Letters from the East

Crusaders, Pilgrims and Settlers in the 12th–13th Centuries

Malcolm Barber, Keith Bate

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781317105541
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

No written source is entirely without literary artifice, but the letters sent from Asia Minor, Syria and Palestine in the high middle ages come closest to recording the real feelings of those who lived in and visited the crusader states. They are not, of course, reflective pieces, but they do convey the immediacy of circumstances which were frequently dramatic and often life-threatening. Those settled in the East faced crises all the time, while crusaders and pilgrims knew they were experiencing defining moments in their lives. There are accounts of all the great events from the triumph of the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 to the disasters of Hattin in 1187 and the loss of Acre in 1291. These had an impact on the lives of all Latin Christians, but at the same time individuals felt impelled to describe both their own personal achievements and disappointments and the wonders and horrors of what they had seen. Moreover, the representatives of the military and monastic orders used letters as a means of maintaining contact with the western houses, providing information about the working of religious orders not found elsewhere. Some of the letters translated here are famous, others hardly known, but all offer unique insight into the minds of those who took part in the crusading movement.

Letters from the East

1. Stephen, Count of Blois, to his wife Adela (June, 1097). Near Nicaea

Stephen, Count of Blois and Champagne (1089–1102). He died at the battle of Ramla on either 17 or 19 May. Adela, daughter of William the Conqueror, married Stephen circa 1083. She entered Marcigny in 1120, and died 8 March, 1137. [Latin]

Epistulae et chartae ad historiam primi belli sacri spectantes. Die Kreuzzugsbriefe aus den Jahren 1088–1100, (ed.) H. Hagenmeyer (Innsbruck, 1901), no. IV, pp. 138–40.

Count Stephen to Countess Adela, dearest friend and wife, the best and most pleasing greetings your mind can imagine.

Be it known, my love, that I am enjoying a marvellous journey to Romania1 in all honour and good health. I took care to send you by letter from Constantinople2 an account of my life on pilgrimage, but just in case the messenger has suffered some accident, I am rewriting the letter to you.

I was extremely happy to reach the city of Constantinople3 by the grace of God. The emperor4 received me in a dignified, honourable manner and as affectionately as if I were his son. He gave me numerous valuable gifts and there is no duke, count or other powerful person in the whole of God’s or our army he trusts or favours more than me. Truly, my love, his Imperial Highness has often said and continues to say that we should entrust one of our sons to him; he has promised that he will personally honour our son in such a great and distinguished manner that our son will harbour no grudge against us. I am telling you the truth when I say that this man has no equal alive on earth today. He showers gifts on all our leaders, his presents are making the lives of the knights easier, and his banquets are reinvigorating the poor. Near the city of Nicaea1 is a castle called Civetote,2 situated on an inlet of the sea, from where the pious emperor’s own ships sail day and night to Constantinople, bringing food to be distributed daily to the many poor in the camp. It seems to me that in our times no other prince has had a character distinguished by such complete integrity. Your father,3 my love, gave many great presents, but he was almost nothing in comparison with this man. Writing these few words about him so that you will have some idea of what sort of person he is has given me pleasure.

After ten days of his respectful hospitality I took my leave of him as of a father. With the ships he ordered to be prepared for me I made a speedy crossing of the calm inlet of the sea that encircles the city.4 Some people said that particular stretch of the sea at Constantinople was dangerously rough, but they were wrong, as it is no less safe than the Marne or the Seine. From there we came to another branch, called the Arm of St George, but as we did not find enough ships we solved the problem by continuing on foot, marching towards the city of Nicomedia at the very head of the branch I mentioned. It is there the blessed martyr Pantaleon5 suffered for Christ, but the city has now been pillaged by the Turks.

From there we hurried on to the huge city of Nicaea, praising God as we went. Nicaea, my love, is encircled by remarkable walls with more than three hundred high towers. The Turks inside we learned to be valiant fighters when we discovered that the huge army of God had been engaged in mortal combat with the inhabitants of Nicaea for four weeks. Just before we joined up with the army, the Turkish leader, Soliman,6 had unexpectedly led his large force against our troops, ready to battle his way into the city in support of his men inside. By the grace of God this evil plan had the opposite effect to what he hoped, for our soldiers were ready in very quick time to repel the Turkish attack with ferocity and spirit. The Turks turned round en bloc and fled immediately. Our men pursued them with alacrity, killing many of them. The pursuit was continued over a wide area, with many Turks killed or wounded, and the Turks would have suffered a huge irremediable disaster that day if our men had not been held back by the difficult and unknown terrain of the mountains. That day not a single soldier of ours was lost, but afterwards our huge combined army fought many fierce battles with the Turks, killing many of them, leaders included, with our crossbows (ballistae)7 and bows. We suffered some losses, but not many. Baldwin of Flanders, Count of Ghent,1 was the only knight of renown to fall. When our worthy Christian princes saw that Nicaea with its towers (as I said before) could not be captured by arms alone, they set to work and built very high wooden towers complete with protection barriers and various assault machines. The Turks panicked at the sight of these and their envoys offered to surrender the city on condition that the emperor allow them to leave unarmed, under safe conduct, and to be held alive as captives.

