BULLETIN 
 
 HE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 
 NO. 224 
 
 FOUR TIMES A MONTH 
 
 GENERAL SERIES 24 
 
 MARCH 22, 1912 
 
 A PROBLEM IN THE USE OF PARALLEL SOURCE 
 MATERIAL IN MEDIEVAL HISTORY 
 
 THE CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM IN 1099 
 
 FREDERIC DUNCALF, Ph. D. 
 
 Instructor in Medieral History 
 The University of Texas 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 
 AUSTIN TEXAS 
 
 Entered as seoond-cla&s mail matter at the poatoffice at Auitin, Texai 
 
 iioMfrapi 
 
474-312-15h-1095 
 
 BULLETIN 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 
 NO. 224 
 
 FOUR TIMES A MONTH 
 
 GENERAL SERIES 24 MARCH 22, 1912 
 
 A PROBLEM IN THE USE OF PARALLEL SOURCE 
 MATERIAL IN MEDIEVAL HISTORY 
 
 THE CAP TV RE OF JERUSALEM IN 1099 
 
 BY 
 
 FREDERIC DONCALF, Ph. D, 
 il 
 
 Instructor in Medieral History 
 The University of Texas 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 
 AUSTIN. TEXAS 
 
 Entered as second-class mail matter at the postoffice at Austin, Texas 
 
A^ 
 
 V 
 
 Cultivated iniud is the guardian 
 genius of democracy ... It 
 is the only dictator that freemen 
 acknowledge and the only security 
 that freemen desire. 
 
 President Mirabeau B. Lamar. 
 
A PROBLEM IN THE USE OF PARALLEL SOURCE MA- 
 TERIAL IX MEDIEVAL HISTORY 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 I. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN 
 
 The purpose of tins bulletin is to present an experimental 
 source problem, in the hope that it may contain a practical 
 basis for the selection and use of source material in secondary 
 history teaching. A great deal has been said, first and last, 
 about the benefits that can be obtained by source work, and in 
 general there is agreement that it should make high school 
 history teaching more interesting and more effective. In prac- 
 tice, however, there is much doubt as to the general success of 
 the pre-ent use of sources. It would seem that the present diffi- 
 culty is the lack of source books that i)resent material arranged 
 in such form that satisfactory results can be obtained without 
 too great effort on the part of both teacher and student. ]Many 
 teachers are making eti'ective . use of source material, but to a 
 great extent their success is the result of their own individ- 
 ual methods and experience. As source books are commonly 
 arranged, too much time must be consumed by the teachers in 
 giving the student a suitable background and in working out 
 details with the thoroughness that is necessary, to justify the 
 results gained from such supplementary work. If the results that 
 can be obtained from source work have not been over-rated, it 
 would seem that the necessary helps and equipment should be 
 provided, so that every history teacher may use source material 
 to greater advantage than is now possible. 
 
 Tlie amount of time that should be spent in source work 
 can not be definitely determined. In the course on Medieval 
 and Modern history, which is commonly given in the first and 
 second years of the high school, other phases of history work 
 certainly deserve far more attention than the extended use of 
 source material. However, the second year student ought to 
 have a taste of such supplementary work. If he can be inter- 
 ested by the use of source extracts, he will gain a fresher and 
 more real insight into the past life that he is studying th&n can 
 be obtained from text or secondary books. Certainly he should 
 do some comparative and critical work and should be taught 
 to exercise his judgment. This ti'ainiug can best be obtained by 
 
4 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 the use of problems selected from source extracts. It would 
 seem that the teacher with limited time and immature second 
 year students, who have not advanced far in their history work, 
 could obtain better results by deliberate concentration in source 
 work than by attempting to use a series of documents that cover 
 every phase of European history. Inasmuch as the use of 
 even a selected number of the disconnected extracts in the 
 average source book now on the market necessarily means su- 
 perficial treatment, it seems far more practical deliberately to 
 use only three or four source problems, giving enongh time to 
 each to make the work thorough and intensive. By such a plan, 
 the student certainly ought to gain more valuable training and 
 should have the satisfaction of really understanding the ma- 
 terial on which he has been working. 
 
 The average secondary history teacher covers the entire field 
 of history from x\ncient to American and, no matter how well 
 trained, can not be expected to be suifieiently familiar with the 
 sources or even with the best secondary material of every field 
 to interpret satisfactorily an isolated source extract. The best 
 use of source material often depends on the ability of the 
 teacher to point out the importance of significant details and 
 such appreciation can not be gained without study and a knowl- 
 edge of other contemporary source material. Under such cir- 
 cumstances, it is not to be exi)ected that the teacher should be- 
 able to use many extracts effectively, especially isolated docu- 
 ments. On the other hand, if the teacher is provided with three 
 or four exercises, each consisting of parallel extracts, and 
 equipped with sufficient helps, it will be possible to become fa- 
 miliar enough with each problem to make it both interesting and 
 profitable. 
 
 Certain definite results can reasonably be expected of such a 
 method of source work. By using parallel extracts the stu- 
 dent can be given small problems that will call for the practice 
 of his ingenuity and judgment. In searching for information 
 about a particular point, he will find confiicting statements and 
 differences in the point of view that will call for the exercise of 
 some critical ability. He will learn that there is often room for 
 doubt about historical facts that some secondary books may 
 regard as definitelv established. Valuable lessons will be learned 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 5 
 
 about the importance of cautiously forming opinions of his own 
 on other than historical questions. In a mild way, the stu- 
 dent can be initiated into the more intensive form of historical 
 method. 
 
 Such intensive study of parallel extracts should lead to a 
 keener appreciation of the life and character of the people of 
 the past. Students can be encouraged to look for incidents that 
 reveal what manner of men lived centuries ago and they will 
 thus acquire a more intimate knowledge as well as a more sym- 
 pathetic point of view than the text-book can furnish. It can 
 be brought home by such intensive source work that these peo- 
 ple had hopes and ambitions, weaknesses and frailties very like 
 human beings of today. One of the important results that the 
 study of history should produce is the development of a ca- 
 pacity to appreciate the point of view of another person or of a 
 different race. This m_eans broad-mindedness and toleration. 
 By studying the sources in detail the student can realize all 
 this from his own experience and his knowledge of people, and 
 he will find pleasure in applying such practical knowledge of 
 human nature as he has acquired in actual life. 
 
 Not only should the student acquire a broader jioint of view, 
 but he can be made more interested in history work by such an 
 exercise. When he can be shown in a tangible way that history 
 is past life and that human nature is very much the same even 
 under very different conditions and in different ages, he will 
 regard history as worth while and as interesting. By taking 
 enough time for a small amount of sourc'e work and by doing 
 it with thoroughness, the student will study his text-book with 
 new interest. 
 
 Furthermore, there is an opportunity for a kind of intensive 
 training that can be obtained only by work on such problems, 
 whether made up from source extracts or secondary material. If 
 the student is given a small problem adapted to his ability and 
 making demands upon his ingenuity, he will learn the first les- 
 sons in the criticism and oi'ganization of facts, and in forming 
 conclusions by the use of his powers of judgment. Conflicting 
 statements in the different extracts will challenge his curiosity. 
 He M'ill beconio anxious to reconcile them and to find a solution 
 for his difficulties in the same spirit that the solution of a 
 
6 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 puzzle would call out his best mental efforts. By direction in 
 working out conclusions from indefinite details, which must first 
 be carefully examined, the student will learn the importance of 
 using all information carefully. If the teacher can impress this 
 On the student, it will be a start toward the realization of the 
 importance of acquiring intellectual independence. There is 
 no greater obligation resting on the history teacher than that 
 of awakening the desire of the student to form independent 
 opinions on all subjects. No form of educational training can 
 have a greater practical value or will make the student more 
 useful to himself or his fellow men. 
 
 In the belief that many of the present source books do not 
 enable the teacher to obtain the best results from the use of 
 source material, this bulletin is offered as an experiment. It 
 presents several problems with sufficient material and sufficient 
 helps and suggestions to enable teacher and pupil to solve them 
 with satisfying results. It is hoped that the history teachers 
 of the state will, if possible, try it in the class room. If the ex- 
 periment should prove successful, it may result in a better 
 method of arranging source material for history teaching and 
 in greater emphasis on this phase of supplementary work than 
 has hitherto been possible.* 
 
 II. THE PROBLEM 
 
 The siege and capture of Jerusalem by the crusaders in 1099 
 has been selected as the subject of the present exercise. The 
 four most authentic accounts of this event, three of which have 
 been translated from the Latin and given below, are of sufficient 
 brevity to enable students to read them all and form their 
 own conclusions. The problem in its completeness should be to 
 reconstruct from the narratives given here a full account of the 
 siege and capture of Jerusalem in 1099, with all the attendant 
 circumstances; but it may be more satisfactory to assign small 
 problems of a more definite character, covering the topics sug- 
 gested below. 
 
