Ten Great Events in History | Page 9

Jerusalem was. Some thought it fifty thousand miles away, and others
imagined it but a month's journey; while at the sight of every tower or
castle the children exclaimed "Is that Jerusalem?" Little attempt at any
organization was made, though the multitude had three leaders. It is
said that the first band, consisting of twenty thousand foot, with only
eight horsemen, were led by a Burgundian gentleman, called Walter the
Penniless. They were followed by a rabble of forty thousand men,
women, and children, led by Peter the Hermit, a medley of all nations
and languages. Next followed a band of fifteen thousand men, mostly
Germans, under a priest named Gottschalk. These three multitudes led
the way in the crusades, pursuing the same route, that, namely, which
leads through Hungary and Bulgaria toward Asia Minor.
13. Like their nominal leader, each of the followers of Walter the
Penniless was poor to penury, and trusted for subsistence to the chances
of the road. In Hungary they met with loud resistance from the people,
whose houses they attacked and plundered, but in Bulgaria the natives
declared war against the hungry horde; they were dispersed and almost
exterminated. Some of the survivors retraced their steps; the rest,
among whom was Walter, reached Constantinople, where they awaited
the arrival of Peter and his companions. The Hermit, who had the same
difficulties to contend with in marching through Hungary and Bulgaria,
reached Constantinople with his army greatly reduced, and in a most
deplorable condition. Here he and Walter joined forces, the Hermit
assuming the superior command. They were hospitably received by the
emperor, but their riotous conduct soon wearied out his patience, and
he was glad to listen to a proposal of the Hermit to furnish them with
the means of passing at once into Asia. The rabble accordingly crossed
the Bosphorus, and took up their quarters in Bethynia. Here they
became perfectly ungovernable, ravaging the country around, and
committing incredible excesses; at length Peter, utterly disgusted and
despairing, left them to their own guidance and returned to
Constantinople. The bravest of them were annihilated in a battle fought
near Nice, Walter the Penniless falling with seven mortal wounds.
Between two and three thousand alone escaped, brought back to

Constantinople by the troops of Alexius, who rescued them from the
Turks. The emperor dismissed them, with orders to return home, and
thus ended the disastrous expedition of Walter the Penniless and Peter
the Hermit.
14. The fifteen thousand Germans led by Gottschalk never reached
Constantinople, being slaughtered or dispersed during their passage
through Hungary. Hungary was also fatal to another army of crusaders,
the fourth in order, but greatly exceeding in numbers the other three put
together. This terrible horde, consisting of about two hundred thousand,
swept through Germany committing horrible outrages, especially
against the Jews, whom they murdered without mercy. They were
preceded by a goose and a goat, to which they attributed divine powers.
As the rabble advanced, the Hungarians gave themselves up for lost,
the king and nobles were preparing to flee, when the mass fell asunder
of its own accord. Many were slain by the enraged Hungarians. Some
escaped to the north, a few ultimately joined the succeeding bands of
crusaders, but the majority perished. Thus, within a few months,
upward of a quarter of a million of human beings were swept out of
existence. And they had spent their lives, without one important result
having been accomplished, without one glorious feat having been
achieved.
15. This was the worst paroxysm of the madness of Europe, and this
passed, her chivalry stepped upon the scene. Men of cool heads, mature
plans, and invincible courage stood forward, to lead and direct not more
fanatical masses, but the gentry, yeomanry, and serfs of feudal Europe.
These were the true crusaders. Altogether they formed six armies,
marching separately, and at considerable intervals of time. First carne
the army of Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine, the pride of his age
for all noble and knightly virtues, immortalized by the poet Tasso. He
had risen from a sick-bed to join the crusade, and sold his lordship to
raise the necessary money; around his standard assembled many of the
best knights of the age. In the month of August, 1096, they commenced
their march, through Hungary and Bulgaria.
16. Four other chiefs of the royal blood of Europe also assumed the

cross, and led each his army to the Holy Land; Hugh, Count of
Vermandois, brother of the king of France; Robert, Duke of Normandy,
the elder brother of William Rufus; Robert, Count of Flanders, and
Bohemond, Prince of Tarentum, eldest son of the celebrated Robert
Guiscard. With Bohemond, and second in command in the army, came
Tancred, the favorite hero of all the historians of the crusade,