Monday, July 15, 2013

Today in 1099, the knights of the Frist Crusade captured Jerusalem

The Siege of Jerusalem (Wikipedia)

"Jews had fought side-by-side with Muslim soldiers to defend the city, and as the Crusaders breached the outer walls, the Jews of the city retreated to their synagogue to 'prepare for death'."

Fulk of Chartres:
The Capture of Jerusalem, 1099

here is an eyewitness description of the carnage by Fulk of Chartres archived at Fordham University ..

"Count 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 nefarious enemies, as their comrades were already doing. Some Saracens, Arabs, and Ethiopians took refuge in the tower of David, others fled to the temples 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."

The Kingdom of Heaven is not actually about the 1099 Crusade, but it deals with Saladin and the Battle of Hattim in the Third Crusade in 1187. Nevertheless,  it still gives sight and sound to the whole crusading chapter of history:





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