the Crucifixion. The crush is terrible, and the turmoil so great that many persons are
suffocated in the dense crowd of people who stand, unlighted tapers in hand, waiting for
the opening of the church doors. The priests alone are inside the church, and priests and
crowd alike wait for the arrival of the Prince and his suite; then, the doors being opened,
the people rush in, pushing and jostling each other, and fill the church and the galleries,
for the church alone could not contain such a multitude. A large portion of the crowd has
to remain outside round Golgotha and the place of the skull, and as far as the spot where
the crosses were set up; every place is filled with an innumerable multitude. All the people,
within and without the church, cry ceaselessly, 'Kyrie Eleison' (Lord, have mercy upon us);
and this cry is so loud that the whole building resounds and vibrates with it. The faithful
shed torrents of tears; even he who has a heart of stone cannot refrain from weeping; each
one, searching the innermost depths of his soul, thinks of his sins, and says secretly to
himself, 'Will my sins prevent the descent of the Holy Light?' The faithful remain thus
weeping with heavy heart; Prince Baldwin himself looks contrite and greatly humbled;
torrents of tears stream from his eyes; and his suite stand pensively around him near the
high altar, opposite the Tomb.

Saturday, about the seventh hour, Prince Baldwin, with his suite, left his house, and,
proceeding on foot towards the Sepulchre of our Lord, sent to the hospice of St. Sabbas for
the abbot and monks of St. Sabbas; the abbot, followed by the monks, thereupon set out
for the Holy Sepulchre, and I, unworthy, went with them. When we reached the Prince we
all saluted him; he returned our salute and directed the abbot and me, the lowly one, to
walk by his side, whilst the other abbots and the monks went in front, and the suite
followed behind. We thus reached the western door of the Church of the Resurrection, but
such a dense crowd obstructed the entrance that we could not get in. Prince Baldwin
thereupon ordered his soldiers to disperse the crowd and open a way for us; this they did
by clearing a lane to the Tomb, and we were able in this manner to pass through the crowd.
We reached the eastern door of the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord, and the Prince, who
came after us, took his post to the right, near the railing of the high altar, in front of the
eastern door of the Tomb; at that spot there is a raised place for the Prince. The Prince
ordered the Abbot of St. Sabbas to take up a position over (beyond?) the Tomb, with his
monks and the orthodox priests; as for me, the lowly one, he directed me to place myself
higher up, above (beyond?) the doors of the Holy Sepulchre, in front of the high altar, so
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that I could see through the doors of the Tomb; these doors, three in number, were sealed
up with the royal seal. The Latin priests stood by the high altar.

At the eighth hour the orthodox priests, who were over (beyond?) the Holy Sepulchre, with
the clergy, monks, and hermits, commenced chanting the Vespers; and the Latins, by the
high altar, began to mumble after their manner. Whilst all were thus singing I kept my
place and attentively watched the doors of the Tomb. When they commenced reading the
'parmia' for Holy Saturday during the reading of the first lesson, the bishop, followed by
the deacon, left the high altar, and going to the doors of the Tomb, looked through the
grille, but, seeing no light, returned. When they commenced reading the sixth lesson of the
'parmia,' the same bishop returned to the door of the Holy Sepulchre, but saw no change.
All the people, weeping, then cried out 'Kyrie Eleison ' which means, 'Lord, have mercy
upon us!' At the end of the ninth hour, when they commenced chanting the Canticle of the
passage (of the Red Sea), 'Cantabo Domino,' a small cloud, coming suddenly from the east,
rested above the open dome of the church; fine rain fell on the Holy Sepulchre, and wet us
and all those who were above (beyond?) the Tomb. It was at this moment that the Holy
Light suddenly illuminated the Holy Sepulchre, shining with an awe-aspiring and splendid
brightness. The bishop, who was followed by four deacons, then opened the doors of the
Tomb, and entered with the taper of Prince Baldwin so as to light it first at the Holy Light;
he afterwards returned it to the Prince, who resumed his place, holding, with great joy, the
taper in his hands. We lighted our tapers from that of the Prince, and so passed on the
flame to everyone in the church.

This Holy Light is like no ordinary flame, for it burns in a marvellous way with
indescribable brightness, and a ruddy colour like that of cinnabar. All the people remain
standing with lighted tapers, and repeat in a loud voice with intense joy and eagerness:
'Lord, have mercy upon us!' Man can experience no joy like that which every Christian feels
at the moment when he sees the Holy Light of God. He who has not taken part in the glory
of that day will not believe the record of all that I have seen. It is only wise, believing men
who will plate complete trust in the truth of this narrative, and who will hear with delight
all the details concerning the holy places. He who is faithful in little will also be faithful in
much; but to the wicked and incredulous the truth seems always a lie. God and the Holy
Sepulchre of our Lord bear witness to my stories and to my humble person; so do my
companions from Russia, Novgorod, and Kiev:
Iziaslav Ivanovitch, Gorodislav Mikhailovitch, the two Kashkitch, and many others who
were there the same day.

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But to return to my narrative. Directly the light shone in the Holy Sepulchre the chant
ceased, and all, crying out 'Kyrie Eleison,' moved towards the church with great joy,
bearing the lighted tapers in their hands, and protecting them from the wind. Everyone
then goes home; and the people after lighting the lamps of the churches with their tapers,
remain in them to terminate the Vespers; whilst the priests alone, and without assistance,
finish the Vespers in the great Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Carrying the lighted tapers,
we returned to our monastery with the abbot and the monks; we finished the Vespers there
and then retired to our cells, praising God for having condescended to show us unworthy
ones His Divine grace. The morning of Holy Sunday, after having chanted the
matins, exchanged kisses with the abbot and monks, and received absolution, we started
about the first hour of the day for the Holy Sepulchre; the abbot cross in hand, and all
the monks singing the hymn, 'Immortal One, Thou hast deigned to go down into the
Tomb.' Having entered the Holy Sepulchre, we covered the life-giving tomb of the Lord
with kisses and scorching tears; we breathed with ecstasy the perfume which the presence
of the Holy Ghost had left; and we gazed in admiration on the lamps which still burned
with a bright and marvellous splendour The custodian and the keeper of the keys told us,
and the abbot, that the three lamps [placed below on the Holy Sepulchre] had kindled. The
five other lamps suspended above were also burning, but their light was different from that
of the three first, and had not that marvellous brightness. We afterwards left the tomb by
the west door, and, having proceeded to the high altar, kissed the orthodox and received
absolution; we then, with the abbot and the monks, left the Temple of the Holy
Resurrection, and returned to our monastery to rest until it was time for mass.

The third day after the Resurrection of our Lord I went, after mass, to the keeper of the
keys of the Holy Sepulchre, and said, 'I wish to take away my lamp.' He received me kindly,
and made me enter the Tomb quite alone. I saw my lamp on the Holy Sepulchre still
burning with the flame of that holy light; I prostrated myself before the sacred Tomb, and,
with penitence, covered the sacred place where the pure body of our Lord Jesus Christ lay
with kisses and tears. I afterwards measured the length, width, and height of the Tomb as
it now is a thing which no one can do before witnesses. I gave (the keeper of the keys) of
the Tomb of the Lord as much as I could, and offered him, according to my means, a small,
poor gift. The keeper of the keys, seeing my love for the Holy Sepulchre, pushed back the
slab that covers the part of the sacred Tomb on which Christ's head lay, and broke off a
morsel of the sacred rock; this he gave me as a blessed memorial, begging me at the same
time not to say anything about it at Jerusalem. After again kissing the Tomb of the Lord,
and greeting the keeper, I took up my lamp, filled with holy oil, and left the Holy Sepulchre
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full of joy, enriched by the Divine grace, and bearing in my hand a gift from the sacred
place, and a token from the Holy Sepulchre of our Lord. I went on my way rejoicing as if I
were the bearer of vast wealth, and returned to my cell full of great joy.

God and the Holy Sepulchre are witnesses that in these holy places I did not forget the
names of the Russian princes, princesses, and their children; of the bishops, abbots, and
nobles; or of my spiritual children, and all Christians; I remembered every one, and prayed
first for all the princes, and then for my own sins. Thanks be to the goodness of God, who
permitted me, unworthy one, to inscribe the names of the Russian princes in the Laura of
St. Sabbas, where they now pray, during the services, for them, their wives, and their
children. Here are their names: Michel Sviatopolk, Vassili Vladimir, David
Sviatoslavitsch, Michel Oleg Pancrace, Sviatoslavitsch, Glb of Mensk; I have only
preserved those names which I inscribed in the Holy Sepulchre, and in all the holy places,
without counting all the other Russian princes and nobles. I celebrated fifty masses for the
Russian princes, and all the Christians, and forty masses for the dead.

May the blessing of God, of the Holy Sepulchre, and of all the holy places be with those
who read this narrative with faith and love; and may they obtain from God the same
reward as those who have made the pilgrimage to those holy places. Happy are those who,
having seen, believe! Thrice happy are those who have not seen, and yet have believed! By
faith Abraham obtained the Promised Land; for, in truth, faith is equal to good works. In
the name of God, my brethren and lords, do not blame my ignorance and simplicity; for
the sake of the Holy Sepulchre of our Lord do not abuse this narrative. May he who reads it
with love receive his reward from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; and may the peace of
God be with you all to the end of the world. Amen.

