butthesevengreatarmamentsorcrusadeswereexcitedbysomeimpendingorrecentcalamity:thenationsweremovedbytheauthorityoftheirpontiffs,andtheexampleoftheirkings:
theirzealwaskindled,andtheirreasonwassilenced,bythevoiceoftheirholyorators;andamongthese,Bernard,^28themonk,orthesaint,mayclaimthemosthonorableplace。AbouteightyearsbeforethefirstconquestofJerusalem,hewasbornofanoblefamilyinBurgundy;attheageofthree—and—twentyheburiedhimselfinthemonasteryofCiteaux,thenintheprimitivefervoroftheinstitution;attheendoftwoyearsheledforthherthirdcolony,ordaughter,tothevalleyofClairvaux^29inChampagne;andwascontent,tillthehourofhisdeath,withthehumblestationofabbotofhisowncommunity。Aphilosophicagehasabolished,withtooliberalandindiscriminatedisdain,thehonorsofthesespiritualheroes。Themeanestamongthemaredistinguishedbysomeenergiesofthemind;theywereatleastsuperiortotheirvotariesanddisciples;and,intheraceofsuperstition,theyattainedtheprizeforwhichsuchnumberscontended。Inspeech,inwriting,inaction,Bernardstoodhighabovehisrivalsandcontemporaries;hiscompositionsarenotdevoidofwitandeloquence;andheseemstohavepreservedasmuchreasonandhumanityasmaybereconciledwiththecharacterofasaint。Inasecularlife,hewouldhavesharedtheseventhpartofaprivateinheritance;byavowofpovertyandpenance,byclosinghiseyesagainstthevisibleworld,^30bytherefusalofallecclesiasticaldignities,theabbotofClairvauxbecametheoracleofEurope,andthefounderofonehundredandsixtyconvents。Princesandpontiffstrembledatthefreedomofhisapostolicalcensures:France,England,andMilan,consultedandobeyedhisjudgmentinaschismofthechurch:thedebtwasrepaidbythegratitudeofInnocenttheSecond;andhissuccessor,EugeniustheThird,wasthefriendanddiscipleoftheholyBernard。ItwasintheproclamationofthesecondcrusadethatheshoneasthemissionaryandprophetofGod,whocalledthenationstothedefenceofhisholysepulchre。^31AttheparliamentofVezelayhespokebeforetheking;andLouistheSeventh,withhisnobles,receivedtheircrossesfromhishand。
TheabbotofClairvauxthenmarchedtothelesseasyconquestoftheemperorConrad:aphlegmaticpeople,ignorantofhislanguage,wastransportedbythepatheticvehemenceofhistoneandgestures;andhisprogress,fromConstancetoCologne,wasthetriumphofeloquenceandzeal。BernardapplaudshisownsuccessinthedepopulationofEurope;affirmsthatcitiesandcastleswereemptiedoftheirinhabitants;andcomputes,thatonlyonemanwasleftbehindfortheconsolationofsevenwidows。
^32Theblindfanaticsweredesirousofelectinghimfortheirgeneral;buttheexampleofthehermitPeterwasbeforehiseyes;
andwhileheassuredthecrusadersofthedivinefavor,heprudentlydeclinedamilitarycommand,inwhichfailureandvictorywouldhavebeenalmostequallydisgracefultohischaracter。^33Yet,afterthecalamitousevent,theabbotofClairvauxwasloudlyaccusedasafalseprophet,theauthorofthepublicandprivatemourning;hisenemiesexulted,hisfriendsblushed,andhisapologywasslowandunsatisfactory。Hejustifieshisobediencetothecommandsofthepope;expatiatesonthemysteriouswaysofProvidence;imputesthemisfortunesofthepilgrimstotheirownsins;andmodestlyinsinuates,thathismissionhadbeenapprovedbysignsandwonders。^34Hadthefactbeencertain,theargumentwouldbedecisive;andhisfaithfuldisciples,whoenumeratetwentyorthirtymiraclesinaday,appealtothepublicassembliesofFranceandGermany,inwhichtheywereperformed。^35Atthepresenthour,suchprodigieswillnotobtaincreditbeyondtheprecinctsofClairvaux;butinthepreternaturalcuresoftheblind,thelame,andthesick,whowerepresentedtothemanofGod,itisimpossibleforustoascertaintheseparatesharesofaccident,offancy,ofimposture,andoffiction。
