Fulcher's The Chronicle Of The First Crusade
The Chronicle of the First Crusade
The Chronicle of the First Crusade is a firsthand account of the First Crusade by the western Christian world to retake “the promise land”. Written by Fulcher, is gives a firsthand look into the preparation for and the completion of the crusade. What was meant to be a holy war, the crusade saw the completion of many atrocities by the solider it sought to redeem. Among other things, it leads us to the question of can there be such thing as a “holy war”, that is, one ordained by God?
The Chronicles were written by Fulcher as a look into the Crusade. The Crusade and its army were, as Fulcher recalls, a war “most distinguished by the Lord” whose armies “by God’s ordination, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.” (pg 24). This idea …show more content…
that the war itself was ordained by God is an important one – the soldiers who signed up for the war thought, by all means, that they were fighting for God, not a king.
The pope himself decreed that the fighter would gain remission for their sins (pg. 30). Therefore, the crusade was not meant to be a war for land or treasure, but for God, and for those who fought it, redemption from their sins. The armies that would fight the crusade then, came from all walks of life, “from whatever class, both knights and footmen, both rich and poor,” united in their reconciliation (pg. 30). The Crusaders were therefore were meant to be righteous warriors of God. However, Fulcher describes scenes during the siege of Jerusalem that suggest otherwise. Fulcher notes that during the sacking of Jerusalem, “not one of [the people] were allowed to live; they did not spare the women and children” (pg. 77). The crusaders were meant to be men of God, there to do the lord’s work, yet, like any war, the main goal was profit, not God (pg. 77).It brings into question whether redemption for their sins could ever have truly been achieved by the act war; what were supposed to be mercenaries of God turned into senseless murderers. Fulcher seems to think the notation of a holy war is possible; that if one examines the end result, in this case the reclamation of the holy lands,
then this is what pleases God, not the means by which it was achieved. Fulcher almost nonchalantly remarks on the atrocities committed during the sacking of Jerusalem, noting that “the crowd was stuck to the ground, just as rotten fruit falls to the ground and acorns from the wind-blown oak” (pg. 78). He thinks the acts committed by the soldiers are as natural as fruit falling from the trees; just a way of the world. To him, as long as they are successful in their endeavors, it doesn’t matter what they did to please God.
The Crusades were meant to be God’s war, holy war, waged against the infidels to please God. The soldiers were meant to find redemption for their sins. According to Fulcher, they did. All that matters is that God’s will is done, that his holy war is successful. To Fulcher, this is the only goal of the Crusade.
The Chronicle of the First Crusade is a firsthand account of the First Crusade by the western Christian world to retake “the promise land”. Written by Fulcher, is gives a firsthand look into the preparation for and the completion of the crusade. What was meant to be a holy war, the crusade saw the completion of many atrocities by the solider it sought to redeem. Among other things, it leads us to the question of can there be such thing as a “holy war”, that is, one ordained by God?
The Chronicles were written by Fulcher as a look into the Crusade. The Crusade and its army were, as Fulcher recalls, a war “most distinguished by the Lord” whose armies “by God’s ordination, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.” (pg 24). This idea …show more content…
that the war itself was ordained by God is an important one – the soldiers who signed up for the war thought, by all means, that they were fighting for God, not a king.
The pope himself decreed that the fighter would gain remission for their sins (pg. 30). Therefore, the crusade was not meant to be a war for land or treasure, but for God, and for those who fought it, redemption from their sins. The armies that would fight the crusade then, came from all walks of life, “from whatever class, both knights and footmen, both rich and poor,” united in their reconciliation (pg. 30). The Crusaders were therefore were meant to be righteous warriors of God. However, Fulcher describes scenes during the siege of Jerusalem that suggest otherwise. Fulcher notes that during the sacking of Jerusalem, “not one of [the people] were allowed to live; they did not spare the women and children” (pg. 77). The crusaders were meant to be men of God, there to do the lord’s work, yet, like any war, the main goal was profit, not God (pg. 77).It brings into question whether redemption for their sins could ever have truly been achieved by the act war; what were supposed to be mercenaries of God turned into senseless murderers. Fulcher seems to think the notation of a holy war is possible; that if one examines the end result, in this case the reclamation of the holy lands,
then this is what pleases God, not the means by which it was achieved. Fulcher almost nonchalantly remarks on the atrocities committed during the sacking of Jerusalem, noting that “the crowd was stuck to the ground, just as rotten fruit falls to the ground and acorns from the wind-blown oak” (pg. 78). He thinks the acts committed by the soldiers are as natural as fruit falling from the trees; just a way of the world. To him, as long as they are successful in their endeavors, it doesn’t matter what they did to please God.
The Crusades were meant to be God’s war, holy war, waged against the infidels to please God. The soldiers were meant to find redemption for their sins. According to Fulcher, they did. All that matters is that God’s will is done, that his holy war is successful. To Fulcher, this is the only goal of the Crusade.