Source: Pilgrimage of the Russian Abbot Daniel in the Holy Land, ca. 1106-1107 A.D.,
trans. C. W. Wilson, The Palestinian Pilgrims' Text Society, London, 1895, 74-81

XXVI. The Pilgrimage of Magister Thietmar (1217-

1218)
1. I began my journey from Acre with certain Syrians and Saracens through the land of
Zebulun and Naphtali, passing through the town of Sepphoris, in which St Anne, the
mother of the Blessed Virgin, was born. I also passed through Nazareth, a city of Galilee,
where the Annunciation of the Lord was made and where the Lord was brought up and
spent his boyhood. Near this city, however, there is a mountain from which the Jews, His
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relations, marveling at Jesus' sagacity, resolved to cast him down. This place is called to
the present day the Precipice, or the Lord's Leap, because when they were about to
precipitate Him from it He disappeared from them. It is therefore said that He leaped from
the mountain into the valley. A chapel has been built there.
From Nazareth I then passed near Cana of Galilee, where the Lord converted water
into wine at the wedding. In that place a church has been built. There may still be seen the
impressions where the jars had been placed. And a certain Saracen told me that the cistern
from which was drawn the water that was turned into wine, still contains water having the
flavour of wine.
From Cana of Galilee I came to Mount Tabor, where the Lord was transfigured
before the Apostles Peter, John and James, with Moses and Elijah appearing with Him.
This mountain is extremely high. On its summit has been built a church, where there was a
noble abbey of the black order; but now the Saracens have occupied it and fortified it
strongly by a wall, with towers standing forward on it.
Here at the foot of the mountain I met a noble man, nobly dressed, the castellan of
the mountain, who was enjoying his leisure in the pastime of falconry. He inquired
diligently, as if an expert, about the state of the empire and the emperor, the Christian
kings and the state of our lands, and continuing to ask questions before he had even
received an answer he so defined and thoroughly instructed me what he desired to be told
about that each separate item made itself better and truer than I then knew.110
[continues via Mount Hermon, the fields of Galilee, the town of Nain, the sea of
Galilee to Tiberias]

2. Afterwards I came to Tiberias, which was formerly called Chinnereth. This city once
had a bishop and a noble layman, who was called the lord of Tiberias; and it was strongly
fortified and renowned. Moreover, the Boy Jesus often frequented it in His youth. It has
now been destroyed by the Saracens and is inhabited by only a few people, both Saracens
and Christians.
[continues via shore of Sea of Galilee to the river Jordan into Idumaea, from there
via the city of Narwa and Belinas]

3. Also not far from the place where the Dan rises is the tomb and pyramid of St Job,
which is regarded religiously by all. Annually at the beginning of summer people of many

110The army of the Fifth Crusade encamped before the castle on 20 November 1217 and attacked it unsuccessfully
between 3 and 7 December (Battista and Bagatti, Fortezza, pp. 34-8).

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nations congregate at the markets around it: Arabs, Parthians, Idumaeans, Syrians, Turks
and many others spend their time there with their flocks. [...]
Proceeding from Narwa, I came to Maliha, a city once beautiful and good but now
destroyed; it is now inhabited by Saracens. From there I came to another city, that is to say
Sanamayn (Salomen); this is indeed destroyed but still displays many towers, which are all
very simply and marvellously built and held together without cement or other form of
adhesive. There we spent the night in a certain hospital of the sultan, where travellers are
obliged to stay for the sultan's financial gain. In it I saw a Saracen lying in one bed with
seven wives. The women, however, were all trousered and wore garments down to their
knees, with the folds of their trousers hanging down below them.
From Sanamayn I proceeded to a village three miles distant from Damascus, where
travellers were also obliged to spend the night for the sultan's profit, even if they arrived at
mid-day.
From there I came to Damascus. Beside the paved royal street from Damascus,
however, is the place where the Lord converted Paul. That place is called 'in the meadows
of Sophar.'
It is custom that those entering Damascus are searched diligently for gold, because
a tenth of the gold is owed to the sultan. This I was searched for gold in every fold of my
clothing and body, as were all the comrades, whether poor or rich.
[it follows a description of Damascus, which Thietmar likens to "a second paradise"
and where he spent six days]
I was in Damascus for six days and learnt certain things about the law and life of the
Saracens. Their life is impure and their law corrupt. The Sarracens please themselves a s
much as they can, licitly or illicitly, because, 'Jupiter declared to be honourable whatever
he took pleasure in.' They have as many wives as it is possible to have, according to this
dictum: 'He is stronger who is able to have more.' In times of fasting they fast until dusk
and from then onwards for the whole night they eat as much as they can. However, there
are certain criers stationed in towers, who during the nights shout out like this: 'Arise, you
who fast! Eat sumptuously, refresh yourselves!'
[he continues with describing the Saracens' manner of praying, their clothes, and
gender relations]
When I was in the palace of the sultan, which comprises a complex of huge noble
structures, I wanted to see the Christian captives in the sultan's pit, which is a prison, but it
did not seem fitting to my guide to consider it. As I was not feeling courageous, I received
letters from them and they from me through intermediaries. And a certain knight from

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Swabia sent me from the sultan's pit a purse made by his own hand. I also saw many
Christian and German captives throughout the city, to whom I did not dare to speak,
however, through fear for my life. I saw there a certain prisoner from Werningeroda and a
knight from Quedlinburg who was called John. And he sent me a purse.111
It should be noted that in and near Damascus each nation freely practices its own
rite. In it there are moreover many churches of the Christians. {...}

[4. ...]

5. In the time when the Greeks inhabited the land, there was in Damascus, the capital
of Syria, a certain venerable matron. Adopting the habit of a nun, she applied herself to
serving the Lord and in order to remove herself more freely to divine prayers, eschewing
the city's tumult, withdrew to the sixth milestone from the city to a place called Sardenay
(Sardanaia); and there she built a house and chapel in honour of the Holy Mother of God,
Mary, and afforded the service of hospitality to poor pilgrims. It happened, however, that a
certain monk from the town of Constantinople, while coming to Jerusalem to visit the holy
places on account of his devotion to prayer, was received by the nun in the hospice. When
she heard that he was going to the holy city, she humbly and with great entreaty asked him
to bring back to her from the holy city an icon (that is to say a painted panel that she could
place in her chapel, so that the image of the Mother of God would be displayed before her
when she prayed. He promised that he would bring back an icon to the nun. When he had
come to Jerusalem, having completed his prayers and visited the holy places, he was about
to return home neglecting his promise. And behold! A voice sent to him from heaven said
to him, 'How is it that you are returning empty handed? Where is the icon that you
promised to take back to the nun?' Remembering the promise at that moment, the monk
went back into the city and asked where icons were sold. Among the icons that were for
sale, he decided to buy a certain one. He then left the city taking the icon with him and
made his way to a place called Gittaim (Gith), where at that time a wild lion used to lie
hidden and devour everyone that it could. But when the lion came to meet the monk, it
humbly began to lick his feet and with the protection of divine grace he escaped from it
unharmed. Then he came to a cave of thieves, where many robbers congregated. When
they saw him they wanted to lay hands on him, but they were frightened by an angelic
voice and were unable to move or speak; with God's help, the monk continued safely on his

111The arrival in Damascus earlier in 1217 of Christian prisoners recently taken captive outside Acre, each carrying a
severed head of a Christian from his neck, is described by Abu Shama, in RHC Or 5, p. 160.

113
way. Then, reflecting that the icon he was holding might have some kind of divine power,
he resolved not to take the icon to the nun but to take it with him to his home country.
Coming to the city of Acre, he went on board a ship intending to return home. Setting the
sails, the sailors began to set course for Constantinople. When they had been at sea for a
number of days a strong storm suddenly arose in the sea and the sailors began to be in
danger and each started throwing his own personal belongings into the sea. When the
monk was about to cast away the bag in which was the icon, an angel said to him, 'Take
care! Do not throw the icon, but raise it in your hands to God!' Accordingly, the storm in
the sea died down directly and there was tranquility. Not knowing where they were going,
whether they wanted to or not they went back to the city of Acre from which they had set
sail. Then the monk, seeing what had happened around him, understanding the will of God
and wanting to fulfil his promises, came to the nun carrying the icon with him. The faithful
nun received him as a religious man. She had not recognized him, however, because of the
great number of guests, and so did not ask him for the promised icon. Therefore, when the
monk realized that he was not being asked for the icon, he decided in his own mind not to
give it to the nun but to take it away with him. Having taken his leave, he went to the
nearby chapel to pray and afterwards return home. But, having prayed, when he wanted to
leave he could not find where to get out of the chapel. Therefore, putting down the icon
that he was carrying and seeing the chapel door open, he tried again to go out. And
likewise on picking up the icon he could see neither the door nor the means of going back;
and thus for the whole day, when he put down the icon he could see, and when he picked
up the icon and tried to go out he was unable to. The monk, understanding the justice of
divine will, placed the icon in the chapel, went back to the nun and told her truthfully and
in order everything that had been done by divine disposition. He also said that it was God's
will that the icon should remain there and be venerated with all due honor by the faithful.
The nun therefore accepted the icon and began to praise and bless God and the glorious
Virgin Mary concerning all that had been done. The monk proposed being of service to
God in that place for the remainder of his life, because of the miracle that he had
recognized God to have done through the picture of His holy mother. However, while the
icon was being greatly revered, it began to sweat and emit a certain liquid. The nun would
wipe away the liquid with a clean muslin cloth, for the liquid trickling from the picture had
such miraculous power that when applied to the sick it would banish illnesses. It is
distinguished for having this miraculous power to this day. From that time it therefore
began to be greatly honoured, and many people suffering from various debilitating
illnesses went to it and were cured. Making ready a respectful place where she might place