[Footnote28:ThemostauthenticinformationofSt。Bernardmustbedrawnfromhisownwritings,publishedinacorrecteditionbyPereMabillon,andreprintedatVenice,1750,insixvolumesinfolio。Whateverfriendshipcouldrecollect,orsuperstitioncouldadd,iscontainedinthetwolives,byhisdisciples,inthevithvolume:whateverlearningandcriticismcouldascertain,maybefoundintheprefacesoftheBenedictineeditor]
[Footnote*:Gibbon,whoseaccountofthecrusadesisperhapstheleastaccurateandsatisfactorychapterinhisHistory,hasherefailedinthatlucidarrangement,whichingeneralgivesperspicuitytohismostcondensedandcrowdednarratives。Hehasunaccountably,andtothegreatperplexityofthereader,placedthepreachingofStBernardafterthesecondcrusadetowhichiled。—M。]
[Footnote29:Clairvaux,surnamedthevalleyofAbsynth,issituateamongthewoodsnearBarsurAubeinChampagne。St。
Bernardwouldblushatthepompofthechurchandmonastery;hewouldaskforthelibrary,andIknownotwhetherhewouldbemuchedifiedbyatunof800muids,9141—7hogsheads,whichalmostrivalsthatofHeidelberg,Melangestiresd'uneGrandeBibliotheque,tom。xlvi。p。15—20。]
[Footnote30:ThedisciplesofthesaintVit。ima,l。iii。c。2,p。1232。Vit。iida,c。16,No。45,p。1383recordamarvellousexampleofhispiousapathy。JuxtalacumetiamLausannensemtotiusdieiitinerepergens,penitusnonattenditautseviderenonvidit。Cumenimvesperefactodeeodemlacusociicolloquerentur,interrogabateosubilacusilleesset,etmiratisuntuniversi。ToadmireordespiseSt。Bernardasheought,thereader,likemyself,shouldhavebeforethewindowsofhislibrarythebeautiesofthatincomparablelandscape。]
[Footnote31:OthoFrising。l。i。c。4。Bernard。Epist。363,adFrancosOrientalesOpp。tom。i。p。328。Vit。ima,l。iii。c。4,tom。vi。p。1235。]
[Footnote*:BernardhadanoblerobjectinhisexpeditionintoGermany—toarrestthefierceandmercilesspersecutionoftheJews,whichwaspreparing,underthemonkRadulph,torenewthefrightfulsceneswhichhadprecededthefirstcrusade,intheflourishingcitiesonthebanksoftheRhine。TheJewsacknowledgetheChristianinterventionofSt。Bernard。SeethecuriousextractfromtheHistoryofJosephbenMeir。Wilken,vol。iii。p。1。andp。63—M]
[Footnote32:Mandastisetobedivi……multiplicatisuntsupernumerum;vacuantururbesetcastella;etpenejamnoninveniuntquemapprehendantseptemmulieresunumvirum;adeoubiqueviduaevivisremanentviris。Bernard。Epist。p。247。Wemustbecarefulnottoconstruepeneasasubstantive。]
[Footnote33:Quisegosumutdisponamacies,utegrediarantefaciesarmatorum,autquidtamremotumaprofessionemea,sivires,siperitia,&c。Epist。256,tom。i。p。259。HespeakswithcontemptofthehermitPeter,virquidam,Epist。363。]
[Footnote34:Sicdicuntforsitanisti,undescimusquodaDominosermoegressussit?Quaesignatufacisutcredamustibi?Nonestquodadistaipserespondeam;parcendumverecundiaemeae,respondetuprome,etproteipso,secundumquaevidistietaudisti,etsecundumquodteinspiraveritDeus。Consolat。l。ii。
c。1。Opp。tom。ii。p。421—423。]
[Footnote35:SeethetestimoniesinVitaima,l。iv。c。5,6。
Opp。tom。vi。p。1258—1261,l。vi。c。1—17,p。1286—1314。]
Omnipotenceitselfcannotescapethemurmursofitsdiscordantvotaries;sincethesamedispensationwhichwasapplaudedasadeliveranceinEurope,wasdeplored,andperhapsarraigned,asacalamityinAsia。AfterthelossofJerusalem,theSyrianfugitivesdiffusedtheirconsternationandsorrow;
Bagdadmournedinthedust;thecadhiZeineddinofDamascustorehisbeardinthecaliph'spresence;andthewholedivanshedtearsathismelancholytale。^36Butthecommandersofthefaithfulcouldonlyweep;theywerethemselvescaptivesinthehandsoftheTurks:sometemporalpowerwasrestoredtothelastageoftheAbbassides;buttheirhumbleambitionwasconfinedtoBagdadandtheadjacentprovince。Theirtyrants,theSeljukiansultans,hadfollowedthecommonlawoftheAsiaticdynasties,theunceasingroundofvalor,greatness,discord,degeneracy,anddecay;theirspiritandpowerwereunequaltothedefenceofreligion;and,inhisdistantrealmofPersia,theChristianswerestrangerstothenameandthearmsofSangiar,thelastheroofhisrace。