 *See Krey, "Suggestions for the Teaching of History and Civics in 
 the High School," University of Texas Bulletin. 1912, pp. 18-22. This 
 Bulletin can be obtained free on application to The University of Texas. 
 It presents several problems with sufficient material and sufficient helps 
 and suggestions to enable teachers and pupils to solve them- with satis- 
 fying results. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 7 
 
 The teacher should encourage the student to use all possible 
 ingenuity and to give his reasons for 3very statement which he 
 ipakes. The point of view or the character of each writer should 
 always be considered in every instance where this might affect 
 the value of any particular fact. The students should be 
 asked to write reports on their topics to be read before the 
 class. Since the other members of the class, as a result of their 
 own work, will be familiar with the different narratives, they 
 will be in a position to criticise such reports. Such exercises 
 should awaken lively discussion and bring about animated reci- 
 tation work. 
 
 1. Subdivisions of the Problem — Topics 
 
 1. Describe the fortification of Jerusalem in 1099. 
 
 2. What was the location of the different leaders during the 
 siege ? 
 
 3. What changes vvere made in the plan of attack during 
 the siege? What reasons can be found for r^ueh changes? 
 
 4. Describe the first assault made by the crusaders. 
 
 5. How was the progress of the siege delayed by the lack 
 of provisions and the poor water supply^ 
 
 6. Describe the fight that Kaymond Piletus had, on his 
 march to Joppa. 
 
 7. What part did the fleet and Genoese sailors have in the 
 siege ? 
 
 8. What evidence of dissension and lack of harmony in the 
 crusading army is to be found in the extract^- ? 
 
 9. By what means was harmony established among the cru- 
 saders ? 
 
 10. Discuss the use of siege towers. 
 
 11. What machines and siege devices were used to obtain 
 an entrance into the city? 
 
 12. What methods did the Turks use to defend the city? 
 
 13. Describe the first attack on the city. Try to give date 
 and tell why it failed. 
 
 14. Describe the final attack that resulted m the Franks 
 entering the city. What was the date ? 
 
 15. What part did Rajmiond have in the siege? 
 
8 TJie University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 16. What resistance did the crusaders encounter after they 
 had forced their way into the city ? 
 
 17. Describe the fight at the temple of Solomon. 
 
 18. How did the crusaders treat the inhabitants and defend- 
 ers of the city ? 
 
 19. Describe the sacking of the city. 
 
 20. In what ways do the chroniclers illustrate the general 
 attitude of Westerners toward the Mohammedans? 
 
 21. What can you say of the piety of the crusaders? 
 
 22. Can you show that people in the year 1099 believed in 
 mira.cles? 
 
 23. How long did the siege of Jerusalem last ? 
 
 24. How was the capture of the city celebrated? 
 
 25. How does the importance of the capture of Jerusalem, in 
 the estimation of the chroniclers, show the general western atti- 
 tude toward the crusade? 
 
 III. HOW TO WORK OUT THE PROBLEM 
 
 1. The ILisiorical Setting of the Problem.* 
 
 To understand the narratives and to get a sympathetic ap- 
 preciation of the characters, the pupil must know something of 
 the history of the crusades and the relative conditions of west- 
 ern Europe and the East. 
 
 The crusaders, who in 1096 undertook the conquest of the 
 Holy. Land from the Turks, were uncultured AVesterners, who 
 knew little about the higher civilizations of the Byzantine em- 
 pire or of the Saracen world. The years spent on the crusade 
 meant a liberal education to these people, who, except as they 
 may have chanced to hear tales of the magic East from the lips 
 of pilgrims and travelers, had previously known nothing better 
 than the crude life of western Europe. The wealth and luxury 
 that they found were beyond all their expectations, and at every 
 city that they captured the leaders quarrelled; each was eager 
 to obtain possession, to settle down in this wondrous land and 
 build up a principality for himself. Thus, the religious purpose 
 was often forgotten in the rivalry of the leaders, and it long 
 
 *The best account of the capture of Jerusalem in English may be 
 found in Archer and Kingsford, The Crusades (The Story of the 
 Nations Series, Putnams, New York.) 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 9 
 
 seemed doubtful whether the crusading army would ever reach 
 the Holy City that they had started ont with such eagerness 
 to rescue. 
 
 Thus Bohemond, the Norman adventui'ei" from Southern Italy, 
 who probably started on the expedition with a definite purpose 
 to win territory for himself with his sword, outwitted the other 
 leaders and obtained the splendid city of Antioch as his prize. 
 Baldwin, the brother of Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, left the main 
 army at Antioch and established himself at Edessa. Raymond, 
 the count of Touh)use and the greatest lord in Southern Prance, 
 was equally anxious to gain a i)ortion of this rich land, but his 
 ambition was cheeked at every point, and chietly by his crafty 
 rival, Bohemond. The ambitions and jealousies of the leaders 
 threatened to wreck the crusade, but the people in the ranks at 
 length grew weary of quarrels and demanded that they be led to 
 Jerusalem. Thus the army forced the leaders to forget their 
 selfish ambitions, and early in June of 1099. the crusader- ar- 
 rived before Jerusalem. The jealousies of the leaders; continued 
 during the siege, and althoutih Boheirond wa-; not present. Ray- 
 mond was always regarded with suspicion by the othpi" leaders. 
 
 Later, the Westerners who remained in the East and made it 
 their home came to appreciate the culture of their Saracen 
 neighbors. They found it to their advantage to cultivate friendly 
 relations, but in 1099, the crusaders had not been l.onu' enough 
 in the East to adopt >o tolerant an attitude. They had been 
 impressed by the wealth of the country and hoped to conquer and 
 rule it, but they still regarded the Saracens as enemit^s of their 
 religion who deserved no consideration. Firm in their belief 
 that all unbelievers were an inferior race, they had not .yet re- 
 alized that they could learn much from their Saracen enemies. 
 Thus at the siege of Jerusalem, the crusaders show the same fa- 
 natical hatred that had characterized the beginning of the cru- 
 sade. 
 
 Some lessons, however, the crusaders had learned. In warfare, 
 where they were most expert and in which they were most in- 
 terested, they had found it necessary to change their methods. 
 The heavy western horsemen had too often found themselves 
 helpless before the light Turkish cavalry that never gave them 
 peace but would not come to close quarters and fight hand to 
 
10 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 hand. Such methods of fighting were new to the crusaders. 
 They also found that the taking of the walled cities of the 
 East was a much more difficult matter than the storming of 
 the less scientifically fortified castles of the AA^est. From the 
 Greeks, they learned how to besiege walled cities and many of 
 these ideas were used at the siege of Jerusalem. Siege-craft 
 and fortification were greatly modified in the West by returning 
 crusaders, who used to advantage the knowledge which they 
 had acquired in the East. 
 
 The crusade and the capture of Jerusalem made a wonderful 
 impression on the popular imagination of the AA^est. In an age 
 when fighting and the type of religion that found expression in 
 the crusades were matters of absorbing iDterest, it is not sur- 
 prising that an awakening Europe should develop an universal 
 interest in this rescue of the Holy Land. Tlie extracts reflect 
 this popular attitude. The idea, that the places where the 
 Christian religion had found its origin, could confer actual 
 spiritual benefit upon the pilgrim who visited them, was a part 
 of the religious belief, of the age. Its counterpart was the belief 
 that relics, any articles that had been sanctified by some holy 
 person, had a practical spiritual value and miraculous attri- 
 butes. Thus the unearthing at Antioch of what was believed to 
 be the spear that had pierced the side of Christ had been inter- 
 preted as a sign of the Lord's favor, and had resulted in a burst 
 of religious fanaticism that had saved the crusaders from the 
 dangerous plight in which they had found themselves. Similar 
 expressions of religious enthusiasm occurred at Jerusalem. 
 
 However, the spirit of the crusade was not mere religious 
 romanticism. The cold blooded ambition of the leaders delib- 
 erately exploited the religious feeling of the common people. 
 The army itself fluctuated from intense piety, which usual- 
 ly appeared when thev found themselves unprosperous 
 and in danger, to moral laxity. The medieval man was 
 a creature of moods. The matter uppermost in his 
 mind received absorbing attention to the exclusion of 
 all else. Thus in trying to understand these crusaders, it is 
 necessary to remember that they were naive and childlike, but 
 although the ideals and standards of the age were very different 
 from those of today, the motives that guided action were never- 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 H 
 
 theless intensely human even in the last days of the eleventh 
 century. It is only by such an interpretation that the real 
 spirit of the crusaders can be appreciated. 
 
 It is further necessary to have some knowledge of the men 
 wlio wrote the accounts which follow. 
 