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the icon, the nun asked a certain priest endowed with honesty of character and greater
worthiness to take it and place it in the prepared place. The priest put on the sacred
vestments and went to the icon; but when he touched the image, his hands withered and
after being sick in his whole body for three days he departed from the world. Afterwards no
one presumed to touch it or move it. The nun prepared a vase beneath the icon in which
the liquid trickling from the image was received. However, little by little the image of the
mother of God began to send out breasts of flesh and to be clothed in flesh. For the image -
as the brothers who have seen it testify, such as Brother Thomas, who also touched it with
his fingers, and many others who saw it - it seen, we declare, to be clothed in flesh from the
breasts downwards. From there trickles the fluid of the flesh. The brothers of the Temple,
who come there by virtue of their prayers when they have truces with the pagans, take the
liquid away from there to their houses. It happened, however, that a certain sultan of
Damascus, who had only one eye, became sick in the eye with which he could see and
losing his sight became blind. Hearing, however, of the image of the mother of God and
how many miracles God was performing through it, he came to where the icon was
venerated and entered the chapel, having faith in the Lord, even though he was a pagan, so
that through the image of His mother health might be restored to him; and he threw
himself on the ground and prayed. Getting up from prayer and still being suspicious, he
saw a burning light in the lamp that had been placed before the image. Then seeing
everything else he glorified God, as did all who were there. And because he had seen the
light burning in the lamp for the first time, he vowed to God that each year he would give
in revenue for lighting the same church sixty jars of oil. Up to the time of Coradin, sultan of
the city of Damascus (1218-1227), these were received by those serving that church. There
live in that church nuns. There are also Greek monks, who undertake religious functions in
a certain part; none the less, the official duty and purpose of the nuns is to reverence the
abovementioned nun, who first lived in that place and built the church in honour of Mary,
the holy mother of God.
In AD 1204, on the Tuesday before Easter [i.e. 20 April], it happened that in the
knights' prison in the sultan's pit in Damascus a certain knight was drawing a phial of oil of
St Mary of Sardenay out of the case in which it had been placed, in order to have a look at
it, and he saw that the oil had become flesh but was divided into two parts, so that one part
of the oil was in the lower part of the phial and the other in the upper. He took up a knife
and tried to join the upper part with the lower with its point; and a sthe blade of the knife
touched the oil that was suspended in the upper part of the phial, drops of blood
immediately flowed from it in the presence of the chaplains and knights who were there

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and of all the other prisoners. There are many other miracles that have been wrought
through the image of His holy mother, Mary, by the almighty God, to whom be honour and
glory and power and might for ever and ever, Amen

6. It should be known, however, that in the town where they have the icon of Our Lady
a Saracen does not dare to reside or spend the night, because, when the land was lost,112
the Saracens determined to occupy and fortify it, but for a year they were unable to live
there.
In that place, however, there is a bishop and an abbess and nuns. Out of reverence
for the Virgin Mary, the position of precedence in that place goes to the abbess.
In this place there happened forthwith on the feast of Our Lady a miracle in this
manner. Take note: when a great multitude had flocked together to the place already
mentioned on account of the oil and prayers, and some individuals had already received
the oil in their small vessels, it happened that a certain matron did not have a vessel in
which to put the oil. She therefore filled the whole church with loud wailing and
lamentation, because through lack of a jar she would be without so precious a thing. The
mother of mercy, having pity on the weeping woman, not because of her merit (because
she was a Saracen) but on account of her boundless compassion and the woman's belief in
the help coming from the oil, did not deny the matron what she desired but miraculously
caused a full ampulla of oil to appear in her hand.
It should also be noted that in that place wine is fairly plentiful. Moreover, the
Saracens look for an opportunity to come there in order to drink wine secretly, because
according to their religion the drinking of wine is not allowed. Indeed, whenever they get
drunk, they die immediately. It is also to be noted that all the gates of Damascus are kept
under a strict watch to prevent anyone bringing in wine.

[7. he goes on to relate what he knows about the regions east of Damascus, including
Baghdad and the caliph, 'the pope of the Saracens']
Having passed through the places mentioned above and having seen the icon of Our
Lady, I returned to Acre.

8. Wishing with great desire and longing to visit the body of St Catherine, which
sweats holy oil, and still more ardently because I had convinced of it in my mind for a long
time, I submitted my whole self, body and mind, to the grace of God and to the assistance
112 i.e. lost by the Christians at the time of the Muslim conquest in the seventh century.

116
of St Catherine, not shrinking away from whatever dangers or chance events might be. I
was set aflame with such a desire (for I was exposing my life to death or perpetual captivity
through the ebb and flow of chance and fate). Therefore, setting forth on my journey from
Acre dressed as a Georgian monk and with a long beard, I pretended to be what I was not,
and went along the sea shore for three miles towards Carmel [...]. Carmel is three miles
south of Acre....
[...]
On the summit of Mount Carmel is a monastery, in which Greek and Syrian monks
live together to this day.
[...]
Mount Carmel is divided into various mountains and it extends for almost two days'
journey on the south beside the sea and one in width... In times of truce, the Christians -
Templars and Hospitallers of the house of the Germans [i.e. Teutonic Knights] - are
accustomed to come together at that mountain, or mountains, in February with their
horses and mules. They set out their tents in the meadows and live with much amusement
and enjoyment, fattening their horses greatly on the pastures. Among them that feast is
called haraz.113 The Saracen Bedouin are also accustomed to go to that place in the same
times of truce and to exercise in warfare. For the Bedouin are able to ride wonderfully and
skilfully. They set up a ring the size of a fist on a lance and riding at it on horseback
attempt to pierce it with a lance. But if anyone disappoints and fails to pass his lance
through the ring he is held in derision by all and punched in vituperation by the master of
the Bedouin soldiers. The Christian knights are accustomed to honour the Bedouin out of
common courtesy, besides bringing them gifts.
[from here he travels via Caesarea, Arsuf, Jaffa, Ramla towards Bethlehem]
However, as I was proceeding from the mountains of Judaea towards Bethlehem
and when I had come within three miles of Jerusalem, I fell into a snare.... For since
Bethlehem is near Jerusalem, in order to avoid the holy city and danger, I made a detour;
but in vain, because what I feared happened, and I was captured by the Saracens and taken
to Jerusalem. At that time although alive I seemed to myself dead. For there was nothing
standing between my present suffering and the fear of death or perpetual captivity; on the
contrary, disturbed by the fear of death and imprisonment, from then onwards I seemed to
myself to die at every moment. Thus I was detained for two days and one night outside the

113Haras in medieval French, haracium in Latin, means 'a stud of horses'. This seems a likelier derivation than the
Arabic, haras, meaning 'watch', 'guard', 'escort' or 'bodygard'.

117
gate of the city, in the place where St Stephen the protomartyr was stoned. In that place a
church was built in former times, but now it has been totally overturned.
Thus imprisoned and afflicted, since I had no hope or way of hoping, God, who is
close to all those who call on His name, visited the desperate one, restored hope, and
miraculously preserved me, in this way: I had with me a noble Hungarian count, who knew
that certain of his Saracen Hungarian compatriots were living in Jerusalem for the purpose
of study. He had them sent for, and being recognised by those sent for he was received by
them in a very friendly way. When they perceived the misfortune of our imprisonment,
they intervened and with not a little effort had us set free.

[9. it follows a description of Jerusalem and its surroundings. Thietmar spent two days
in Jerusalem and then moved on to Bethlehem]

10. Bethlehem, city of the supreme God, is sited along the ridge of a mountain. It is still
intact and has not been destroyed by the Saracens. Indeed, it is held by Christians who are
subject to the Saracens; and it is asserted that a Saracen must not be a resident there.
However, some Saracen guards are stationed at the doors of the church and receive
payment from the pilgrims entering it; but they do not live there....
[...] Six miles south from here, that is to say from Bethlehem, is Hebron, where the
four patriarchs are buried with their wives in a double cave: Adam, Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. There a very beautiful church has been built, which the Saracens also hold in great
veneration, especially so because of Abraham; and that province is still called the land of
Abraham.
[it follows a few notes on Hebron and various other places]

15. ... I came to the mountain that is called Petra in Latin, Monreal in French, and al-
Shawbak in Saracen. On the summit of that mountain is placed an excellent castle,
enclosed step by step by three walls and so solid that I have never seen stronger. It belongs
to the sultan of Babylon [i.e. Cairo]. Saracens and Christians live in its suburbs. There I
was hospitably received by a certain French widow, who gave me information about the
journey and the way of travelling through the desert to Mount Sinai. She provided me with
twice-cooked bread for the journey, cheese, dried grapes, figs and wine. She also brought
to me the Bedouin with camels [who would accompany me] to Mount Sinai, because the
way through the desert is not known by other people. Indeed, it came about that they
swore and bound themselves by their religion and law to bring me back alive or dead.

