The First Crusades: A Literary Analysis

The four accounts of the first Crusade are definitely colored by the perspective of the writer. In each of the stories there was very little respect given to others. We see it in comments from Pope Urban II “exterminate this vile race from our lands”. Solomon Bar Simson wrote of an “arrogant people, a people of strange speech, a nation bitter and impetuous.” Ibn Al-Athir wrote of Roger the Frank “At this Roger raised one leg and farted loudly, and swore that it was of more use than their advice.” Anna Comnena wrote, “the Latin race at all times is greedy for wealth.” The first account by a priest is clearly colored toward the Crusaders and had several references to God being with the men. The most troubling story is listed at the end of the account of the battle with the Saracens for Jerusalem. Thousands fled to the temple and no one was spared beheading not even women or children. The blood was so deep on the floor of the temple that it would have stained your feet up to the
One of the biggest black eyes of the crusades is the attacks made upon the Jews. It was relayed that these attacks were meant to eradicate the race that crucified Jesus for no reason. Even to this day you will hear Christians who accuse the Jews of crucifying Jesus. The crusaders were supposed to liberate the East from the Muslims, there were so many that the hoards of people were described as locust hoards by Solomon Bar Simson. This is most likely where the Byzantine account got their account of locusts preceding the appearance of the crusaders. The contempt for the Christians is felt in the Jewish account. It mentions every man and women had the cross on their clothes calling it a “profane symbol”. Later in this account Jesus is called a “bastard son” and the Jews are seen as the martyrs to their faith at the hands of the