 2. The Authors of the Aqcoiuits . 
 
 The three extracts that follow have been translated from the 
 Latin chronicles of the crusades. The writers of these accounts 
 gn-e the best information that we have concerning the capture 
 of Jerusalem in 1099, for they were themselves eye witnesses of 
 this event. There are other narratives of the taking of the Holy 
 City which contain additional information, but. because the 
 authors were not eye witnesses, we can not be so sure of the re- 
 liability of their facts. Often tliey merely copied earlier writ- 
 ings, or obtained their information from men who had been to 
 the Holy Land; again they may have gone to the Holy Land 
 later and heard the story of the siege there. In any of these 
 cases they obtained their facts second hand. One other short 
 account of this event may be mentioned. It is to be found in 
 a letter written by the leaders of the armv to the Pope in 
 September of 1099.* 
 
 ITiis letter and the three extracts printed below are the onlv 
 accounts writtei-i by eye witnesses known to be in existence and 
 they can thus be regarded as the most accurate narratives of the 
 capture of Jerusalem by the crusaders. In comparing different 
 statements, any bias or characteristic that might affect the point 
 of view of the chronicler should be carefullv considered 
 The writers present the attitude of different factions in the 
 army as well as the different points of view of the leaders and 
 of the common people. 
 
 The name of the author of The Deeds of the Franks and 
 other Crusaders is unknown. He makes no specific reference to 
 himself m the chronicle. Other chroniclers who used this 
 book (one of them saw it in 1101) apparentlv did not know the 
 author, at least they have not given us his name. The reliability 
 of the work has been estal)lished by internal criticism, that i. by 
 
 *This has been translated and may be found in Translations and 
 Reprints, University of Pennsylvania, Vol. I, No. 4, p. 10 
 
12 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 a careful consideration of the subject matter and by testing the 
 facts given by the author by comparison with other writers. 
 The account is in the form of a diary written from time to 
 time on the march. The author was apparently not a man who 
 knew the secrets of the leaders, but wrote down his own impres- 
 sions and experiences, describing the events of which he was an 
 eyewitness. lie was religious, intensely interested in the cru- 
 sade, and, because of his genuine and sincere effort to tell 
 what he observed, his account is one of the best that we have 
 of the first crusade. Apparently, the Anonymous, as he is 
 called, was a Norman knight from Southern Italy. He accom- 
 panied Bohemond to Constantinople. Then for a short period 
 he was with Tancied, but was again in Bohemond 's service in 
 1098. Later, he became connected with Raymond of Toulouse, 
 with whom he went to Jerusalem in 1099, where he witnessed 
 the suffering and hardships as well as the final triumph. The 
 Anonymous represents the attitude of the average crusader. 
 
 Fulk, the author of The Deeds of the French Crusaders, was a 
 priest from Chartres. He began his journey with Robert of 
 Normandy and Stephen, count of Blois and Chartres. but at 
 Antioch, he attached himself to Baldwin, the brother of Godfrey, 
 whose chaplain he became, and he is thus our principal source 
 for the story of Baldwin's capture of Edessa. He was at Je- 
 rusalem in 1099. The chronicle has somewhat the form of a 
 diary and is full of the interesting observations that a curious 
 Westerner of the time would make on such an expedition. 
 Fulk represents the point of view of the crusader from north- 
 ern France. TTie work is continued down to 1125, although the 
 first part, containing the extract that describes the capture of 
 Jerusalem, was probably written not later than 1105. 
 
 The third account. The History of the Franks who Captured. 
 Jerusalem by Raymond of Agiles, although the work of an eye- 
 witness and the longest, deserves more cautious use. The 
 author was a priest, like Fulk. and went on the crusade as the 
 chaplain of Raymond (count of Toulouse), who led the crusaders 
 from southern France. The account was written later than the 
 others, probably about 1112. Count Raymond received favorable 
 treatment at the hands of his chaplain, but this priest, who was 
 canon of Puy, had personal reasons for writing a history of the 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 13 
 
 crusade. He was one of the men who helped to find the holy 
 lance at Antioch. The enemies of Comit Raymond, because he 
 made every possible use of this relic, charged him with fraud, 
 and his chaplain tried to vindicate both his master and himself 
 by writing a history of the crusade. Thus, although his infor- 
 mation was obtained first hand, our chronicler is biased and fur- 
 thermore on the defensive. In any case where his information 
 might be colored by such prejudice, careful comparison should 
 be made with the other writers. 
 
14 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 THE NARRATIVES— THE MATERIAL FOR WORKING OUT THE 
 
 PROBLEM 
 
 1. The Story from "The Deeds of the Franks and other Cru- 
 saders," by an Ano7iymoiis Author 
 
 Eejoicing and exulting-, we reached the city of Jerusalem on 
 Tuesday, June 6, and began to besiege the city in a marvelous 
 manner. Robert, the Norman, located himself on the north 
 side, near the church of St. Stephen,^ Avhich was built on the 
 very spot where that first martyr won eternal happiness by being 
 stoned in Christ's name. Next to the Norman duke, Robert, 
 count of Flanders, stationed his contingent, while Duke Godfrey 
 and Tancred prepared to attack the city from the west.- The 
 count of St. Aegidius located himself on the south, on Mount 
 Sion, near the church of St. Mary, the mother of the Lord, 
 where Christ once supped with His disciples. 
 
 On the third day, some of our men, namely Raymond Piletus 
 and Raymond of Taurina, went out on a foraging expedition. 
 They encountered a force of two hundred Arabs and the sol- 
 diers of Christ fought these unbelievers. With the Lord's help, 
 they fought so valiantly that they killed many of the enemy 
 and captured thirty horses. On the first Monday after our ar- 
 rival, we made an attack on the city and so bravely did we 
 tight that if scalding ladders had been ready for our use, the 
 city would most certainly have fallen into our hands. As it was, 
 we pulled down the outer wall and placed one ladder against the 
 main wall, so that some of our men ascended and fought hand to 
 hand with swords and lances against the Saracen defenders of 
 the city. Many of our men were killed in this attack, but the 
 enemy lost more heavily. 
 
 However, for a period of ten days, we were not able to buy 
 
 ^The church of St. Stephen was built on the spot where Stephen 
 was supposed to have been stoned. The church that the crusaders 
 found in ruins was built by the Greeks about the 8th century. 
 
 =Tancred was the nephew of Robert Guiscard, the Norman ruler of 
 southern Italy. With Bohemond, the oldest son of Robert, he led the 
 crusading army from southern Italy. Raymond, count of Toulouse, 
 was also count of St. Gilles, duke of Narbonne, and marquis of Pro- 
 vence. He was also called count of St. AEgidius. Raymond was the 
 most powerful lord in southern France. 
 
y'^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 /-^ 
 
 ^fO 
 
 PLAN OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, 1099. 
 
 1, Ruined church of St. Stephen; 2 Gate of St. Stephen; 3, The Angular 
 tower; 4, Tower of David; 5, Gate of David or Joppa Gate; 6, Holy Scpulcher; 
 7, Temple of the Lord: 8, Sion Gate; 9, Tomb of David and church of St. 
 Mary; 10, Pool of Siloam. 
 
16 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 bread at any price, until a messenger arrived announcing the 
 arrival of our ships. We also sulfered greatly from thirst. In 
 fear and terror we were forced to water our horses and other 
 animals at a distance of six miles from camp. The Spring of 
 Siloam,^ at the foot of Mount Sion sustained us. 
 
 When the messenger arrived from our ships, the leaders took 
 counsel and decided that armed men should be sent to guard 
 the ships and sailors at the port of Joppa. So one hundred men 
 from the army of Raymond, count of St. AEgidius, under Ray- 
 mond Piletus. Achard of Montemerlus and William of Sabram, 
 left camp in the early dawn and started confidently toward 
 Joppa. Thirty of these knights separated themselves from the 
 rest of the band and met seven hundred Arabs, Turks and Sara- 
 cens from the army of the Emir. The soldiers of Christ boldly 
 attacked the enemy, but as they were greatly outnumbered, they 
 were soon surrounded ; Achard and some of the poor footmen 
 were killed.* While this band was completely surrounded and 
 all believed that they could not escape death, a messenger was 
 sent to Raymond Piletus who said, "Why do you stand here 
 with these knights? Lo. all of our men are in serious danget 
 from the Arabs, Turks and Saracens and may all be dead by this 
 time. Hasten to them and aid them." As soon as they heard 
 this our men hastened to the scene of battle. The Pagans, when 
 they saw the rest of our knights approach, formed themselves 
 into two lines. Our men rushed upon the unbelievers, shouting 
 the name of Christ, each determined to bring down his man. 
 The enemy soon realized that they would not be able to with- 
 stand the bravery of the Franks, so they turned their backs and 
 fled in terror. TTiey were pursued for a distance of six miles. 
 Many of the enemy were killed and one man, whom they re- 
 garded as a very important person, was taken alive. One hun- 
 dred and three horses were captured. 
 
 During this siege, we were so distressed with thirst, that we 
 were forced to carrv water a distance of six miles in the skins 
 
 ^See note 9. 
 
 *The knights were always accompanied by foot soldiers, so the numeri- 
 cal strength of this band was larger than the number of knights 
 would indicate. In the crusading battles the footmen outnumbered 
 the horsement 2, ?,. 4, and even 7 to 1. The personal attendant of a 
 knight was a squire. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 17 
 
 of cattle and wild oxen, and between fetid water and barley 
 bread we were daily in great want and sutfering. Moreover the 
 Saracens hid in ambush at the watering places and either killed 
 and wounded our animals or drove them away to caverns and 
 caves in the hills. 
 