118
Source: Denys Pringle, Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land, 1187-1291
(Farnham: Ashgate, 2012)

119
Thietmar's itinerary

120
XXVII. Decree by Sultan al-Fadil in response to an
earlier petition by the monks of the monastery of
Saint Catherine in the Sinai concerning the
protection of the monastery (1195)
[] We never cease, thank God, to protect the subjects whose affairs were entrusted by
God to us, and whose welfare was put by pure [religious] Law into our hands; we remove
harmful hands from them, and reward those of them who follow the path of benevolence;
we forgive their stumbling, and avert their sorrow and misfortune. We double this for their
patriarchs and monks, priests and clergymen, their ascetics who inhabit cells, and religious
who retreat into monasteries; and we appoint as their superiors those whom they prefer.
We have ordered to treat the monks of the aforementioned monastery according to
their long-settled and agreed rules, and to accord to them protection, guarding, safe-
keeping and defence; to prevent people from doing harm or from intending damage
against them, or from transgressing by changing their current customs, or from proceeding
to render unsafe the road which is used for visits to them; and that the Bedouins, or for
that matter anyone else, whether of the same religion as they or not, be kept from
oppressing them or forcing them to relinquish the rules according to which they have been
treated; and that visitors to them from Syria be not interfered with in any manner of harm
or damage .
Source: S.M. Stern, Two Ayyubid decrees from Sinai, in: Oriental Studies, vol. 3: Documents from Islamic
Chanceries, ed. S. Stern & R. Walzer (Oxford, 1965), 9-38 [at pp. 12-13]

XXVIII. Matthew of Edessa on Warfare in the

Crusader States, esp. the County of Edessa

The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa is considered by scholars to be a primary source of

major importance for the history of the Near East during the period of the early
Crusades. This work relates events that occurred between the years 952 and 1136,
although a Gregory the Priest continued the chronicle to the year 1162. Matthew, an
Armenian, was well placed to know about events in the Crusader States and other parts
of the Near East. The chapters given below, from the third part of this work, deal with

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the movements and battles fought by various Crusader leaders, in particular the counts
of Edessa.

18: In the year 553 of the Armenian era [1104-1105] the count of Edessa (Baldwin I) and
Joscelin collected troops and went against the town of Harran. They sent to Antioch and
summoned the great Frankish count Bohemond and also Tancred; moreover, they brought
in all the Armenian troops and thus got together a formidable army. They then descended
upon Harran and vehemently besieged it, putting the town in danger of famine. Then one
of the Franks performed an act not pleasing to God; breaking open a loaf of bread, he
defecated in it and took and placed it before the gates of the town. When the townspeople
saw this, one of their number, taking a risk, rushed forth to eat the bread; seeing the feces
it contained, he became nauseated and brought and showed it to the townspeople. When
the sensible men among them saw this, they said: This is a sinful deed which God will not
allow to go unpunished; he will not give the Franks the victory, for they have contaminated
this bread, a profanation without compare on the earth. After this the Persian forces
marched against the Franks with a formidable army led by Chokurmish, the emir of Mosul,
and Sokman, the son of Artuk. When the Frankish chiefs heard this, greatly rejoicing they
went against the Persian forces. The Franks were a two days march from the town, at a
place called Oshut. Now the count of Edessa and Joscelin became puffed up with pride and
placed Bohemond and Tancred at a distance from their troops, saying: We will engage in
combat first and thus take the laurels of victory. When Baldwin and Joscelin clashed with
the Turkish forces, a frightful and violent battle took place here in this strange and alien
Muslim land. The Persian forces vanquished the Franks, bringing the divine-rebuking
wrath of God upon the Christians; for the whole land was covered with blood and corpses
of more than thirty thousand Christian faithful, and so the region became depopulated.
The count of Edessa (Baldwin) and Joscelin were taken prisoner and led into captivity,
while the two other Frankish chiefs, including all their forces, suffered no harm. So these
latter took their most valiant men and took refuge in the city of Edessa as fugitives.

19. The Christians of the city of Edessa endured many hardships, because the inhabitants
of Harran had cut off the retreat of the remnants of the Frankish troops, encircling the
mountain and the plain and slaughtering ten thousand fugitives. These Muslims of Harran
brought more destruction upon the Christian faithful than the Turks had ever done. So
there was much painful weeping and grievous affliction in Edessa. On that day tearful
groans issued forth from the city, and all the Christian lands were in despair. After this

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Count Baldwin was taken to the Muslim city of Mosul, while Joscelin was taken to Hisn
Kaifa, to Sokman, the son of Artuk; now it was Choktirmish who took Baldwin.

20. Bohemond resolved to return to the country of the Franks in order to obtain
reinforcements and so left Edessa and Antioch in the hands of his sisters son Tancred.
Now, when Bohemond arrived in the country of the Franks, he met a very rich woman who
had been the wife of the Frankish count Stephen of Blois, [a man] of noble lineage and the
last of his line. This woman made Bohemond stay with her, saying: Take me for your wife,
for my husband is dead and my lands and cavalry forces have no lord over them.
However, Bohemond rejected her proposal, saying: I have come here with a solemn oath
to obtain reinforcements and then quickly return to aid the remaining Christian forces who
are surrounded by the infidel Persians. Nevertheless, the woman kept on insisting
vehemently, but he still would not listen to her. Finally she put Bohemond in chains and
threw him in prison. After staying in prison for a number of days, the count finally gave in
and agreed to marry the woman; from him she had two children. Now after five years the
great Frankish count Bohemond died in his own land, without being able to return to the
East.

28. In this same year [1105-6] Chokurmish, the emir of Mosul and Nisibis, went forth with
many troops and encamped before the gates of the city of Edessa at harvest time. The
commander of the Frankish forces was a man named Richard [of Salerno], to whom
Tancred had entrusted the defense of the city. Richard took the garrison of the city and
unwisely made a sortie with his infantry against the brave and militant Persian forces.
When the Persians saw this careless move on the part of the Frankish troops, they fell upon
them and pushed them all into the moat surrounding the city. Then all the infidels,
crossing over the moat, entered through the gates of the city and slaughtered as many as
four hundred men. After having flayed all their corpses, they took their heads back to
Persia. Thus on that day great sorrow fell upon Edessa, for cries and weeping issued forth
from every household, and blood flowed in all areas around the city. So Chokurmish
victoriously turned back and went to his own country.

29. In this same year the Frankish count Saint Gilles died while besieging the city of
Tripoli. He left the outer city, which he had built, and his troops to his sisters son,
Bertram, a brave man and a warrior [actually Bertram was Saint Gilles son]. This Saint
Gilles who died was the one who had brought back the lance of Christ to the emperor
Alexius in Constantinople.
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30. In this same year the town of Aplastan, located in the district of Jahan, endured many
harassments, tribulations, and misfortunes at the hands of the Frankish forces. The
inhabitants of this town were so mistreated that they resolved to wreak their vengeance on
the Franks. So they went over to the side of the infidels. They secretly sent a messenger and
summoned the infidel cavalry of the district to occupy the town. Then the Armenians of the
town, allying themselves with the infidels, went to the citadel and said the following to the
Frankish commander: Get out and go back to your own people and may God be with you.
When the commander heard this, he flew into a rage like a ferocious beast and attacked the
townspeople. However, they defeated him and slaughtered his troops in total so that not
one of them remained alive. The Lord considered this a vindication of what happened to
the townspeople. On that day about three hundred persons perished, all because of the
tribulations which the Franks brought upon the faithful; for they had devastated and
depopulated the country and made it desolate. Thus, because of the Franks, the land
became barren. The vineyards and orchards withered, the fields became covered with
thistles, and the springs dried up. Friendship and happiness between friends was
destroyed; treachery and hatred was disseminated throughout the land. Because of their
bitter afflictions, the inhabitants ceased going to church, and so the doors of the house of
God were closed. The lamps were extinguished, and the blessings of God were suspended
in the house of the Lord. The priests were subjected to vile servility and thrown into prison.
The altars and the baptismal fonts of the holy church were knocked down and destroyed.
The mysteries of the cross became hidden from view, and the fragrance of incense was
forgotten. In this way the glorification of God ceased throughout the whole district of
Aplastan. In other places chapels were demolished, priests were scorned, and scrutiny of
the holy faith ceased; moreover, the truth was subverted, righteousness was rejected, piety
was proscribed, and in every quarter the dreadful judgement of Christs tribunal was
forgotten. All these things were caused by the raving Franks, because the illustrious
princes and chiefs of this nation no longer existed, and control had fallen into the hands of
unworthy people. Because of this, the Franks, primarily motivated by avariciousness,
brought harassment and suffering upon the Christian faithful.

39. In this same year Joscelin ransomed Baldwin, the count of Edessa, from Chavli for
thirty thousand dahekans. Then he and Baldwin came to the Armenian prince Vasil, who
received them with great honor and gave them many gifts. After this Baldwin went and
collected cavalry troops in Raban, one of the towns belonging to Vasil, for he intended on
warring against the pious man Tancred. Then Baldwin, in collusion with Joscelin, did a
wicked thing, something which was not pleasing in the eyes of God. The two men sent to
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the Persian emir Chavli and persuaded him to come to their aid with five thousand
horsemen. Then they made war on Tancred, the count of Antioch, because of their lands
which he had taken over while they were in captivity and now would not return to them;
for Tancred wished them to be his vassals, something which they would not agree to. Vasil
sent Baldwin and Joscelin eight hundred of his own men and Pecheneg troops from the
Roman emperors army who were stationed in Mamistra, all of which made up a goodly
force. The soldier of Christ Tancred, in turn, marched forth at the head of one thousand
horsemen together with a number of infantry forces. A violent battle took place between
Baldwin and Tancred within the confines of Tell Bashir, both sides fighting vehemently
and heroically. The Persian troops severely slaughtered the Frankish infantry forces of
Tancreds army. However, as the battle intensified, Tancred defeated Baldwins forces and
put them to flight. Then with great fury the count of Antioch turned upon Chavli and,
sword in hand, drove back his troops, inflicting a severe slaughter upon them.
Nevertheless, on that day about two thousand Christians perished. Tancred victoriously
turned back and went to his city of Antioch. On the other hand, Baldwin fled and took
refuge in a fortress called Ravendan, while Joscelin saved himself by taking shelter in his
fortress called Tell Bashir.

