Crusading+Historiography

This page should be used to summaries the background and beliefs of those figures who have written about the First Crusade, both at the time and in more modern context. I expect each one of the major figures to be analysed, such as Raymond of Aguilers, as well as those who are more modern, such as the late great Steven Runciman. This figure will prove to be of great importance to many of you as you come to revise over the coming weeks.


 * __Plan__**

List various authors who will be looked at - go through their styles and any background knowledge which will help when discussing reliability ect.

Raymond of Aguilers (DONE) Runciman - **Matt Rogers** Gesta Francorum - **Mitchell** Ibn al Athir Asbridge - **Alex Carling** William of Tyre Tyerman**- Jonathan tsim** Guibert of Nogent- **Ethan Clough** Fulcher of Chartres David Nicolle (probably wont be a lot on this guy) (JY)

**Raymond of Aguilers**

One of the authors who you may well come across is Raymond of Aguilers. Raymond chronicled the events of the Crusade but it should be kept in mind that he was very much involved with the journey. He traveled with Raymond of Toulouse (don't confuse the two!!!) and his loyalty and bias towards Raymond of Toulouse is something which bleeds through to his work. He did complete the journey to Jerusalem with Raymond of Toulouse but there are no real traces of him after this, meaning all of his sources came from the time of the Crusade. As well as his bias towards Raymond of Toulouse, there is a distinct disdain towards Bohemond of Taranto. In terms of his style Raymond likes to mention the more religious aspects of the Crusade and will make various references towards any sort of miracle he thought had happened. **(JY)**


 * Runciman **

Sir Steven Runciman is widely considered as the leading Historian of the Crusades. His passion for history lay with the Byzantine Empire. It is clear from his work that he is pro-Byzantine and regularly delves into religious aspects of the crusades. His work, //A History Of The Crusades,// draws together a wide range of sources and offers different views and interpretations of the era, such as, the crusades were a barbarian invasion of the east. Runciman uses a chronological approach in his book and has been criticised by historians for only offering a narrative view other than an analytical. **(MR)

Gesta Francorum **

Gesta Francorum, or //De Gesta Francorum et aliorum Hierosolimitanorum// ("The deeds of the Franks and the other pilgrims to Jerusalem"), to give it its correct name was a Latin chronicle of the First Crusade, written around 1100. Although the author has remained anonomous throughout time it is known that he travelled with Bohemond of Taranto. The text gives the readers an invaluable insight into the First Crusade, through the eyes of a knight, while also being one of the very few accounts of the actual day-to-day life of the Crusading knights. The text has been incredibly important for Crusading scholars, provinding a basis for many of the texts that have followed, while also being the earliest surviving account of the Crusades. **[MC]**


 * Ibn Al Athir**

He was born in 1160 and died in 1223. His most famous work was a huge history of the entire world from a Muslim perspective. He was an eyewitness to some events during the 3rd Crusade (he fought in Saladin's army) and made use of sources including Ibn al Qalanisi ( Ibn Al Qalanisi highly respected twelfth-century resident of Damascus) and Imad al Din ( Imad Al Din (b. 1125- d. 1201) was a secretary to Nur ad Din and then to Saladin and showed heavy bias towards his masters and their causes) for events he did not witness. His tone is different than other Muslim sources, in that it is often less sympathetic to Saladin. An example of Al Athir's bias against the Crusaders is this comment - //"In this year, on 13 rabi II, the Frankish Marquis, the ruler of Tyre-- God damn him!-- was killed. He was the greatest devil of all the Franks."// [EF]

Ibn-al Athir was an Arab Muslim historian born in Cizre, a town in present day Surnak province, in south-eastern Turkey, from the Ibn Athir family. He spent his life in Mosul for his academia, but often visited Baghdad (capital of modern day Iraq). For some time, he was with Saladin’s army in Syria and later lived in Aleppo and Damascus. His most well known work was a history of the world, ’al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh’, (The Complete History). (JJEW)
 * __Thomas Asbridge__

Thomas Asbridge is a modern day author who focuses his work on the theory that the Crusaders really, truly believed in the religious aspect of the Crusades and that none of them were in it purely for self gain. He argues that the sole reason behind the Crusade, in the eyes of the Crusaders, was completely religious and they never gave up this belief at any point on the Crusade. He also believes that the Crusaders never lost their religious devotion, even at the most vicious and the bloodiest of times. He provides detailed descriptions of each of the Crusading characters which is useful when trying to get to know who each person is and what their aims are for the Crusade.[AC]

__William of Tyre__**

William of Tyre was born in the holy land in the mid 1100's. He went to France to study and returned to Jerusalem in the 1160's. He tutored a later king of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV, and completed his book, //Historia rerum in patribus transmarinis gestarum// in 1184. This book is a very valuable source about the foundation and consolidation of the Crusader states. He was excommunicated in the same year as completing his book but there is no evidence that the two things were linked. (NH)


 * __Tyerman__**

Tyerman is a modern Historian. His work notable analyses the religious aspects of the crusade. Tyerman helps to show up the misinterpetations which feed much discord between the once-Christian West and Islam. Although a dry writer, giving a rather narrative of events, his views are neutral. His work the "God's War: A New History of the Crusades" has been hailed as the best publication on the crusade since runicman. [JT]


 * __Guibert of Nogent__**

Guibert of Nogent was a benedictine historian, Theologian and author of autobiographical memoirs. He was born in 1055 and lived until 1124. Guibert's work was relatively unknown in his own time however he did have more recognised works on the period of the first crusade, particularily his 'Dei Gesta per Francos' (God's deeds through the Franks) in which he describes the journey of the crusaders southwards to Jerusalem, many calling attention to his excellent writing and invaluable informaion about the reception of the crusade in France. Many historians dismiss his work as they argue it is simply a more ornate paraphrase of the 'Gesta Francorum.' As Guibert was not himself a Crusader, instead relying on reports he heard or read in France, this may be a fair criticism. EC


 * __Fulcher of Chartres__**

Fulcher of Chartres travelled with Steven of Blois and Robert of Normandy through southern France and nothern Italy and then crossed into the Byzantine Empire and arrived at Constantinople in 1097. This is where they met up with the rest of the crusade. He stayed with Steven and Robert throughout Asia Minor however just before the arrival of the crusade at Antioch, he was made chaplain to Baldwin. He then went with Baldwin away from Antioch towards edessa where Baldwin formed the first crusader state. When Jerusalem was taken Baldwin and Fulcher then ravelled to the city to carry out a pilgramige. Fulcher remained with Baldwin at Jerusalem when he became king and continued to be his chaplain until 1115.Fulcher divided his chronicle into three books, the first was about the journey from Clermont until the taking of Jerusalem under Godfrey of Bouillion. The second book describes the actions of Baldwin 1st and the third book is about Baldwin 2nd until 1127 when he died, due to plague.[SS]