 At length our leaders decided to beleaguer the city with siege 
 machines, so that we might enter and worship the Savior at 
 the Holy Sepulchre. Two wooden towere and many other siege 
 machines were constructed." Duke Godfrey made a wooden 
 tower and other siege devices and Count Raymond did the same, 
 although it was necessary to bring the wood from a considerable 
 distance. However, when the Saracens saw our men engaged 
 in this work they greatly strengthened the fortifications of the 
 city by increasing the height of the turrets at night. On a cer- 
 tain Sabbath night, after the leaders had decided which parts 
 of the wall were weakest, they dragged the towers and the ma- 
 chines to the eastern side of the city. The tower and machines 
 were erected, equipped, and made ready for u e during Sunday, 
 Monday and Tuesday. The count of St. AEgidius erected his 
 tower on the plain to the south of the city. 
 
 While all this was going on, our water supply was so ]imite<l 
 that no one could buy enough water for one denarius'^ to sat- 
 isfy his thirst. Both night and day, on Wednesday and Thurs- 
 day, we made a determined attack on the city from all sides. 
 However, before we made this assault on the city, the bishops 
 and priests persuaded all by exhorting and preaching to honor 
 the Lord by marching around Jerusalem in a great procession, 
 and to prepare for battle by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 
 Early Saturday morning, we again attacked the city on all 
 sides, but as the assault was unsuccessful, we were all discour- 
 aged and fearful. But when that hour approached on which our 
 Lord Jesus Christ deigned to suffer on the cross for us, our 
 knights began to fight bravely in- one of the towers, namely the 
 
 ^The seige tower was made of wood and was moved by wheels or 
 rollers. The tower usually had two or more stories. In the lower 
 story was a ram to batter holes in the wall. At the top were archers 
 and various engines that discharged stones and other missiles. A draw- 
 bridge was also attached to the tower which could be lowered to the 
 wall when the tower had been moved close enough. 
 
 "A coin that was used most commonly in Western Europe at this 
 time. It is impossible to say what the purchasing value was. 
 
18 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 party with Duke Godfrey and his brother, Count Eustace. One 
 of our knights, named Lethold. clambered up the wall of the 
 city, and no sooner had he ascended, than the defenders fled 
 from the walls and through the city. Our men followed, kill- 
 ing and slaying even to the temple of Solomon, where the slaugh- 
 ter was so great that our men waded in blood up to their ankles. 
 
 RajTuond approached the city from the south, but he was un- 
 able to move his tower close to the wall because of a deep ditch. 
 So he announced that anyone who should carry three stones 
 to the moat would receive one denarius, but notwithstanding 
 this reward, the work of filling the ditch required three days 
 and three nights. The tower was at last moved up to the wall, 
 but the men defending this portion of the wall fought desper- 
 ately with stones and fire. When the count heard that the 
 Franks were already in the city, he said to his men, "Why 
 do you loiter? Lo, the Franks are even now within the city." 
 The Emir, who commanded in the tower of St. David, surren- 
 dered and opened that gate at which the pilgrims had always 
 been accustomed to pay tribute. But this time the pilgrims en- 
 tered the city to pui'sui' and kill the Saracens up to the tem- 
 ple of Solomon, where the enemy gathered in force and the 
 battle raged throughout the day, so that the temple was covered 
 with blood. When the pagans were unable to resist longer, our 
 men seized great numbers, both men and women, either killing 
 them or keeping them as captives, as they wished. On the roof 
 of the temple, a great number of pagans of both sexes had as- 
 sembled and these were taken under the protection of Tancred 
 and Gaston of Beert. Afterward, the army scattered through- 
 out the city and took possession of the gold and silver, the 
 horses and mules, and the houses full of loot for all. 
 
 Later, all of our jieople went to the Sepulchre of our Lord, 
 rejoicing and weeping for joy, and they rendered up the offering 
 that they owed. In the morning some of our men cautiously 
 ascended to the roof of the temple and ma-sacred many of the 
 Saracens, both men and women, with their swords; the remain- 
 der sought death by jumping down into the temple. When 
 Tancred heard of this he was filled with anger.' 
 
 'Tancred apparently wished to sell these people 'into slavery. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem iu 10.99 19 
 
 2. From ''The Deeds of the French Crusaders," by Fulk of 
 
 Chartres 
 
 On the seventh of June,'* the Franks besieged Jerusalem. 
 The city is located in a mountainous region, which is lacking in 
 rivers, woods and springs, except the fountain of Siloam, where 
 there is plenty of Avater, but it empties forth only at certain in- 
 tervals.^ This fountain empties into the valley, at the foot of 
 Mount Sion and flows into the course of the brook of Kedron, 
 which, during the winter, flows through the valley of Jehosa- 
 phat. There are many cisterns, which furni-h abundant water 
 within the city. When filled by the winter rains and well cared 
 for, they offer both men and beasts an unfailing supply at all 
 times Moreover, the city is laid out most beautifully, and can 
 not be criticised for too great length or as being disproportion- 
 ately narrow. On the west, is the tower of David, which is 
 flanked on both sides by the broad wall of the city. The lower 
 half of the wall is solid masonry, of square stones and mortar, 
 sealed with molten lead. So strmig is this wall that, if fifteen 
 or twenty men shoiild be well supplied with provisions, they 
 would never be taken by any army. . . . 
 
 When the Franks saw how difficult it would be to take the 
 city, the leaders ordered scaling ladders to be made, hoping that 
 by a brave assault, it might be possible to surmount the walls 
 by means of ladders and thus take the city, God helping. So 
 the ladders were made and on the day ' following the seventh,^" 
 in the early morning, the leaders ordered the attack, and, with 
 the trumpets sounding, a splendid assault was made on the city 
 from all side^. The attack lasted till the sixth hour, but it was 
 discovered that the city could not be entered by the use of lad- 
 ders, which were few in number, and sadly we ceased the at- 
 tack. 
 
 *The Anonymous says (p. 14) that the crusaders arrived at Jeru- 
 salem on Tuesday, June 6th, in 1099. June 6th would be on Mon- 
 day. The different chroniclers vary as to the date. 
 
 "The spring of Siloam was intermittent and the water flowed less 
 frequently in the summer than in the spring. In the interior of the 
 rock there is a natural reservoir, in whicli the water collected. A 
 l)assage connects this reservoir with the outer basin, and when the 
 the water rose to a certain height, this passage acted as a syphon. 
 
 "This would be the 8th of June according to Fulk. According to the 
 Anonymus an attack was made on Monday, the 13th. 
 
20 The Universify of Texas Bulletin 
 
 Then a council \vas held and it was ordered that siege ma- 
 chines should be constructed by the artisans, so that by moving 
 them close to the wall, we might accomplish our purpose, with 
 the aid of God. This was done. 
 
 In the meantime, while we did not suffer because of any lack 
 of meat or bread, our men and their animals were unable to 
 obtain a sufficient supply of drinking water, for, as I have said, 
 the region is dry and without streams of water. Accordingly, 
 it was necessary to bring water to camp in the skins of animals 
 from places four or five miles distant. 
 
 Moreover, the machines were being prepared for the attack, 
 rams" and hurling machines.^- Among other siege devices, a 
 wooden tower was constructed from small timbers, for we had 
 a very small supply of wood. According to a command that 
 was issued, the parts of this tower were carried by night to a 
 corner of the city. In the morning, it was very quickly set up 
 and equipped with petrariae and other machine*, at a safe dis- 
 tance from the wall. When ^e tower had been put together 
 and had been covered with hides, it was moved nearer to the 
 wall. Then knights, few in number, but brave, at the sound of 
 the trumpet, took their places in the tower and began to shoot 
 stones and arrows. The Saracens defended themselves vigor- 
 ously, and, with slings, very skillfully hurled back burning 
 firebrands, which had been dipped in oil and fresh fat. Many 
 on both sides, fighting in this manner, often found themselves in 
 the presence of death. 
 
 On the other side of the city, from Mount Sion, a great at- 
 tack was also made on the city by Raymond and his men, where 
 machinery was likewise used. However, on the side where Duke 
 Godfrey, Robert, count of Normandy, and Robert of Flanders 
 
 "The ram was a large beam or log, which was suspended by ropes 
 or chains from solid perpendicular beams. When drawn back it was 
 allowed to swing against the wall. It was necessary to cover the men 
 who worked the ram with some kind of protection, as the defenders 
 dropped stones from the top of the wall. By the use of the ram the 
 wall was shaken down or a hole was made through it. 
 