40. When the inhabitants of the city of Edessa learned of all this, they all became sad and
gloomy because of Baldwin, for they thought that he was dead. So they assembled in the
Church of St. John in the presence of the Frankish papios [bishop] in order to consult with
each other [as to what was to be done]; for they feared that the city would once again fall to
Tancred and he would hand it over to Richard who, when he had previously occupied
Edessa, had caused the ruin of many persons. When all the townspeople of Edessa came
together, they had a conference with the papios and said: Let your men and ours guard
the citadel until we learn who is to be the lord [of the city]. A day later Joscelin and
Baldwin came and entered the city of Edessa. They inquired as to what had been proposed
at the assembly and regarded it as quite dangerous, interpreting it to be an act of
disloyalty. So they proceeded to wantonly pillage everything in sight and to put out the
eyes of many innocent people. On this occasion they inflicted severe punishments on the
Christians, for the Franks easily lent an ear to all the vicious accusations made and were
very willing to shed the blood of innocent and righteous men. They went so far as to make
an attempt to blind the Armenian bishop, his lordship Stephen. However, when the
townspeople learned that the bishop was beyond reproach, they ransomed him for a sum
of one thousand dahekans.

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41. In this same year there occurred a very bitter and hard winter. Because of the intense
cold, animals perished in many places, and birds died throughout the whole land.
Moreover, black snow fell upon Persia, which was a frightful omen directed against the
Persians, but something which their savants were unable to understand.

42. In this same year a violent conflict broke out in the Arab lands, in [the city of] Basra,
which is the native land of Job. The Arabs and Turks engaged in a frightful battle there.
The Arab forces bravely and ferociously fought against the Persians and shattered their
army in a great victory, slaughtering them and putting them to flight. After this the Turkish
commander once again collected troops and went against the Arab forces. This time in a
valiantly fought battle the Turks put the Arabs to flight. Then fifty thousand of the Arab
forces came to the territory of the city of Aleppo, intending to place themselves under the
protection of Tancred, the count of Antioch. However, after remaining here a number of
days, they returned to their own country.

43. In the year 558 of the Armenian era [1109-1110] Baldwin, the count of Edessa, and
Joscelin, the count of Tell Bashir, collected troops and went against the town of Harran in
order to ravage its surrounding territory. Accompanying them was an Armenian nobleman
from the forces of Vasil, who was a son of Tachat, lord of Taron; his name was Aplasat,
and he was a brave man and an excellent warrior. Having left Vasil because of some
misunderstanding, he had come to Edessa. Now, when the Christians reached the gates of
the town of Harran, the Edessenes began to devastate the surrounding countryside.
Suddenly the Turkish forces came against them with one thousand five hundred horsemen
and killed one hundred and fifty of the Edessenes. At this point the Frankish troops, being
few in number, were intent on fleeing to Edessa. Then Aplasat cried out like a lion and,
signaling his troops, shattered the front line of the infidel forces. So they began their
retreat to Edessa, hotly pursued by the Turks; in spite of this they entered the city of
Edessa unharmed. Aplasat was not pleased with the conduct of the Franks [in this battle]
and so he returned to the service of Vasil. This brave Armenian was wounded in the arm
[during the battle], but did not die because his armor stopped the blow [inflicted by the
enemy weapon].

44. In this same year the coastal city of Tripoli was captured by the Christians. After an
eleven-year siege [it was actually seven years], the inhabitants were exhausted by violent
assaults and had sustained a drawn-out blockade; for Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem, and
Bertram, a relative of the great count Saint Gilles, had put them in dire straits. So the
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inhabitants of Tripoli summoned the count of Antioch, Tancred, and delivered their city
into his hands. Then the king of Jerusalem and Bertram made war on Tancred, since they
were the ones who had laid siege to Tripoli. At this point their patriarch and bishops
intervened and established peace between the two sides, Tancred then returning to
Antioch. However, the king of Jerusalem equipped a fleet against Tripoli and, besieging the
city by sea and by land, launched a formidable assault against it. Tripoli was set on fire and
the inhabitants of the whole city were put to the sword, causing the streets to be inundated
with blood. The Frankish forces seized an innumerable amount of gold and silver and
carried off a countless number of captives to their own country.

45. At the beginning of the year 559 of the Armenian era [1110-1111] the count of Edessa
was intent on starting a second war against Tancred. At this time Baldwin and Joscelin,
motivated by their arrogant character, conceived of a plan unworthy of any Christian. They
sent to the city of Mosul and summoned to their aid the Persian general called Maudud
[governor of Mosul, 1108-13], a ferocious and mighty warrior. When Maudud heard this,
he willingly acquiesced to their request and, gathering together all his Turks, the Persian
general marched forth with a formidable army and reached the confines of the town of
Harran. He sent for and summoned the count of Edessa to come to him, but Baldwin,
being afraid, did not dare to come to the infidel chief. Then Maudud realized that he had
been deceived by the count and so advanced to battle against Edessa. Now, when Baldwin
saw this, he dispatched Joscelin to get reinforcements, while he sent to the king of
Jerusalem, asking him to come to the aid of the city of Edessa. The king at this time with
all the Frankish forces was besieging the town of Beirut, located on the Mediterranean Sea.
In the meantime the emir Maudud arrived at the head of a countless number of troops
which were spread over the vast plain of Edessa. His army surrounded the city on every
side, being dispersed over every mountain and hill in the area. The whole East gathered
under Maududs banner, while the inhabitants of the entire surrounding countryside fled,
thus depopulating the region. The emir struck terror into the hearts of the townspeople by
his violent assaults against the city. For one hundred days Edessa was put in dire straits;
and everyone, exhausted by the incessant assaults, endured much suffering. Soon the
townspeople began to suffer from famine, because entering or leaving the city was
prevented by the formidable enemy forces who surrounded Edessa and killed anyone
falling into their hands. The countryside surrounding the city was filled with the corpses of
those massacred [by the infidels]. The entire region was burned by fire to such an extent
that not one building remained standing. All this was done at the behest of Sulaiman, the
emir of the East. Moreover, the orchards outside the city were completely destroyed, and
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all the monasteries found on the mountains were razed to their very foundations. Such a
destructive siege as this put Edessa in very dire straits. Some time after this Beirut was
captured from the Muslims through the help of God. The Frankish forces put the entire
town to the sword and seized a tremendous amount of booty. Joscelin assisted in the
taking of the town of Beirut and exhibited great courage on that occasion.

46. After all these events Joscelin marched his forces to the aid of the city of Edessa. The
king of Jerusalem and Bertram, the count of Tripoli, also came to the citys aid. These three
men came to Tancred in the city of Antioch and, pleading with the count, persuaded him to
join them in going to the assistance of Edessa. Then all the Frankish forces continued their
march and came to the Armenian prince Vasil, who equipped his troops and went to
Samosata. The Armenian prince Ablgharib, who possessed the town of Bira, also joined the
Franks with his troops. So with a tremendous army of troops the Christians passed into the
confines of the city of Edessa. When the Turkish general Maudud learned of their coming,
he lifted the siege of Edessa and went to the town of Harran. The Frankish forces, in turn,
reached the gates of the city of Edessa and encamped there. On the following day the
Franks prepared for battle. Bringing forth the holy cross of Varag, they fastened it to the
end of a lance and carried it before their troops. In the meantime the Turks retreated from
Harran, hoping by this stratagem to defeat the Franks, for the Franks were in territory
unknown to them; to this end they set up an ambush of many troops in the town. However,
the Frankish commander learned of the treacherous designs of the Turks and so turned
around and encamped against the impregnable fortress of Shenaw, located in Muslim
territory [northwest of Harran]; the Christians vehemently attacked this stronghold. At
this point Tancred learned of a plot hatched against him by the other leaders and so, taking
his troops, reached Samosata and descended to the banks of the Euphrates. Soon all the
Frankish forces followed him. Now, when the inhabitants of Edessa and those of the
surrounding countryside who had taken refuge in the city heard of this withdrawal, they all
left, even the women and children, and followed after the Frankish forces.

47. On this occasion two Franks did a very wicked thing. They went to Maudud and,
repudiating the Christian faith, said to the emir that the entire Frankish army had
withdrawn and fled. When Maudud heard this, he pursued the Frankish forces; he filled
the land from the gates of Edessa to the Euphrates River with blood, slaughtering the
inhabitants of both the city and the countryside. Reaching the banks of the Euphrates,
Maudud slaughtered a countless number of the inhabitants of the area and carried off the
remaining, together with their possessions. The Franks had already crossed over to the
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other side of the river. So the Turks massacred the Christian faithful who were huddled
together like flocks of sheep on this side of the river. The wrath of God, manifested through
Maudud, fell upon the faithful with such force that the Euphrates was turned into blood.
Many drowned in the river. Those who tried to swim across were unable to reach the other
side. Many tried to cross over on boats, but five or six of the boats sank full of people,
because too many persons got in them. So on this day the entire territory of Edessa was
devastated and depopulated. It was in reference to this calamity that the savants of old
wrote: Woe to the people of Abgar. The Frankish forces, who were on the other side of
the Euphrates River, witnessed all these horrible things which were happening to all the
Christians, but were unable to assist them in any way and so wept bitterly. After all this
Maudud victoriously turned back and went to Harran; from there he returned to his
country, laden with captives and countless booty.

