Paul Halsall's note:
Ekkehard, a well-known German historian had completed a history of the world in the year 1101 when he determined to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem On his return he entirely rewrote the particulars of his history relating to the First Crusade, and finally issued it as a little separate volume called Hierosolymita. His work is regarded by historical scholars as remarkably painstaking and temperate.
After mentioning the capture of Jerusalem by Godfrey of Bouillon and his fellow-crusaders in 1099, Ekkehard continues:
[Some declare the crusade inexpedient] Here I am very anxious to add certain details concerning these military undertakings, which are due to divine rather than human inspiration. This I do for the especial purpose of refuting those imprudent - or, better, impudent - critics. who, bound by prejudice, take it upon themselves with insolent lips to blame this novel enterprise, so necessary to a world that is growing old and nearing its end. They, like the Epicureans, prefer the broad way of pleasure to the narrow way of God's …show more content…
It was truly an army of "crusaders," for they bore the sign of the cross on their garments as a reminder that they should mortify the flesh, and in the hope that they would in this way triumph over the enemies of the cross of Christ, as it had once come to pass in the case of the great Constantine. Thus, through the +marvelous and unexampled working of divine dispensation, all these members of Christ, so different in speech, origin, and nationality, were suddenly brought together as one body through their love of
Ekkehard, a well-known German historian had completed a history of the world in the year 1101 when he determined to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem On his return he entirely rewrote the particulars of his history relating to the First Crusade, and finally issued it as a little separate volume called Hierosolymita. His work is regarded by historical scholars as remarkably painstaking and temperate.
After mentioning the capture of Jerusalem by Godfrey of Bouillon and his fellow-crusaders in 1099, Ekkehard continues:
[Some declare the crusade inexpedient] Here I am very anxious to add certain details concerning these military undertakings, which are due to divine rather than human inspiration. This I do for the especial purpose of refuting those imprudent - or, better, impudent - critics. who, bound by prejudice, take it upon themselves with insolent lips to blame this novel enterprise, so necessary to a world that is growing old and nearing its end. They, like the Epicureans, prefer the broad way of pleasure to the narrow way of God's …show more content…
It was truly an army of "crusaders," for they bore the sign of the cross on their garments as a reminder that they should mortify the flesh, and in the hope that they would in this way triumph over the enemies of the cross of Christ, as it had once come to pass in the case of the great Constantine. Thus, through the +marvelous and unexampled working of divine dispensation, all these members of Christ, so different in speech, origin, and nationality, were suddenly brought together as one body through their love of