 '-There were various kinds of engines for hurling stones or shooting 
 javelines. Ropes or cords were so twisted that when suddenly released 
 they hurled a stone or other missile. Other machines were like large 
 crossbows, and shot javelines and stones. The petraria was a machine 
 which hurled stones as missiles. The tormentum was an engine oper 
 ated by the use of twisted cords, by torsion. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 21 
 
 were fighting, the battle was tiercest. Such was the work of 
 that day. On the following day, the work again began at the 
 sound of the trumpet, and to such purpose, that the rams by 
 continual pounding, made a hole through one part of the wall. 
 The Saracens suspended two beams before the opening, support- 
 ing them by ropes, so that by piling stones behind them they 
 would make an obstacle to the rams. However, what they did 
 for their own protection, became, through the providence of 
 God, the cause of their own destruction. For, when the tower 
 was moved nearer to the wall, the ropes that supported the 
 beams were cut; from these same beams the Franks constructed 
 a bridge, which they cleverly extended from the tower to the 
 wall. About this time, one of the towers in the stone wall be- 
 gan to burn, for the men, who worked our machines, had been 
 hurling firebrands upon it until the wooden beams within it 
 caught fire. The flames and smoke soon became so bad that 
 none of the defenders of this part of the wall were able to re- 
 main near this place. At the noon hour on Friday, with trump- 
 ets sounding, amid great commotion and shouting "God help 
 us," the Franks entered the city. When the Pagans saw one 
 standard planted on the wall, they were completely demoralized 
 and all their former boldness vanished and they turned to flee 
 through the narrow streets of the city. Those who were al- 
 ready in rapid flight, began to flee more rapidly. 
 
 Connt Raymond and his men, who were attacking the wall 
 on the other side, did not yet know of all this, until they saw 
 the Saracens leap from the wall in front of them. Forthwith, 
 they joyfully rushed into the city to pursue and kill the ne- 
 farious enemies as their comrades were already doing. Some 
 Saracens, Arabs, and Ethiopians took refuge in the tower of 
 David, others fled to the temple of the Lord and of Solomon. 
 A great fight took place in the court and porch of the temples, 
 where they were unable to escape from our gladiators. Many 
 fled to the roof of the temple of Solomon, and were shot with 
 arrows, so that they fell to the ground dead. In this temple, 
 almost ten thousand were killed. Indeed, if you had been there, 
 you would have seen our feet, colored to our ankles, with the 
 blood of the slain. But what more shall I relate? None of them 
 were left alive; neither women nor children were spared. 
 
22 The University of Texas BuUetin 
 
 Tliis may seem strange to you. Our squires and poorer foot- 
 men discovered a trick of the Saracens, for they learned that 
 they could find bysants^^ in the stomachs and intestines of the 
 dead Saracens, who had swallowed them. Thus, after several 
 days, they burned a great heap of dead bodies, that they might 
 more easily get the precious metal from the ashes. Moreover, 
 Tancred broke into the temple of the Lord and most wrongfully 
 stole much gold and silver, also precious stones, but later, re- 
 penting of his action, after everything had been accounted for, 
 he restored all to its former place of sanctity. . . . 
 
 The carnage over, the crusaders entered the houses and took 
 whatever they found in them. However, this was all done in 
 such a sens^ible manner, that whoever entered a house first, re- 
 ceived no injury from any one else, whether he was rich or poor. 
 Even though the house was a palace, whatever he found there 
 was his property. Thus many poor men became rich. 
 
 Afterward, all, clergy and laymen, went to the sepulchre of 
 the Lord and His glorious temple, singing the ninth chant. 
 With fitting humility, they repeated prayers and made their 
 offering at the holy places that they had long desired to visit. 
 
 It was the eleven hundredth year of our Lord, if you sub- 
 tract one, when the people of Gaul took the city. It was the 
 15th day of July, when the Franks in their might captured the 
 city. It was the eleven hundredth year minus one after tlie 
 birth of our Lord, the 15th of July in the two hundred and 
 eighty fifth year after the death of Charles the Great and the 
 twelfth year after the death of William I of England. 
 
 3. From ""The History of the Franks Who Captured Jeru- 
 salem''' by h'aytiunid of Ayiles. Canon of Puy 
 
 The duke ((Godfrey) and the count of Flanders besieged the 
 city from the north side, while the count of Normandy stationed 
 his men in the space between the church of St. Stephen, which 
 is located at the center of the northern wall of the city, .and 
 the angular tower, the one next to the tower of David. The 
 count (Raymond) and his army prepared to besiege the city on 
 
 ,;The byzant was a gold coin of the Byzantine empire. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 23 
 
 the west, occupying the space between the duke and the foot 
 of Mount Sion. However, because a ravine in the center of this 
 space made it impossible to cross the plain and storm the wall, 
 the count wished to move his camp and change his position. 
 One day, while he was reeonnoitering, he came to Mount Sion 
 and saw the church which is located on the mount. When he 
 heard of the miracles that Christ had performeci there, he said 
 to his leaders and companions, "If we neglect to take this sa- 
 cred offering, which the Lord has so graciously offered us and 
 the Saracens occupy this hill, what will become of us ? Suppose 
 that on account of our negligence they should destroy and pol- 
 lute this church? Who knows that God may not be giving us 
 thi-; opportunity to test our regard for him. I know one thing 
 that is certain ; unless we carefully protect this sacred spot, the 
 Lord will not give us possession of the Holy Places within the 
 city." And so Count Eaymond, against the wishes of the lead- 
 ers of his army, ordered his tents to be moved to Mount Sion. 
 Because of his action he incurred the displeasure of the leaders, 
 who refused to move their tents or to change their guards dur- 
 ing the night; each stayed where he had first pitched his tent, 
 with the exception of a few who accompanied the count. How- 
 ever, by offering great financial inducements, the count was able 
 to persuade such knights and footmen as daily served under his 
 command to follow him. 
 
 This church is sacred because it contains the tombs of the 
 kings, David and Solomon as well as that of the first martyr. 
 Stephen. Moreover the most blessed virgin, ]\Iary, visited this 
 church during her lifetime, the Lord supped there and after 
 rising from the dead, appeared there to His disciples and 
 lliomas. On this spot, also, the disciples were filled with the 
 Holy Spirit. ^^ 
 
 Xow, when the arrangements for the siege had been com- 
 pleted, it happened one day that some of the leaders of the army 
 met a hermit on the Mount of Olives, who said to them, "If 
 you will storm the city tomorrow, till the ninth hour (3 p. m.), 
 the Lord will deliver it into your hands." They replied, "But 
 
 "The church of Sion or St. Mary was rebuilt afterward by the cru- 
 saders in 1130. The Coenaculum was supposed to be the room of the 
 Last Supper. The tomb of David was also there. Raymond gives 
 other reasons for the sanctity of this church. 
 
2-4 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 we do not have the neee. saiy maehinery for storming the walls." 
 The hermit replied, "God is powerful. If he wills, he will scale 
 the walls with ladders made of rushes. The Lord aids those 
 . who labor for the Truth. ' ' So, with such maehinery as could be 
 constructed during the night, an attack was made on the city in 
 the early morn and it lasted till the third hour (9 a. m.). The 
 Saracens were compelled to retreat behind the inner walls, for 
 the outer wall was broken down by our men and some of them 
 even climbed to the top of the inner wall. The city would un- 
 doubtedly have been captured at that time if the attack had not 
 become confused and if our men had not become discouraged ; 
 moreover we lost many men. On the next day, no attack was 
 attempted. 
 
 After this, the whole army scattered itself throughout the 
 surrounding country to collect ju'ovisions, and nothing was even 
 said of the necessity of preparing the machines that were needed 
 to capture the city ; each man was interested only in his mouth 
 and stomach and, what was worse, they did not even ask the 
 Lord to free them from such great and manifold evils and they 
 were afflicted even unto death. Ju.st before our arrival, the Sar- 
 acens had filled up the springs, destroyed the cisterns and 
 dammed up the brooks from the springs. . . . Thus water 
 was obtained with great difficulty. There is a certain fountain 
 at the foot of Mount Sion, which is called the pool of Siloam; 
 indeed, it is a large spring, but the water flows forth only once 
 in three days and the natives say that formerly it emptied it- 
 self only on Saturdays ; the rest of the week it remained stag- 
 nant. We are ignorant of the explanation of this, except that 
 the Lord willed that it should be so.^^ However, when, as we 
 have said, the water did tlow forth to us on the third day, there 
 was such great crowding and haste to drink, that both men and 
 cattle rushed toward the water and many of our animals were 
 killed. Thus the pool was filled with the crowd and with the 
 bodies of the dead animals. The bravest, fighting in a struggle 
 of death, forced their way to the very opening in the rocks 
 through which the water flowed, while the weak got only the 
 water, which had already been contaminated. Many sick people 
 dragged themselves to the fountain and with their throats s(^ 
 
 ''See note 9. 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 25 
 
 parched that they were unable to make a sound, they stretched 
 their hands in mute appeal toward those who had water. In the 
 field were many horses, mules and cattle without strength enough 
 to move and because of thirst they died in their tracks. Through- 
 out camp the stench of the dead bodies was most sickening. Be- 
 cause of such affliction, it was necessary to fetch water a distance 
 of two or three leagues, also to drive the cattle to such distant 
 watering places. When the Saracens noted that our people 
 were going to the watering places through the dangerous passes 
 in the hills unarmed, they lay in wait for them in ambush. 
 TTiey killed whom they wished and drove away the flocks and 
 herds. The situation was so bad that when any one brought foul 
 water to camp in vessels, he was able to get any price that he 
 cared to ask and if any one wished to get clear water, for five 
 or six nununi ^® he could not obtain enough to satisfy his thirst 
 for a single day. Nothing or very little was said about wine 
 at this time; people talked about the heat, the dust and the wind 
 and in this way they aggravated their suffering from thirst, as 
 though this was not bad enough in itself. But w^hy say so much 
 about thc-e troubles? Few remembered the Lord, for they paid 
 slight attention either to such works as were needed to capture 
 the city or to win the Lord's favor. . . . 
 