54. In the year 561 of the Armenian Era [1112-1113] the vicious bloodthirsty beast Maudud
once again collected troops and marched against the city of Edessa, at a time when the
townspeople did not expect his attack. The emir suddenly arrived before the city the day
after Easter, on the day of the Feast of the Dead, in the beginning of the month of
Sahmi. Maudud first came to Kupi and, going forth from there with a tremendous number
of troops, stopped at the gats of the city of Edessa. After remaining there for eight days,
the emir shifted his position to the summit of the Mountain of Sasun and from there
descended upon [the Monastery of] the Holy Martyrs, situated near the ramparts of the
city.

55. At this time the invincible soldier of Christ Count Joscelin, taking one hundred
horsemen and one hundred infantry, came and entered the town of Saraj. Then a Turkish
force, consisting of five hundred horsemen, [left the main army in Edessa and] made a
diversion into the territory of Saraj on the Saturday of Elias [June 15]. Joscelin went forth
and attacked the Turks, killing one hundred and fifty of their men. The count took five of
their officers prisoner and seized all their baggage, while the rest fled to Maudud in the city
of Edessa. When Maudud heard of all this, he went against Joscelin in the town of Saraj.
However, at the same time Joscelin secretly came and entered the city of Edessa. After
remaining in Saraj for seven days, Maudud turned back against Edessa once again. Now
certain perfidious men came to him while he was on the march, saying: Have compassion
on us, and on this day we will deliver Edessa into your hands. The emir in great joy
consented to their proposition. Now, since these men suffered from the effects of the
famine, being in such dire straits, they were not really aware of what they were doing. So
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during the night they conducted Maudud, together with five of his men, to Edessa and
delivered this populous city into the hands of the Turks. They handed over to the Turks a
tower located in the eastern portion of the city, which dominated all of Edessa; one
hundred men took possession of this tower. Moreover, the Turks occupied two other
towers, placing a large number of troops in them. Notwithstanding all this, God, who never
wills the destruction of the Christian faithful, had previously brought the Frankish count
Joscelin to the aid of the blessed city of Edessa. So, when the brave soldier of God Joscelin
learned of this Turkish takeover, he took the count of Edessa and the other Frankish troops
and rushed to the ramparts to battle against the Turks. Joscelin assaulted the tower [in
which the Turks were ensconced] with such bravery that he hurled down all their men
from the walls; in this way the traitors who had handed over the tower and the infidels who
had occupied it perished at the same time. So on that day Edessa was saved from the
clutches of the Turks, because of the bravery of Joscelin and all the troops of the city. Then
Count Joscelin, because of the deep anger in his heart and because of the calumnious
slanders made against him by some, caused much innocent bloodshed among the
townspeople, ordering them to be massacred, burned, and tortured; now all this was not
pleasing in the eyes of God. After this Maudud raised the siege and went and captured
Tlmoz; from there he went back to Khurasan, humiliated and defeated.

87. In the year 571 of the Armenian era [1122-1123] the Persian general Il-Ghazi collected
troops and marched against the Frankish forces. First he descended upon Aleppo and from
there went and encamped in the Muslim town of Shaizar. Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem,
came and was joined by the count of Edessa Joscelin; then both marched forth and
encamped opposite the Turkish forces. However, throughout the summer neither side
engaged in battle, but quietly maintained their respective positions. In the month of
September both sides withdrew without engaging in combat and returned to their
respective cities. The emir Il-Ghazi entered Aleppo, while the emir Balik, who was Il-
Ghazis sisters son and a brave and vigorous warrior, secretly went back to his territory of
Handzit. When Joscelin and Galeran [of Le Puiset, lord of Bira] heard of this, they
pursued Balik with one hundred horsemen and caught up with him in the territory of
Edessa, in a village called Taptil. Balik was encamped with eight hundred horsemen in a
spot through which a river flowed and which was surrounded by marshy ground and thus
was in a very fortified position. The Franks, being mindless and foolhardy, attacked the
Turks, but were unable to cross the marshy area. Then Balik took the offensive against the
Franks with his troops, wounding all their horses with arrows and pursuing them. The
Turks took prisoner the two Frankish counts, Joscelin and Galeran, and slaughtered all the
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other Franks. Joscelin and Galeran were taken to Eharberd in chains and there thrown in
prison, while twenty-five of their comrades were taken to Balu. Thus great sorrow fell upon
all the Christian faithful, and they were all horror-struck and in a state of fear and
trembling. Now all this occurred on the 13th of September.

88. In this period the great emir Il-Ghazi, the son of Artuk, died, handing over all his
territories to his sisters son, the emir Balik; moreover, he entrusted his household and his
sons, Sulaiman and Timurtash, to Baliks care. Il-Ghazis body was carried on a litter from
Aleppo to Harran and from there was taken and buried in his town of Maiyafariqin. Thus
the emir Balik came to rule over a large number of territories.

89. In the year 572 of the Armenian era [1123-1124] the king of Jerusalem Baldwin
collected troops in order to make war on the emir Balik and avenge the two Frankish
chiefs, Joscelin and Galeran, who had been thrown in prison [by him]. The king reached
the fortresstown of Raban with all his forces, while Balik was already in the confines of its
territory, pillaging and taking captives. Neither army was aware of the presence of the
other. The king came with a small detachment of troops to the bridge of Shnje and crossed
the river over this bridge, intending to encamp in a place called Shenchrig. At that time
Balik, together with all his troops, was concealed in ambush nearby. Now, when the kings
tent was pitched, he wished to go hunting with a falcon. At that moment Balik
unexpectedly attacked the king and all his forces, slaughtering many mighty men and
taking Baldwin prisoner together with his sisters son. All this occurred in the month of
Hori, four days after Holy Easter. Balik brought the king to the gates of Gargar, and
Baldwin handed over the town to the emir. Then the king and his sisters son were taken to
Eharberd, where they were put in chains and thrown into a deep dungeon in which
Joscelin and Galeran were imprisoned.

90. In this same year, five months later, an amazing event occurred, which later turned out
to be a disastrous misfortune. Fifteen men got together and went forth from the
impregnable fortress of Behesni, having planned a very courageous feat; in this way they
were to accomplish a deed to be remembered forever. Going to the district of Handzit,
these men closely observed the impregnable fortress of Eharberd, where the Frankish king
Joscelin and Galeran were imprisoned. Seeing that the fortress guards were few and
negligent, they approached its gates, looking wretched and feigning the appearance of
quarreling plaintiffs. They were able to get someone inside the fortress to work with them
and so, after a short while, succeeded in penetrating the stronghold. They courageously
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made their way to the prison, killed those guarding the gates, and shut them. Then with
loud cries they reached the dungeon where the king, Joscelin, Galeran, and the other
[Frankish] chiefs were imprisoned, and very joyfully freed them. They also set free many
soldiers and a number of men and women. Moreover, some of the inhabitants of the area
entered the prison in order to aid in the escape of the king, Joscelin, and the other
prisoners. So the king and all the prisoners went out, seized the fortress, and gained
control of Baliks entire domain. Now, when the infidel forces who were stationed in the
territory learned of this, they fled to another region. One night on an early Wednesday
morning Joscelin secretly departed with an infantry escort and went to Kesoun and from
there to Antioch, in order to collect troops and come to the aid of the king and other
prisoners. At this time the commander of the Frankish forces was Geoffrey [the Monk, lord
of Maraash and regent of Edessa (1122-3)], who was a brave and mighty man and a most
fervent Christian. This man with insuperable energy and effort protected all the Frankish
territories-comprising Jerusalem, Antioch, and Edessa-from the Turks, courageously
defending them with all the means at his disposal. Now, while all this was happening, the
Turkish emir Balik was in the city of Aleppo. When the emir learned that Kharberd had
been taken by stratagem, rushing forth with the rapidity of an eagle, he reached the
fortress in fifteen days and vigorously laid siege to it. By setting up a catapult and ordering
mining operations, Balik was able to demolish the tower of the great stronghold and thus
strike terror into the hearts of the defenders. At this point Count Galeran in great fear went
to Balik and delivered Kharberd into the emirs hands. On this day Balik slaughtered all the
prisoners, who numbered about sixty-five persons, plus eighty beautiful women; they were
all hurled down from the summit of the fortress. Once again the emir, full of rage, put the
king, Galeran, and the kings nephew in chains and threw them in prison. In the meantime
Joscelin was coming to their aid with his troops. However, when both he and Geoffrey
learned of the new situation, they became deeply dismayed and turned back full of sorrow.
So they returned to their respective territories, while the king, Galeran, and the kings
nephew remained in prison.

95. In the year 573 of the Armenian era [1124-1125] the emir Balik collected troops and
marched against the Franks. He arrived in Aleppo and after a few days went against the
Muslim town of Manbij. Setting up a catapult against the citadel, he put the besieged in
very dire straits through his continual assaults. At this point the emir who was defending
the citadel sent to the Frankish counts Joscelin and Geoffrey for help, asking them to come
to his aid and promising to hand over the town to Joscelin. The two counts came to the
emirs aid with the remnants of the Frankish troops which Joscelin had gathered together.
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Mahuis, the count of Duluk, Aintab, and Raban, also came to the emirs aid. When Balik
learned of this, he attacked the Christians not far from the town of Manbij. A violent battle
ensued, for the infidels were as numerous as the Franks were few. Nevertheless, the
Frankish troops defeated the Turks, putting one wing of their army to flight, while Joscelin
annihilated the other. However, one corps of Turks surrounded the count of Marash and
many other brave men including some of Joscelins cavalry, causing them all to die a
martyrs death. When Joscelin heard of this, he turned in flight and spent the night at the
same place where the battle had been fought; then on the next day he took refuge in his
town of Tell Bashir. Thus on that day many Frankish noblemen perished, and so it became
a disastrous and horrible day for the Christian faithful. All this occurred on the 10th of the
month of Sahmi, that is the fourth day of May. After this Balik victoriously turned back and
descended upon the town of Manbij, ordering all his troops to begin the attack. Overjoyed
[by his recent successes], he took off his coat of mail. At that very moment a Sun-
Worshipper in the citadel shot an arrow into his back, causing the emir to be mortally
wounded. Then Ban summoned Timurtash, the son of Il-Ghazi, to his side and gave over to
him his sovereignty and lands, after which the emir instantly died. Now, when his troops
learned of this, they disbanded. Baliks death brought great joy to all the Franks; however,
deep sorrow and a general feeling of loss fell upon the people inhabiting his lands, for he
had dealt compassionately with the Armenians under his rule.

