The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-12
bN THE FIRST CRUSADE.
Went Very Remarkable Army.
Under Command of Peter
the Hermit.
Assembled on the Plains In Au-
vergne Was . Notified
Caravan.
the Company Were Noted People. in-
Guiding Pope Urban Il.-Pstcr's
Failure-Robsrt,s Success.

Peter the Hermit was q monk OF PicRrdy
xho had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
While there he had witnessed the sutfsrinRs
If these who tried to preserve the true faith
among the hordes of barbarians who had
warmed upon and now possessed the lands
ii Asia Miner. Ho saw the shocking pro-
sanations Of the sacred places of tho holy
.ity. and his heart burned within him t.
.elease 1T from it, oppression. At nigh
lime dreams came to him from which il
vas pointed out to him that his mission
VAS to rouse the nations of Europe to
aoly war.
Fired with this ambition he made his way
aack 10 France. The reports Of his power.
tul preaching spread. and greater numbers
locked each day to hear him. Finally in
November Of 1886 such a company gathered
10 probably has never been seen together
before.
Tho plain of La Limagns. in Auvsrgne,
was covered with white tents. in which wore
lodged 10000 people, 1900 priests and 400
bishops and abbots were there, while also
shers was there one man who was mightier
han all of them, Urban H., pope OF Rome,
70 whom all western Europe did homage.
A lofty stand had been erected in the
spsn air, for no building would accommo-
late the throng. Upon this sat the pope.
md beside him stood the hermit, holding
Aloft the cross. With burning words and
fearful eyes he described the shameful
sights he had witnessed in Jerusalem and
sailed for volunteers to 60 with to wrest the
holy city from the intidel.
His appeal was seconded by Urban, who
promised all who fought that If they won
Che land they conquered should BE- theirs:
while if they died a place in heaven should
surely be their reward. The cross was hold
Sut to them and they were invited to como
Forward md take it to wear upon their per-
sopa = fha hadcn 0f THAR dayntl0n. M VIZ.
Adhimar de Monteri, bishop of Puy, was
the first to come forward and thousands
poured after him.
The excitement spread and all Europe re-
sounded with the preparations for this I'M
dertakinR. Peter. with excess of zeal n
absolute lack Of wisdom. gathered q null
titude Of peasant men. women and chill
aten, unarmsd and unprovided with tho
~Sustsnance for the march which he under
took to lead in person to Jerusalem across
the mountainous parts of central Europe.
Extorting food from the people among
whom they passed. and get upon BY them IN
revenge, the pilgrims fell in every road, cut
down by sickness, starvation and the sword.
Others, no doubt. ran back to their de-
serted homes, until in Hungary Peter
found himself alone.
Meanwhile q very different army had been
gathering on all sides, made up of the very
dover of chivalry of all the European ma
lions.
Godfrey de Bouillon, duke of Lorraine,
the count of Toulaun. Barmond. Tancred,
Felel de la Flichs, and many another war
rior whoss name stands high in history led
their armies to join the host.
William Rufus was now King of England;
i MGn 80 avaricious and interruptions
shat he never hesitatsd to take by forob any
possession of his nobles that was left un-
guarded. Under such u master it 10 not
strange that the English mobiles were loath
to leave their castles for so long = journey,
and hencs few English names have figured
in the first crusade.
Impetuous, ~improvident, ~trustful Robert
Of Normandy. however. who never could
remember evil of hiE brother the next day
after he had most cruelty abused him, now
turns to William for aid. His generous
heart burning to relieve the suffsrings of
the Holy Land leads him to sacrifice every
future prospect for the purpose of obtain
ing the means of gratifying the present i'm
pulse.
He mortgages his duchy of Normandy to
his brother, William RUFUS, king of Eng
land, and with the money thus obtained
fss out his portion of the holy army.
The science OF navigation was in that age
too crude to be able to provide means Of
transit for so large an army by water, and
the whole force, 500, 600 infantry and 100, 600
cavalry, marched by land across Central
Europe and over tho Hellespont into Asia
Minor.
The pitilsss sun, the finty soil, a strange
climate, lack of food, wapt of water, all
fought on the side of the Turk against the
Crusaders, and the path of the devoted
army was marked by a trail of graves.
At Nicea, at Antioch, and in other places
the contending armies met. As a general
thing the Crusaders were victorious, and on
q January morning in 1893 the advancing
army. Tancred in the lead, ascending a hill,
looked for the first time Upon the city of
Jerusalem.
General and scidiers. prince and peasant,
fell prestrate upon the ground. Some wept
for joy at the sight, others with sorrow be-
cause above the temple and the sepulcher
the crescent of Mohammed glistened in
the sun.
The siege which followed lasted for
months, and when at last the city was taken
the few inside whom the assaults had
spared fell by the swords of the conquerors.
In making arrangements for governing
the city the conquerors decided to elect one
Of their number king, and the crown was
offered to Robert of Normandy. who de-
,clincd it. Afterward Godfrey do Boulllon,
who seems to nave been an irreproachable
knight. was chosen to this high place with
its cares, but would not take this titls nor
the orown. He made a most successful
ruler until his death, only one year later.
Thus ended the first crusade.-Boston
Courier.
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b 1nly Wanted tn Saa n