 ^Meanwhile, messengers came to camp, announcing that our 
 ships had arrived at Joppa and that the sailors demanded that 
 a guard should be sent to hold the tower of Joppa and give them 
 protection at the port, for the town of Joppa had been de- 
 stroyed except the castle and that was nearly in ruins, with the 
 exception of one tower. However, the harbor is there, and it is 
 the one nearest to Jerusalem, it being about one day's journey 
 distant. All of our people rejoiced when they heard the news 
 of our sailors and they sent out Count Gaklemarus, called Car- 
 pinellus, accompanied by twenty Imights and forty footmen. 
 Later, he was followed by Raymond Piletus with fifty knights 
 and William of Sabram with his followers. 
 
 As Galdemarus and his contingent approached the plains that 
 are on this side of Ramla, he encountered a force of four hun- 
 dred Arabs and two hundred Turks. Galdemarus arranged his 
 men for battle so as to use his small number to the best advan- 
 
 "The nummiis was a Byzantine coin. 
 
26 The University of Texas Bulhiin 
 
 tage, placing his archers in front. Then he boldly advanced 
 upon the enemy, trusting in the aid of the Lord. The enemy 
 thought that they would be able to crush this band and rushed 
 upon it, circling about them, shooting arrows at them. Three 
 or four of Galdemarus's knights were killed, including Achar- 
 dus of Montemerlus, a most honorable man, others were 
 wounded; all of this was done by the arrows of the enemy. 
 However, many of the enemy were also killed. Nevertheless not 
 on account of all this did the fight slacken nor did our brave 
 men despair of the mercy of God, but oppressed by wounds and 
 death itself, they stood up to their enemies the more fiercely, 
 the more that they suffered from them. But when our leaders, 
 more from weariness than from fear, wished to retire from the 
 fighting line, a cloud of dust was seen approaching. Raymond 
 Piletus was rushing headlong into the fight with his men. 
 Moreover, his men raised so much dust, that to the enemy his 
 force seemed much larger than it really was. Tluis, by the 
 grace of God, our men were released; the enemy scattered and 
 fled, two hundred of them were killed and much plunder was 
 taken. It is the custom of this people when they flee and are 
 hard pressed by the enemy, first to throw away their arms, then 
 their clothes and lastly their saddlebags. Thus it happened in 
 this fight, that our few knights killed until they wei'e worn out, 
 but were also able to obtain the spoil of all, even of those whom 
 they did not kill. 
 
 After the pursuit was over, our men assembled, divided the 
 spoil and then marched on to Joppa. The sailors received them 
 with, great joy, and felt so secure after their arrival that they 
 forgot their ships and neglected to place watches on the sea, but 
 entertained the crusaders with a feast of bread, wine, and fish 
 from their ships. However, the sailors, careless of their se- 
 curity, failed to post lookouts for the night, and in the dark- 
 ness were suddenly surrounded by enemies from the sea. When 
 dawn came, they realized that the enemy was too strong to be 
 resisted and they abandoned their ships, saving whatever they 
 could. Thus our knights returned to Jerusalem after winning 
 one battle and losing another. However, one of our ships, which 
 was heavily laden, when it was seen that the rest of the ships 
 were surrounded by the enemy's fleet, by the use of oars and 
 
The Capture of Jernsalem in 109.9 27 
 
 sail made its escape to Laodicaea and told our friends at that 
 port what had been happening at Jernsalem. Prom signs, sent 
 to us by the Lord, we knew that we had deserved this misfor- 
 tune, for we had despaired of the mercy of God and had denied 
 our faith. So we went to the plain of the river Jordan, collected 
 palms and were baptized in its waters. . . . 
 
 About this time, a public assembly was held, for the leaders of 
 the army were quarreling with each other. There was dissat- 
 isfaction because Tancred had occupied Bethlehem and had 
 placed his standard over the church of the Nativity as though 
 it was an ordinary house. (The cpiestion of electing a king of 
 Jerusalem was also discussed, but the election was postponed 
 till the eighth day after the city should be captured. This was 
 the chief cause of trouble among the leaders.) Not in this 
 matter alone but in other ways, our affairs did not prosper, and 
 the troubles of the people increased every day. Nevertheless, 
 the merciful and propitious Lord, lest our enemies should insult 
 His law and say "Where is their God?," had shown us through 
 the bishop of Puy. the lord Aclhemar, how we could placate His 
 anger and obtain His mercy.^' For the benign Lord had sent 
 His messengers to us, but because they were our brothers, we had 
 not heeded them. Therefore, the bishop (Adhemar) appeared 
 before Peter Desiderius, saying "Speak to the princes and all 
 the people, and tell/them you have come from distant lands to 
 worship the Lord and you are His army. Therefore, let us be 
 purged from our uncleanliness and let each one turn from his 
 evil ways. Then praying and fasting, let every one march 
 around Jerusalem liarefooted. If you do this and then make a 
 great attack on the city on the ninth day, it will be captured. 
 If you do not, all the evils that you have suffered will be mul- 
 tiplied. " When the priest had said this to William Ugo, the 
 brother of the bishop, to his lord. Count Ysoardus and to certain 
 of the clergy, they assembled the princes and the people and ad- 
 dressed them. "Brothers, you know why we undertook this 
 expedition and what we have suffered and that we are acting 
 
 I'Until his death, August 1, 1098, Adhemar, l)ishoi) of Puy, who was 
 the representative of the Pope and had supervision of the entire cru- 
 sade, had been able to play the part of mediator. Aftei- he died, there 
 was no one to reconcile the two factions headed by Raymond of Tou- 
 louse and Bohemond. Hence this reference to Adhemar. 
 
28 TJie Vnivcrsihj of Texas BuUetiit 
 
 negligently, in that we are not constructing the machines that 
 are needed to capture the city. Likewise we are not careful to 
 reconcile the Lord to us, for we offend Him in many ways and 
 have driven Him from us. Now, if it seems right to you. let 
 each one become reconciled to his brother, whom he has offended, 
 and let brother graciously forgive brother. After we have 
 humbled ourselves before God in this manner, let us march 
 around Jerusalem in bare feet, and wdth the aid of the relics of 
 the Saints, invoke the mercy of the Lord, that the omnipotent 
 God, who for us. His servants, assumed the flesh ; who humbly 
 rode into the city on an ass, to suffer death on the cross for our 
 sins, may come to our aid. If we make this procession around 
 the walls, for the honor and glory of His name, He will open the 
 city to us and give us judgment upon His enemies and ours, 
 who noAv contaminate the place where He suffered and the Holy 
 Sepulchre ; the enemy, whom we, with the aid of divine humil- 
 ity and in order to obtain our own salvation, are trying to drive 
 out." These words were pleasing to botli princes and people 
 and it was publicly decided that on the next Friday, the clergy 
 should lead the procession with the crosses and the relics of the 
 Saints, while the knights and all able-bodied men, with trumpets, 
 standards and arms, should follow them barefooted. All this 
 we did according to the commands of God and the princes. 
 When we reached that spot on the Mount of Olives, whence 
 the Lord had ascended into Heaven after the Kesurrection, the 
 following exhortation was made to the people: "Now that we 
 are on the very spot from which the Lord made His ascension 
 and we can do nothing more to purify ourselves, except that 
 each one of us forgive his brother, whom he has injured, that the 
 Lord may forgive us." What more? All were reconciled to 
 each other and with generous offerings we besought the mercy 
 of God, that He should not now desert His people, whom He 
 had led to such a glorius and splendid goal. Thus the mercy of 
 God Avas obtained and everything that had been against us was 
 noM'' favorable. But although we avoided many troubles in 
 this way, one we could not escape. While we marched around 
 the city in procession, the Saracens and Turks made the circuit 
 on the walls, ridiculing us in many ways. They placed many 
 crosses on the walls in yokes (as a sign of disgrace, the yoke 
 
Th( Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 29 
 
 was put on a criminal's neck), and made sport of them with 
 blows and insulting actions. We, in turn, hoped to obtain the 
 aid of God in storming: the city by means of these same signs 
 (the crosses) and we pressed the work day and nig'ht. 
 
