Part 5 (2/2)
[Sidenote: _Christianity Coalesces With Military Spirit_]
[Sidenote: _Defects of Crusading Christianity_]
[Sidenote: _Europe Callous as to Losses_]
It is interesting to observe how the two great dominant forces, Christianity and the military spirit, co-operated, and even coalesced, yet allowed neither to govern in its proper sphere. The early Crusaders had piety enough to hold them to the march, notwithstanding the awful trail of death. They did not have enough to prevent their behaving on the way more like devils than Christians. They had sufficient military spirit to make them willing to fight, but not enough to make adequate preparation. The Christianity of that time had devotional but not humanizing power. It carried along faith, obedience to ceremonial, abundant prayers, personal humility; but it had little restraint for pa.s.sion whether corporal or revengeful. Its hand was powerless to restrain fury or prevent or relieve misery ”The knight before the battle was as devout as the bishop; the bishop in the battle as ferocious as the knight.”[5] Little better fate availed the women when Christians prevailed than when Turks won the day. Whatever mourning there was for individuals, the failure to win the Holy City appears to have given more sorrow to Europe than the death of three hundred thousand men.
[Sidenote: _Peter Ceases to be General_]
One might gather up at this point the remaining appearances of Peter, and call his work done. But while he ceased to be a military leader, his work continued, his spiritual influence remained. We shall see him at one time arguing with Turks, and at another praying for victory over them. His strength and his weakness can only be brought out by briefly sketching some of the men who took up leaders.h.i.+p after his failure, and with whose victories he was identified as priest, prophet, and partic.i.p.ant.
[Sidenote: _G.o.dfrey of Bouillon_]
[Sidenote: _A Great Character_]
The n.o.blest, greatest of the leaders was G.o.dfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lower Lorraine. Born in Brabant, the blood of Charlemagne was in his veins through his mother. He had fought for the antipope, and was the first to enter Rome when captured by the army of Henry. His sentiments changed until he was ready to expiate his sacrilege by a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and as a warrior for her deliverance. A giant in strength, a hero in bravery, his simplicity was that of a hermit. He was wise enough not to be reckless, and courageous enough never to shrink from the supreme moment of danger. The common soldier was his friend. His word to all was his bond. Men felt braver and safer under his lead. Others might seem by name to be weightier than he in leaders.h.i.+p, but in fact he composed quarrels and compelled unity by his wisdom, and, in moments of peril, what he thought prevailed.
[Sidenote: _Accessions to His Leaders.h.i.+p_]
When his leaders.h.i.+p was known, France and the Rhine country gave him of their best in treasure, of men, arms, and money. Women denied their amiable vanities that their jewels might furnish outfit for husbands and sons. The Abbe Guibert[6] declares that what avarice and war had hidden, now came leaping in marvelous abundance into the hands of the chiefs of the army. Heaps of gold were visible in their tents, as if fruits had been carried there instead of untold wealth. Yet some robbed their va.s.sals that they might be ready. G.o.dfrey sold his dominions chiefly to the bishops so that it was well said that the secular princes stripped themselves for the Crusaders while the bishops enriched themselves by the enthusiasm of the laity.
[Sidenote: _Mixed Motives Again_]
[Sidenote: _G.o.dfrey Welcome_]
Yet here again we must see mixed motives. To regain Jerusalem was also to be enriched by Saracenic spoils. To give up a petty government or heritage in Europe might lead to dominion in Asia. These things were promised by the authority of pope and general. Many great names acceded to G.o.dfrey's roster, and aided in leading a fairly disciplined and restrained army toward Palestine. The Huns and Bulgars who had slain the hosts of Peter welcomed the army of G.o.dfrey, and sped them on their way with food and prayers. He sent to the East more than eighty thousand men. Their advance made it easier for the pope to put the dominion of unfriendly kings in peril by excommunications and other ecclesiastical penalties. He trimmed the talons of princes while their defenders were absent. Papal authority rose as secular authority went down. It gave the people peace at home at the expense of national independence.
[Sidenote: _Fear of Eclipse_]
How much science has done for humanity in relieving it of evil signs and omens we may know by this, that the reddened moon under eclipse and the waving streamers of the Aurora combined to persuade the people that the war was of G.o.d. The indifferent were stirred by these prodigies, and joined the Crusade, and Italy was moved as never before. More princes, knights, and bishops than can be recorded joined in the march. Alexius, the craven emperor, who had invited Latin help, trembled with good reason at the hundreds of thousands now headed toward his capital. He was a true Greek in sending amba.s.sadors to greet them and in hiding his troops where they could hara.s.s them.
[Sidenote: _Confused Tracks_]
[Sidenote: _A Mean Emperor_]
No one can untangle the tracks of the many bands as described by the annalists of each expedition. Some went the ruggedest way; some the smoothest. Alexius made a prisoner of a s.h.i.+pwrecked count, only to have G.o.dfrey shake him into frenzies of fear by attacking one of his provinces. He purchased allegiance from his prisoner only to make himself and his prisoner objects of contempt. He tried to starve G.o.dfrey's army by refusing provisions, only to have that army bring the fear of famine to his capital through the energy with which it helped itself. The approach of Christmas was used as a basis of peace. The foraging ceased, and Alexius provided food.
[Sidenote: _Christians Quarreling_]
The spectacle of disagreement and of growing contempt for each other is painful to any who this day bear the Christian name. The Greeks had the same contempt for the Latins which the Chinese have for the foreign devil. Unable to resist their arms, they took refuge in the futilities of philosophy as their proof of superiority, and in the trickery which, at some periods, had helped them well. But nothing could meet or restrain the skill, courage, and discipline of the forces pledged to the cross, and no complacency was proof against the contempt of the Latins for the Greeks, who, calling themselves Christians, were indifferent to the cry of the oppressed city of the Savior's pa.s.sion.
[Sidenote: _Alexius Deceives G.o.dfrey_]
Alexius did succeed in blinding G.o.dfrey, and possibly Bohemond, who was coming toward Constantinople through Macedonia. He obtained pledges from both for the integrity of his empire, and apparent submission. Alexius used money because he could not use force, to create dissensions and to win over the venial. His temporary success would be astonis.h.i.+ng were it not almost always the case that the craft of an old civilization at first befools the inexperience of more youthful, more rugged, and more trusting nations. Alexius finally got all to the other side of the Bosporus, but failed to wheedle all who came near his throne.
[Sidenote: _On the Track of Peter_]
[Sidenote: _The Crusaders' Discipline_]
<script>