Memoirs

Memoirs or Chronicle of The
Fourth Crusade and The
Conquest of Constantinople

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Crusade and The Conquest of Constantinople
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Title: Memoirs or Chronicle of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest
of Constantinople

Author: Geoffrey de Villehardouin
Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6032] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on October 23, 2002]
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, MEMOIRS
OR CHRONICLE OF THE FOURTH CRUSADE AND THE
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Geoffrey de Villehardouin [b.c.1160-d.c.1213]:
Memoirs or Chronicle of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest of
Constantinople
Geoffrey de Villehardouin [b.c.1160-d.c.1213]: Memoirs or Chronicle
of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest of Constantinople, trans.
Frank T. Marzials, (London: J.M. Dent, 1908)
THE FIRST PREACHING OF THE CRUSADE
1
Be it known to you that eleven hundred and ninety-seven years after the
Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the time of Innocent Pope of
Rome, and Philip King of France, and Richard King of England, there
was in France a holy man named Fulk of Neuilly - which Neuilly is
between Lagni-sur-Marne and Paris - and he was a priest and held the
cure of the village. And this said Fulk began to speak of God
throughout the Isle-de-France, and the other countries round about; and
you must know that by him the Lord wrought many miracles.
Be it known to you further, that the fame of this holy man so spread,
that it reached the Pope of Rome, Innocent*; and the Pope sent to
France, and ordered the right worthy man to preach the cross (the

Crusade) by his authority. And afterwards the Pope sent a cardinal of
his, Master Peter of Capua, who himself had taken the cross, to
proclaim the Indulgence of which I now tell you, viz., that all who
should take the cross and serve in the host for one year, would be de-
[note: Innocent III, elected Pope on the 8th January 1198, at the early
age of thirty seven, Innocent III was one of the leading spirits of his
time-in every sense a strong man and great Pope. From the beginning
of his pontificate he turned his thoughts and policy to the recovery of
Jerusalem. ]
2
livered from all the sins they had committed, and acknowledged in
confession. And because this indulgence was so great, the hearts of
men were much moved, and many took the cross for the greatness of
the pardon.
OF THOSE WHO TOOK THE CROSS
The other year after that right worthy man Fulk had so spoken of God,
there was held a tourney in Champagne, at a castle called Ecri, and by
God's grace it so happened that Thibaut, Count of Champagne and Brie,
took the cross, and the Count Louis of Blois and Chartres likewise; and
this was at the beginning of Advent (28th November 1199). Now you
must know that this Count Thibaut was but a young man, and not more
than twenty-two years of age, and the Count Louis not more than
twenty-seven. These two counts were nephews and cousins-german to
the King of France, and, on the other part, nephews to the King of
England.
With these two counts there took the cross two very high and puissant
barons of France, Simon of Montfort*, and Renaud of Montmirail.
Great was the fame thereof throughout the land when these two high
and puissant men took the cross.
[note: Simon de Monfort - the same one who later crushed the
Albigensians and the father of the "English" Simon de Montfort who
defeated the royal army at Lewes and was killed at Evesham in 1265].
In the land of Count Thibaut of Champagne took the cross Garnier,
Bishop of Troyes, Count Walter of