 The duke of Normandy, the count of Flanders and Gaston of 
 Beert constructed machines, also mantlets." The direction of 
 this work was asigned to Gaston by the princes, because he was 
 a most noble lord, respected because of his skill and reputation, 
 and he very cleverly hastened matters, by dividing the work. 
 TTie princes busied themselves with obtaining and bringing in 
 the material, while Gaston supervised the work of construction. 
 Likewi e Count Raymond made William Riehau superintend- 
 ent of the work (-u ^bunt Sion. while the bishop of Albara 
 brought in the timber with Saracens and others. The count's 
 men siezed many Saracen castles and villages and forced the 
 Saracens to work as though they were slaves. Thus fifty or 
 sixty carried on their shoulders a great beam for the construc- 
 tion of machines at Jerusalem, that could not have been dragged 
 by four pair of oxen. What more shall I say? All worked 
 with a singleness of purpose, no one was slothful and no hands 
 were idle. All worked without wages except the artisans, who 
 were paid from a collection taken from the people. However, 
 the count (Raymonti) paid his workmen from his own re- 
 sources. Surely the hand of the Lord was with us and aided 
 those who were working. When our efforts were ended and the 
 machines completed, the princes held a council and announced, 
 "Let all prepare themselves for a battle on Thursday; in the 
 meantime, pray, fast and give alms. Hand over your animals 
 and servants to the artisans and carpenters, that they may bring 
 in beams, poles, stakes, and branches to make mantlets. Every 
 two knights should make one mantlet and one scaling ladder. 
 Do not hesitate to work for the Lord, for our labors will soon be 
 ended." 
 
 "These mantlets were used to shelter the men who were attacking. 
 They were usually made of a wickerwork or basketwork of twigs and 
 rods so as to be light enough to carry easily. They were generally 
 covered with hides as a protection from the firebrands hurled down 
 from the walls. Such shields could be held over the men who were 
 working close to the wall or could be used by men when making an 
 assault. These mantlets seem to have been of great service to the 
 crusaders at Jerusalem. ^ 
 
30 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 This proclamation was accepted by all. Then it was decided 
 what part of the city each leader should attack and where his 
 machines should be located. Meanwhile the Saracens in the city, 
 noting the great number of machines that we had constructed, 
 strengthened the weaker parts of the wall, so that it seemed that 
 they could only be taken by the most desperate efforts. Be- 
 cause the Saracens had made so many and such strong fortifi- 
 cations to oppose our machines, the duke, the count of Flan- 
 ders, and the count of Normandy spent the night before the day 
 set for the attack, moving their machines, mantlets, and platforms 
 to that side of the city which is between the church of St. Ste- 
 phen and the valley of Jehosaphat. You who read this must not 
 think that this was a light undertaking, for the machines were 
 carried in parts, almost a mile to the place where they were to 
 be set up. When morning came and the Saracens saw that all 
 the machinery and tents had been moved during the night, they 
 were amazed. Not only the Saracens were astonished, but our 
 people as well, for they recognized that the hand of the Lord 
 was with us. The change was made because the new point 
 chosen for attack is more level and thus suitable for moving the 
 machines up to the walls, which can not be done unless the 
 ground is level, and thus it happened that the part of the city 
 that seemed the weakest was not attacked because it was impossi- 
 ble to move the machines close to the walls. This part of the 
 city is on the north. 
 
 The count (Raymond) and his men worked equally hard on 
 Mount Sion, but they had much assistance from William Eb- 
 riacus and the Genoese sailors, who although they had lost their 
 ships at Joppa, as we have already related, had nevertheless 
 been able to save ropes, mallets, spikes, axes, and hatchets, which 
 were very necessary to us. But why delay the story? The ap- 
 pointed day arrived and the attack began. However, I want 
 to say this first, that, according to our estimate and that of 
 many others, there were sixty thousand fighting men within the 
 city, not counting the women and those unable to bear arms, 
 and there were not many of these. At the most we did not have 
 more than twelve thousand able to bear arms, for there were 
 many poor people and many sick. There were two or three 
 hundred knights in our army as I reckon it, not more. I say 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 31 
 
 this, that you may realize that nothing, whether great or small, 
 which is undertaken in the name of the Lord can fail, as the 
 following pages show. 
 
 Our men began to undermine the towers and walls. From 
 every side stones were hurled from the tormenti^*' and the pet- 
 rariae and so many arrows that they fell like hail. The ser- 
 vants of God were sustained by the premises of their faith for 
 any result, whether they should be killed or would presently 
 prevail over their enemies. The battle showed no indication 
 of victory, but M'hen the machines were drawn nearer to the 
 walls, they hurled not only stones and arrows, but also burning 
 wood and straw. The wood was dipped in pitch, wax, and sul- 
 phur, then straw and tow was fastened on by an iron band, and 
 when lighted, these firebrands were shot from the machines. 
 All bound together by an iron band. I say, so that wherever 
 they fell, the whole mass held together and continued to burn. 
 Such missiles, burning as they shot upward, could not be re- 
 sisted by swords or by high walls: it was not even possible for 
 the defenders to find safety down behind the walls. Thus the 
 fight continued from the rising to the setting sun in such splen- 
 did fashion that it is difficult to believe that anything more glo- 
 rious was ever done. Then we called on the Almighty God, our 
 leader and guide, confident in His mercy. Night brought fear to 
 both sides. The Saracens feared that we would take the city 
 during the night or on the next day, for the outer works were 
 broken through and the ditch was filled, so that it was possible 
 to make an entrance through the wall very quickly. On our 
 pai't, we feared only that the Saracens would set fire to the ma- 
 chines that were moved close to the walls, and thus improve their 
 situation. Thus on both sides it was a night of watchfulness, 
 labor and sleepless caution. On one side, most certain hope, on 
 the other, doubtful fear. We gladly labored to capture the city 
 for the glory of God; they less willingly strove to resist our 
 efforts for the sake of the laws of Mohammed. It is difficult to 
 believe how great were the efforts made on both sides during 
 the night. 
 
 AVhen morning came, our men eagerly rushed to the walls 
 and draaged the machines forward, but the Saracens had con- 
 
 '"See note 12. 
 
32 The Uiiiversifij of Texas Bulletin 
 
 structed so many machines, that for each one of ours, they now 
 had nine or ten. Thus they greatly interfered with our efforts. 
 This was the ninth day, on which the priest had said that we 
 would capture the city (Peter Desiderius. See his prophesy 
 above). But what checked the fulfilment of the prophesy? 
 Our machines were now shaken apart by the blows of many 
 stones, and our men lagged because they were very weary. 
 However, the mercy of the Lord remained, which is never over- 
 come nor conquered, but always a source of support in times of 
 adversity. One incident must not be omitted. Two women tried 
 to bewitch one of our hni'ling machines, but a stone struck and 
 crushed them as well a< three slaves, so that their lives were 
 extinguished and the evil ineantations were averted. 
 
 By noon, our men were greatly discouraged. They were weary 
 and at the end of their resources. There were many enemies re- 
 sisting each one of ours; the walls were very high and strong 
 and the great resources and skill that the enemy exhibited in 
 repairing their defenses seemed too great for us to overcome. 
 But, while we hesitated, irresolute and the enemy exulted in 
 our discomfiture, the healing mercy of God inspired us and 
 turned our sorrow into joy, for the Lord did not forsake us. 
 While a council was being held to decide whether or not our 
 machines should be withdrawn, for some were burned and the 
 rest badly shaken to pieces, a knight on the Mount of Olives 
 began to wave hi-; shield to those who were with the count and 
 others, signaling them to advance. Who this knight was, we 
 have been unable to find out.'-" At this signal, our men again 
 began to take heart, and some began to batter the wall, while 
 others began to ascend by means of scaling ladders and ropes. 
 Our archers shot burning firebrands and in this way checked 
 the attack that the Saracens were making upon the wooden 
 towers of the duke and the two counts. These firebrands, 
 moreover, were wrapped in cotton. This shower of fire drove 
 the defenders from the walls. Then the duke quickly released 
 the long drawbridge which had protected the side of the wooden 
 tower next to the wall, and it swung down from the top. being 
 fastened to the middle of the tower, making a bridge, over 
 
 -"Note Raymond's desire to have his readers believe that this may 
 have been a miracle. 
 
• The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 33 
 
 which the men began to enter Jerusalem, bravely and fearlessly. 
 Among those who entered first were Tanered and the duke of 
 Lotharingia (Godfrey) and the amount of blood that they shed 
 on that day is incredible. All ascended after them and the Sara- 
 cens now began to suffer. 
 