96. At this time the king, Galeran, and the kings nephew were in the city of Aleppo. Now
Count Joscelin and the queen made a pact with Timurtash to ransom the king. They agreed
to hand over as hostages the kings daughter and Joscelins son, together with fifteen other
persons. The ransom itself was set at one hundred thousand dahekans. So in the month of
September King Baldwin was delivered from captivity at the hands of the Turks. He arrived
in Antioch, and on that day there was much rejoicing among the Christian faithful. On the
other hand, Count Galeran and the kings nephew remained in Timurtashs clutches and
were ultimately put to death. Thus this was the second time that Baldwin was freed from
captivity through Joscelins efforts.

97. In this same year Gargar was captured from the Turks through the aid of God. Michael,
the lord of the town and also the son of Constantine, gathered together fifty men and
vigorously besieged the place, putting the Turks in the fortress in dire straits. Deprived of
any help and hard-pressed, the Turks submitted and handed over Gargar to Michael. In
this same way and through the same efforts the fortress of Bibol was captured from the
Turks, and so there was much rejoicing among the Christian faithful.
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98. In this same year the Georgian king David once again severely slaughtered the
Persians, this time about twenty thousand men. Moreover, he captured the royal Armenian
capital of Ani, removing the sons of Manuche from the city and taking them to Tiflis. So
the royal capital of Ani was freed from the yoke under which it had been for sixty years.
The magnificent, huge, and holy Cathedral of Ani, which the infidels had turned into a
mosque, now was thronged with the bishops, priests, and monks of Armenia, who
reconsecrated it in solemn pomp. Thus there was rejoicing throughout all Armenia, for
everyone was witness to the deliverance of the holy cathedral [from the clutches of the
infidels]?

99. In this same year a duke [actually the doge of Venice] came from the country of the
Franks with many troops and encamped against the city of Tyre, situated on the coast of
the Mediterranean. He besieged the city for many days and through violent assaults put it
in dire straits. He blockaded the city from the sea with a fleet, while he held tight control of
the land with his numerous troops; thus the place was blockaded on all sides. Also the
duke erected wooden towers against the city and set up catapults and other war machines
to batter its walls. In this manner he put Tyre in great danger for many days, harassing the
city with famine and continual assaults. Finally the townspeople became so hard-pressed
that they submitted. Obtaining an oath from the Frankish commander [that their lives
would be spared], the townspeople handed over the city to the duke and then departed and
went to Damascus. After a few days the Franks gave [the revenues of] the city of Tyre to the
sepulcher of Christ, and the duke returned to the country of the Franks with his troops.

100. In this same year Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem, and Joscelin gathered together all
the Frankish forces and marched against the city of Aleppo. At this time the Arab chieftain
Sadaqah, the son of Dubais and son-in-law of Il-Ghazi, joined Joscelin. This chieftain
made an alliance of peace and friendship with Joscelin and so came to the aid of the count
with his troops. The grandson of the sultan Tutush and the sultan of Melitene, who was the
son of Kilij Arslan, also joined Joscelin. Thus an imposing force was brought together
against Aleppo, and the city was put in dire straits for many days through famine and
continual assaults. At this point the townspeople sent to the city of Mosul, to the general
al-Bursuki, asking him to come to their aid. So this general collected a large number of
troops and after six months arrived before Aleppo. He drove away the Franks, and thus the
city was saved. The Frankish forces, in turn, returned to their respective territories
unharmed. On the other hand, the Arab chieftain Sadaqah, as he withdrew, ravaged the

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territory of Mosul and all of al-Bursukis lands. After remaining in Aleppo for a few days,
al-Bursuki went to Damascus and made an alliance with Tughtigin, the emir of that city.

101. In this same year Ghazi, the emir of Sebastia and the son of Danishmend, marched
against Melitene. He vehemently besieged Melitene, putting it in dire straits, and
blockaded the city for six months until it was hard-pressed by a severe famine. As the
famine intensified, many died, and because of the lack of food [in the city], the
townspeople were forced to go out to the enemy camp. So, being hard-pressed, the
inhabitants of the city handed Melitene over to Ghazi. After this the wife of Kilij Arslan,
who was the ruler of the city, departed and went to Mshar.

102. In the year 574 of the Armenian era [1125-1126] the Persian general al-Bursuki and
Tughtigin marched forth with a tremendous army consisting of forty thousand troops the
very best of all the Persian forces. Coming with this great army, al-Bursuki descended upon
the impregnable Frankish fortress of Azaz and vehemently laid siege to it. Relying on his
great strength, he boasted that he could easily capture the fortress, thus showing nothing
but disdain for the capabilities of the Franks. Twelve catapults were set up against Azaz,
and two of its walls were demolished through sapping operations, thus putting the fortress
in great danger. So the garrison within despaired [of being saved]. Now, when the king of
Jerusalem learned that al-Bursuki had returned to Aleppo, he immediately left and came
to Antioch. Having alerted the Frankish forces, he was speedily joined by Count Joscelin as
well as the count of Tripoli (the son of Saint Gilles) and Mahuis (the count of Duluk). The
Christian forces consisted of one thousand three hundred Frankish horsemen, five
hundred Armenian horsemen, and four thousand infantry. The king of Jerusalem marched
forth and came to Cyrrhus. When the Persian general learned of this, he took a
detachment of troops and encamped in the vicinity of Aleppo. At this point, leaving all
their baggage in Cyrrhus, the Frankish forces went to Azaz prepared for battle and saw the
fortress razed to its foundations, ruined, and about to fall to the infidels. Immediately the
Persian forces turned upon the Franks and hemmed them in for three days. The Franks
were hard-pressed and put in a perilous situation, for they were unable to obtain victuals;
so in these extremely dire straits, despairing of living, they hoped for [a speedy] death. The
Turkish forces, in turn, challenged them with defiant and boastful shouting and
surrounded them on all sides. Then, with shrill cries and like an eagle swooping down
upon a flock of doves, the infidels rushed against the Frankish forces. The Christians, hard-
pressed on all sides and seized with terror, waited for death, having reached their last
breath. Now, while they were in this perilous situation, the king thought of an excellent
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idea. He said the following to the officers of his troops: Come, let us turn back directly to
al-Atharib and make the Turks believe we have fled, so that those of them who are in
ambush will come out after us; then we can attack them, and thus will see what Christ can
do for us. Then he commanded the following to those who were garrisoning Azaz: When
you see the Turks grouping together to pursue us, give us a smoke signal from the
fortress. After this the king went in the direction of al-Atharib with all his forces. Thinking
that the king had fled, the general alBursuki signaled all his troops to assemble [and go
against the Christians]. The Turks pursued the Franks like wolves after sheep, rushing
after them with shrill cries and driving the Christian forces before them by their frightful
appearance and loud shouting. After a pursuit of two miles the infidel forces began to close
ranks against the Christians. At that moment the garrison of Azaz gave the [prearranged]
smoke signal. Seeing this, the king of Jerusalem and all his officers beseeched God for
assistance; directing their tearful and anguish-ridden grief to heaven, they entreated God
to come to the aid of his feeble flock. Then the king ordered the battle trumpet sounded,
and the Christian forces rushed against the infidels en masse, invoking the help of God and
manifesting a very courageous effort. God heard their prayers and so angrily turned the
Turks in flight. The Christian troops wielded the sword, and dispersed and scattered the
infidels over the plain. Count Joscelin, full of rage and like a ferocious roaring lion who
goes after oxen, pursued the infidel forces and gorged himself with their heathen blood. In
the same manner the king and the whole army of Christ pursued the infidels and ruthlessly
slaughtered them right up to the city of Aleppo. The number of Turks slaughtered came to
seven thousand. The Persian general and Tughtigin went away humiliated, for fifteen
emirs had perished in the battle. On the other hand, the Christian forces turned back
rejoicing greatly and laden with countless booty. So this day came to be a joyful one for all
the Christian faithful. Now all this occurred on Thursday, the 24th of the month of Tre.
After a number of days al-Bursuki took the kings daughter and Joscelins son and placed
them in Qalat Jabar;then he himself went to Mosul. After one year he was assassinated
by a group of people of his nation called Hajji. These men entered his house as pilgrims
and killed him with a knife. Then al-Bursukis servants killed them and others whom they
found in the city dressed in the same manner all in all eighty men.