When the respected emperor heard this he came nearly all the way up to us, but did not dare enter his own city of Nicaea for fear of being crushed by the huge throng of the joyful population who revered him as a holy father. So he retreated to an island of his in the sea near us. All our princes, apart from myself and the count of St Gilles,2 hurried to celebrate such a great victory with him. As was fitting, he received them with great affection. He was very happy to hear that I had stayed behind in case a band of hostile Turks should arrive and threaten the city and our army. Indeed, he was much happier and more deeply affected by my decision than if I had given him a mountain of gold. On the island where he was the great emperor allotted the more precious spoils of the city of Nicaea as follows: the knights were to have the gold, jewels, silver, cloaks, horses and the like, all the food was to be given to the foot-soldiers. All the princes were to receive payment from his own treasures.

As I said earlier, with the triumph of God, the surrender of Nicaea took place on the thirteenth day before the kalends of July.3 In early church history it is written that the holy fathers held a religious synod in Nicaea where they demolished the Arian heresy and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit they confirmed the truth of the Holy Trinity.4 The city was a teacher of error because of its sins, but now by the mercy of God has become a student of truth because of its sinning servants. I tell you, my love, that five weeks after leaving the oft-mentioned Nicaea we will reach Jerusalem if Antioch does not hold us up. Farewell.

2. Symeon, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Adhemar, Bishop of Le Puy, to all the faithful of the northern regions (c.18 October, 1097). Outside Antioch

Symeon II, Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (before 1092–99), and Adhemar of Monteil, Bishop of Le Puy (1079/80–98), chief papal legate on the crusade (1096–8). Symeon was in exile in Cyprus at this time and Adhemar may have visited him to compose this encyclical letter. He died on 1 August, 1098. [Latin]

Epistulae et chartae, no. VI, pp. 141–2.

S[ymeon], Patriarch of Jerusalem and H[ademar], Bishop of Puy Ste Marie, especially he who received from Pope Urban1 the care of the Christian army, send you grace, peace and eternal salvation from our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

In unanimity we, clergy, bishops and monks, dukes, counts and other good men of the laity, pray earnestly for the salvation of your souls, requesting that all of you who live in the North, in northern countries, come to us as soon as possible, especially those who desire their salvation and have healthy bodies and enough means for the journey. Even those of you with few resources can come, as almighty God will provide for your sustenance afterwards. We Christians, beloved brothers, are in Romania. The great city of Nicaea we captured and subjugated with great difficulty, after three battles. From Nicaea our army moved on towards Antioch, taking several other cities and Turkish fortresses. We comprise one hundred thousand mounted knights and men in armour. But that is but few in comparison with the horde of pagans, even if the true God is fighting on our side. On this point, brothers, listen to this miracle that the said most holy patriarch reveals to all Christians. The Lord Himself appeared to him in a vision and promised that all who strove in this expedition would stand crowned before Him on the fearful day of the Last Judgement. So you, since you are well aware that those who have been signed with the Cross and have remained apostate by their actions are truly excommunicate, we ask and entreat you by that same Cross and the Tomb of the Lord to smite them all with the sword of anathema if they do not follow us and make haste so that they reach us in Romania by next Easter. Farewell. In your prayers remember us who strive night and day.

3. Anselm of Ribemont to Manasses, Archbishop of Reims (end of November, 1097). Outside Antioch

Anselm II of Ribemont (Aisne), castellan of Bouchain, lord of Ostrevant and Valenciennes. Died at the siege of Arqa, 25 February, 1099. Manasses of Châtillon, Archbishop of Reims (1096–1106). Died 17 September, 1106. [Latin]

Epistulae et chartae, no. VII, pp. 144–6.

To his reverend lord M[anasses], by the grace of God Archbishop of Reims, A[nselm] of Ribemont, his vassal (suus homo) and humble servant in the Lord, greetings.

Because you are our lord, and because the kingdom of the whole of France is greatly dependent on your care, we are informing you, father, of our situation and that of the army of the Lord. First, although we are aware that the student is not above the teacher nor the servant above his master, we nevertheless advise and entreat you in the Lord Jesus to consider what you are and what is your duty as a priest and bishop, namely to provide for our land in such a way that the nobles live in a mutual state of concord, the lesser people toil in safety on what is theirs, the ministers of Christ have a quiet and peaceful life to enable them to devote themselves to the Lord. I beseech you and the canons of the church of the Holy Mother at Reims, my fathers and lords, that you remember us, not only me and the others who continue to strive in the service of God, but also those in the army of the Lord who have fallen in combat or died in peace. But let us put these matters aside and return to what we promised.

After the army had reached Nicomedia and we were at the gates of the land of the Turks, the greater and the lesser were shriven by confession and strengthened by the taking of the body and blood of the Lord. We then advanced to lay siege to Nicaea two days before the nones of May.1 Although we had attacked the city for some days with a barrage of engines and various war machines, the Turks with the cunning they had often shown, duped us yet again. On a day they had promised to surrender, Soliman and all the Turks from neighbouring and distant regions joined forces, intending to launch a surprise attack on our camp. They m...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Copyright
• Title Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Permissions
• Maps
• Chronology
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Contents
• Letters from the East
• Sources
• Sources in Translation Containing Letters from the East
• Index