 Strange to relate, however, at this very time when the city 
 was practically captured by the Franks, the Saracens were still 
 fighting on the other side, where the count was attacking the 
 wall, as though it should never be captured. But now that our 
 men had possession of the walls and towers, wonderful sights 
 were to be seen. Some of our men, (and this was more merciful). 
 cut oft' the heads of their enemies ; others shot them with arrows, 
 so that they fell from the towers ; others tortured them longer 
 by casting them into the flames. Piles of heads, hands and feet 
 were to be seen in the streets of the city. It was necessary to 
 pick one's way over the bodies of men and horses. But these 
 were small matters compared to what happened at the temple of 
 Solomon, a place where religious services are ordinarily chanted. 
 What happened there? If I tell the ti-uth, it will exceed your 
 powers of belief. So let it suffice to say this much at least, 
 that in the temple and portico of Solomon, men rode in blood up 
 to their knees and the bridle reins. Indeed it was a just and 
 splendid judgment of God, that this place should be filled with 
 the blood of the unbelievers, when it had suffered so long from 
 their blasphemies. The city was filled with corpses and blood. 
 Some of the enemy took refuge in the tower of David and pe- 
 titioned Count Raymond for protection and surrendered the 
 tower into his hands. 
 
 Now that the city was taken, it was worth all our previous 
 labors and hardships, to see the devotion of the pilgrims at the 
 Holy Sepulchre. How they rejoiced and exulted and sang the 
 niijth chant to the Lord. It was the ninth day, the ninth joy 
 and exultation, and of perpetual happiness. The ninth sermon, 
 the ninth chant was demanded by all. This day, I say, will be 
 famous in all future ages, for it turned our labors and sorrows 
 into joy and exultation; this day, I say, marks the justification 
 of all Christianity and the humiliation of paganism; our faith 
 was renewed. "The Lord made this day and we rejoiced and 
 exulted in it," for on this day the Lord revealed Himself to 
 
34 The University of Texas Bulletin 
 
 His people and blessed them. On this day the lord Adhemar. 
 bishop of Puy^^ was seen in the city by many people. Many 
 also testified that he was the first to scale the wall, and that he 
 summoned the knights and people to follow him. . . . This 
 day was the 15th of July. 
 
 ■'See note 17. 
 
A SPECIMEN REPORT BASED ON THE FOREGOIN(J! 
 NARRATIVES 
 
 To illustrate better the method of working out these exercises, 
 topic number 3 has been outlined and then put in the form that 
 a final report might have. 
 
 1. Outline 
 
 What changes were made in the plan of attack during the 
 siege? What reasons can be found for such changes? 
 
 I. Original location of the different leaders. 
 
 1. On the north. 
 
 (a) Robert of Normandy {Anonymous, p. 14; 
 
 Raymond, p. 22). 
 
 (b) Robert of Flanders {Raymond, p. 22; Anonymjous, 
 
 p. 14). 
 Godfrey {Raymond, p. 22). 
 
 2. On the west. 
 
 (a) Godfrey {Anonymoits, p. 14). 
 Tancred {Anonymous, p. 14). 
 
 (b) Raymond {Raymond, pp. 22, 23). 
 
 II. Change of position on the north. 
 
 1. Reasons for the change {Anonymous, p. 17; Raymond, 
 
 p. 30; Fulk, p. 20). 
 
 2. How the change was made {Anonymous, p. 17 ; Ray- 
 
 mond, p. 30). 
 
 3. Final location {Anonymous, p. 17; Raymond, p. 30). 
 
 III. Ra^Tflond's move to Mt. Sion on the south. 
 
 1. Reasons for this change. 
 
 (a) The real reason {Raymond, p. 23). 
 
 (b) The reason assigned {Raymond, p. 23). 
 
 2. Evidence of Raymond's location on Mt. Sion {Anony- 
 
 mous, pp. 14, 17, 18; Fulk, p. 20). 
 
 3. Where Raymond made his final attack {Raymond, p. 33 ; 
 
 Anonymous, pp. 17, 18; Fulk, p. 20). 
 
36 Tli< Uiiicersitjj of Texas Bulletin 
 
 2. Discussion 
 
 Apparently the crusaders were not numerous enough to be- 
 siege the city on all sides, so they selected what seemed to be 
 the most vulnerable places in the fortifications. Thus the city 
 was attacked on two sides; on the South by Raymond of Tou- 
 louse, and on the North, by the other leaders. 
 
 Robert of Normandy first stationed himself near the old church 
 of St. Stephen {Anonymous, p. 14; Raymond, p. 22). To the 
 west of this position was Robert of Flanders. According to Ray- 
 mond's account (p. 22), Godfrey was also on the North, but 
 this may refer to the change of position that was made just 
 before the final attack. The Anonymous states (p. 14) that 
 Godfrey and Tancred first located their camp on the West, prob- 
 ably well to the northwest. The original position of these men 
 and their followers probably extended from the center of the 
 northern side of the city around the corner of the West. Ray- 
 mond says (pp. 22, 23) that the count of Toulouse first pitched 
 his camp on the West, probably just South of Godfrey and Tan- 
 cred, but the other writers make no mention of this. 
 
 All three writers agree that this first position on the north- 
 west was changed {Anonymous, p. 17; Raymond, p. 30; Fulk, p. 
 20). The Saracens had so greatly strengthened the wall at this 
 point, while the crusaders were constructing their machines, that 
 the leaders decided that it would be better to attack in another 
 place, where the defenders were not so well prepared for the de- 
 fense. Raymond (p. 30) further says that the ground was more 
 level at the place which was selected for the final attack. That 
 this was an important consideration is shown by the difficulties 
 that Raymond had in moving his machines up close to the wall 
 {Anonymous, p. 18). 
 
 The machinery, which had been constructed near the location 
 of the first camp, was moved during the night. This was a diffi- 
 cult piece of work, and, in the morning, the Saracens were 
 greatly surprised to note that the crusaders were prepared to 
 attack the wall in a new quarter and that they had moved their 
 camp {Raymond, p. 30) as well as their machines. 
 
 The new location was almost a mile from the first position of 
 the army. Raymond says that the northern part of the army 
 
The Capture of Jerusalem in 1099 37 
 
 • 
 
 was located in the space between the church of St. Stephen and 
 the valley of Jehosaphat, which is on the eastern side of the 
 city. (See map, p. 15.) The Anonymous states (p. 17) that the 
 machines and the tower were dragged to the eastern side, but 
 he may mean that they were moved to the East of the firet camp. 
 Our other writer, Fulk, (p. 20) says that the tower was moved 
 by night and set up at a corner of the city. It would thus seem 
 that the final attack of this wing of the army was made on the 
 northeast corner. 
 
 Raymond (pp. 22, 23). says that the count of Toulou>e, who 
 had first established his camp on the western side of the city, 
 while reconnoitering, decided that Mt. Sion was a better posi- 
 tion. He decided to move his camp, but encountered opposition 
 on the part of the other leaders. He made the change, but ac- 
 cording to his chaplain became very unpopular because of his 
 action.* (Raymond, p. 23.) 
 
 It would seem that the real reason for this change was the ir- 
 regular character of the land to the West, for a ravine would 
 have made it difficult to move the siege engines close to the walls. 
 However, this was not the reason that the count gave. According 
 to the story of his chaplain, he was so much impressed by the 
 church on Mt. Sion and its sacred associations, the he became 
 much alarmed lest the Saracens should get possession of it and 
 defile it. He thus tried to make out that he was really doing a 
 pious act in occupying such a holy spot. (See the speech that 
 Raymond puts into the mouth of the count, p. 23.) Raymond 
 already had the reputation of being more or less of a hypocrite, 
 for he had used the holy lance that was found at Antioch to 
 further his own interests. Here again he was trying to allay 
 the jealousies of the other leaders, by trying to convince them 
 that he was guided solely by religious motives. It would seem 
 that the other crusaders knew his methods, for eventually he 
 was not able to persuade his men to follow him to the new loca- 
 tion that he had selected for his camp, except by bribing them 
 with money. 
 
 Although Raymond is the only writer who says that the count 
 of Toulouse first located his camp to the West of the city, there 
 
 *This is an evidence of the fear that the other leac^ers had of 
 Raymond's ambition. 
 
38 The Vniversity of Texas Bulletin 
 
 is little reason to doubt tliat his final position was on Mt. Sion 
 {An07iymous, p. 14, 17, 18; Fulk, p. 20). Just what part of the 
 wall he attacked is more difficult to determine. 
 
 It would seem likely that Raymond attacked the western part 
 of the southern wall, or the southwest corner. However, we 
 are told that the tower of David was surrendered to him and that 
 "the gate at which the pilgrims had always been accustomed to 
 pay tribute" Avas opened {Anonymous, p. 18). The gate by the 
 tower of David, the David or Joppa gate, which opened on the 
 Joppa road, from which port the pilgrims usually came. Why 
 Raymond entered by this gate, may be explained by his failure to 
 force an entrance through the wall, before the other division of 
 the crusading army had done so at the northwest corner. More- 
 over, as the gate was opened from within, Rajonond and his men 
 undoubtedly gave up their efforts to force their way in at the 
 place where they had l)een working, and sought an easier 
 entrance through the western gate. 
 
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 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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