Source: This translation is from Armenia and the Crusades, tenth to Twelfth Centuries:
The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa, translated by Ara Edmond Dostourian (University
Press of America, 1993), as copied in Nicolas Agarit, Matthew of Edessa, Chronicle,
Warfare in the Crusader States (1104-1127), published on De Re Military [22/04/2013]

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[http://deremilitari.org/2013/04/matthew-of-edessa-chronicle-warfare-in-the-crusader-
states-1104-1127/]

XXIX. The Book of James of Ibelin

The Book (Livre) of James of Ibelin is a legal treatise composed in crusader Cyprus in the
later thirteenth century. Its author was a member of the powerful Ibelin dynasty, most
likely the son of the most famous Frankish jurist John of Ibelin, the count of Jaffa of
Ascalon (d. 1266). Like his father John and the earlier jurist Philip of Novara, James was
concerned with the feudal law of the kingdom's High Court (Haut Cour), the law the
pertained to nobles and knights in their dealings with each other and with the crown.
Other legal traditions also existed in the crusader states which were dealt in separate
works by other authors, such as the law of the town and merchant courts.

James himself did not provide an introduction or prologue explaining the contents and
purpose of his work, as had John of Ibelin and Philip of Novara; the short prologue below
was added by a later copyist. A note added at the beginning of a different manuscript
claims that James wrote hisBook on his deathbed in 1276. According to the author of this
introduction, the assizes are presented "purely", without all the lengthy digressions on
court procedure and pleading that are found in John's lengthier treatise, and without the
personal commentary that is characteristic of Philip's work. While we cannot be certain
as to the intended function of James's Book, from its contents it would seem that he
wanted to provide a reference guide to what he saw as the most important elements of
feudal law. Often, it seems like James is trying to suggest the best ways for a litigant
before the High Court to avoid harm in the legal process (for instance by avoiding or
otherwise mitigating a dangerous trial by battle).

Note on translation
The translation here was made from the Old French text of John's Book edited by
Auguste-Arthur Beugnot for the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres in the
Lois volume of the Recueil des historians des croisades (Paris, 1841), 454-468.
A team of scholars translated this work collaboratively
using FromThePage platform. A side-by-side comparison of the translation with
the Old French text and annotations can be consulted at the text's FromthePage
site.

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 Translators: Laura Morreale, Thomas O'Donnell, Brian Reilly, Adam Bishop,
Mark Cruse, Nicholas Paul

Prologue
You have heard and understood so far the rulings and the practices for pleading in the
kingdom of Jerusalem and now you can hear them plainly, without instructions about the
manner of pleading; those are the assises made by my lord James of Ibelin: may God have
true mercy on his soul.

According to that which I have long seen and heard and which I surely understand to be
the good practices and the good customs of the kingdom of Jerusalem. I will divide them
up for you to be recorded by chapters, just as will be written down hereafter. And so I will
begin with the first matter.

Chapter 1
When the kingdom of Jerusalem escheats to any man who might be the rightful heir of the
said kingdom, he should assemble the greater part of the best of the liege men of the said
kingdom, and should let them know how the kingdom has escheated to him, and tell them
how and for what reason, because perhaps there might be someone who did know about it
before he heard it from him. And then he should require them collectively that they do for
him as to a lord and to the rightful heir that which they should do on account of their fiefs,
their sworn allegiances, and their other dues, and afterwards on account of the services,
according to what each one owes. And he should offer first and foremost to do for them
whatever the lord should do when he enters and receives such a lordship; and those men
then ought to go all together to one side and make known what the lord has requested of
them and offered. And if they are certain that he is the rightful heir, as he claims to be, they
should immediately come before the lord and say to him: Lord, we acknowledge that you
are the one as you have said, and we are ready and prepared to do what you have requested
without delay, provided that you do first and foremost what you should do for us, just as
you have offered. Then the Gospels should be brought out, and the lord should kneel and
place his right palm upon them, and one of the men should speak in the following manner
and say: Lord, you swear on the holy Gospels of the Lord, as a Christian, that you will
guard, and preserve, and maintain, and defend with all of your rightful (leau) power the
holy church and the widows and the orphans throughout the kingdom in their rights. And

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furthermore, by your said oath, you will hold and cause to be held and to be fulfilled by all
your rightful (leal) power the good uz and the good costumes and the assises which were
established (ordenes) and made in the said kingdom, that is as [they are] understood
through the whole kingdom. And furthermore, by your said oath, to hold and to maintain
and to preserve the grants and the privileges which your ancestors have given and made in
that kingdom; and if there is any disagreement about the grants and privileges that they
[i.e., the ancestors] have made, that you will promise to pass judgment on those
disagreements by the esgart or by the conoissance of your court. And furthermore as you
are bound, by your sworn oath, to hold and to maintain and to cause to be held and to be
fulfilled, by that is in your rightful (leau) power, justice. And after the above said things
have been carried out, the lord should sit down; and the men one after the other should
come before him, and each one, in making his homage, should kneel and place his hands
together within those of the lord; and another of the men should say: You make liege
homage to my lord the king, on account of the fief that you have and you hold, which you
should hold from him; and you promise to guard him and to protect him as you liege lord
against all who may live and die. And he receives you in Gods faith and in his own as his
liege man, he will safeguard your rights as his own. And each of the parties should
confirm what has been said and say Yes, and then they should kiss one another in [good]
faith. And all the liege men who are in the kingdom or who will be there should have either
made or offered to make, within the forty days, their homage to the lord. And then the said
men should, at the request of their lord, make fealty, namely to swear on the holy Gospels
of the Lord to guard and the protect and defend against anyone the body of the lord and
his towns (villes) and castles (chastiaus) and his kingdom for him and, after him, for his
rightful heirs.

Chapter 2
And the liege men [who are] knights, who owe service of the body for their fief, should
serve the lord with their arms and with one horse and with two additional mounts; and
furthermore [such a liege man] should be prepared to come to carry out commands,
especially to be at the court of pleas and of requests, and to go to the counsel of anyone to
whom the lord has given him by the commandment of the lord; and [he should] carry out
the judgments (esgarts) and the decisions (conoissances) and the securities (recors) that
the court has made, and report them; and go to see the crimes or the murders that the
malefactors have done; and summon any person, if the lord orders it; and, when men are
in conflict, make division or partition of the water and the land; and to see evidence at the

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designated place; and to make inquiries; and to maintain a field for champions; and, in the
company of his men, he should serve with one horse and two other mounts. And the man
is bound to the lord by homage and the promise that he has made, as has been laid out
above with regard to homage; and it should be understood that this [the homage and the
promise] is to protect and safeguard and defend and maintain his body and his possessions
(honors), and he should not himself cause nor tolerate nor allow anyone to bring him
either into shame or belittlement. And the lord is held to his man on the faith that he has
received him and by the confirmation of the kiss, when he has done homage to him, to
guard him and to protect him as his man, and neither to attempt himself nor to consent
that anyone should bring him into dishonour nor harm him where he has it in his power.

Chapter 3
The man should perform homage to the lord when he comes into his lordship, or offer to
perform it for him, for the fief that he holds from him, within the forty days (all as has
already been said). And if he is excused, he should make known to the lord his excuse
within the said term, and if he does not do it and the term has passed, the lord can have if
he wishes, by the court, his fief, and hold it and enjoy the benefits of it until that [man]
comes and either does homage to him or offers to do it: and as for the excuse, one should
present it just as other excuses are presented in other cases. And the one who happens not
to be in the kingdom, but is in the land on this side of the sea, he should have a
postponement, in addition to the forty days, of three weeks, which is seventeen days, if it is
summer; and if it is winter, three months; and if he is across the sea (outremer), a year and
a day. And if the men of the men who owe allegiance to the chief lord, following the assise,
have not made or have not offered to make the said liege homage to the chief lord within a
year and a day, and the lord wishes to pursue, it by the court; he should lose all advantage
and all profit which he would have in it if he had made or offered to make the said liege
homage. This profit is determined in the judgment (assise) which was made when the
disagreement arose between King Amalric and Lord Gerard of Sidon (i.e. the Assise sur la
ligece).

Chapter 4
And the lord is obliged to have his liegeman settle arguments, whatever they might be, that
exist or that may come to pass between him and his man, or from one man with regard to
the other of some man which he is, to offer judgment to his man by the esgart of his court,
if he or another require from him the esgart. And he [the lord] should not place his hand

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on his [the mans] body nor on his fief nor on his possessions if the court has not
recognized in advance that he has the power to do so.

Chapter 5
And the lord should receive acts of homage from men of his kingdom those who ought to
perform them at the time when they are prepared for it, such as when the fief is owed to
them. And if [the lord] does not do it [i.e. receive the act of homage] or does not give the
reason why he ought not receive it, for instance that the court judges or recognizes that he
has a right to refuse it, and if [the man] tries more than once, and one year and one day
pass, the man does not owe homage any more. Nor must he offer it as long as he lives; and
so he ought to have his fief in its entirety until the said term, without service. And
whichever one [i.e. the lord or the man] dies earlier, the arrangement persists; and nothing
whatsoever is lost for that man: he is a peer among the other liege men. And the man
should make or offer to make homage to his lord such as he owes for the fief; and if he does
not, and a year and a day passes, the lord should have his fief as long as he lives, and
whichever one dies earlier, the arrangement persists.

Chapter 6
And if anyone who owes liege homage following the assise offers to perform it for the lord
just as he should, and one year and one day passes without [the lord] receiving either it or
a worthwhile explanation why he has not received it, the lord loses all the advantage which
he would have had over him if he had received the said liege homage. This is all just as the
advantage is set out in the peace which was made when there was the disagreement
between King Amalric and Gerard of Sidon [i.e. the assise sur la ligece]. And the man does
not lose anything of the advantages, nor of the profits that were stipulated that he ought to
have in the said assise.

Source: http://www.crusaderstates.org/the-book-of-james-of-ibelin.html

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