^37Whilethesultanswereinvolvedinthesilkenweboftheharem,thepioustaskwasundertakenbytheirslaves,theAtabeks,^38aTurkishname,which,liketheByzantinepatricians,maybetranslatedbyFatherofthePrince。Ascansar,avaliantTurk,hadbeenthefavoriteofMalekShaw,fromwhomhereceivedtheprivilegeofstandingontherighthandofthethrone;but,inthecivilwarsthatensuedonthemonarch'sdeath,helosthisheadandthegovernmentofAleppo。HisdomesticemirsperseveredintheirattachmenttohissonZenghi,whoprovedhisfirstarmsagainsttheFranksinthedefeatofAntioch:thirtycampaignsintheserviceofthecaliphandsultanestablishedhismilitaryfame;andhewasinvestedwiththecommandofMosul,astheonlychampionthatcouldavengethecauseoftheprophet。Thepublichopewasnotdisappointed:afterasiegeoftwenty—fivedays,hestormedthecityofEdessa,andrecoveredfromtheFrankstheirconquestsbeyondtheEuphrates:
^39themartialtribesofCurdistanweresubduedbytheindependentsovereignofMosulandAleppo:hissoldiersweretaughttobeholdthecampastheironlycountry;theytrustedtohisliberalityfortheirrewards;andtheirabsentfamilieswereprotectedbythevigilanceofZenghi。Attheheadoftheseveterans,hissonNoureddingraduallyunitedtheMahometanpowers;addedthekingdomofDamascustothatofAleppo,andwagedalongandsuccessfulwaragainsttheChristiansofSyria;
hespreadhisamplereignfromtheTigristotheNile,andtheAbbassidesrewardedtheirfaithfulservantwithallthetitlesandprerogativesofroyalty。TheLatinsthemselveswerecompelledtoownthewisdomandcourage,andeventhejusticeandpiety,ofthisimplacableadversary。^40Inhislifeandgovernmenttheholywarriorrevivedthezealandsimplicityofthefirstcaliphs。Goldandsilkwerebanishedfromhispalace;
theuseofwinefromhisdominions;thepublicrevenuewasscrupulouslyappliedtothepublicservice;andthefrugalhouseholdofNoureddinwasmaintainedfromhislegitimateshareofthespoilwhichhevestedinthepurchaseofaprivateestate。
Hisfavoritesultanasighedforsomefemaleobjectofexpense。
"Alas,"repliedtheking,"IfearGod,andamnomorethanthetreasureroftheMoslems。TheirpropertyIcannotalienate;butIstillpossessthreeshopsinthecityofHems:theseyoumaytake;andthesealonecanIbestow。"Hischamberofjusticewastheterrorofthegreatandtherefugeofthepoor。Someyearsafterthesultan'sdeath,anoppressedsubjectcalledaloudinthestreetsofDamascus,"ONoureddin,Noureddin,whereartthounow?Arise,arise,topityandprotectus!"Atumultwasapprehended,andalivingtyrantblushedortrembledatthenameofadepartedmonarch。
[Footnote36:AbulmahasenapuddeGuignes,Hist。desHuns,tom。
ii。p。ii。p。99。]
[Footnote37:SeehisarticleintheBibliothequeOrientaleofD'Herbelot,andDeGuignes,tom。ii。p。i。p。230—261。Suchwashisvalor,thathewasstyledthesecondAlexander;andsuchtheextravagantloveofhissubjects,thattheyprayedforthesultanayearafterhisdecease。YetSangiarmighthavebeenmadeprisonerbytheFranks,aswellasbytheUzes。Hereignednearfiftyyears,A。D。1103—1152,andwasamunificentpatronofPersianpoetry。]
[Footnote38:SeetheChronologyoftheAtabeksofIrakandSyria,inDeGuignes,tom。i。p。254;andthereignsofZenghiandNoureddininthesamewriter,tom。ii。p。ii。p。147—221,
whousestheArabictextofBenelathir,BenSchounaandAbulfeda;
theBibliothequeOrientale,underthearticlesAtabeksandNoureddin,andtheDynastiesofAbulpharagius,p。250—267,vers。Pocock。]
[Footnote39:WilliamofTyrel。xvi。c。4,5,7describesthelossofEdessa,andthedeathofZenghi。ThecorruptionofhisnameintoSanguin,affordedtheLatinsacomfortableallusiontohissanguinarycharacterandend,fitsanguinesanguinolentus。]
[Footnote*:OnNoureddin'sconquestofDamascus,seeextractsfromArabianwritersprefixedtothesecondpartofthethirdvolumeofWilken。—M。]
[Footnote40:NoradinussaysWilliamofTyre,l。xx。33maximusnominisetfideiChristianaepersecutor;princepstamenjustus,vafer,providus'etsecundumgentissuaetraditionesreligiosus。
TothisCatholicwitnesswemayaddtheprimateoftheJacobites,Abulpharag。p。267,quononaltereratinterregesvitaerationemagislaudabili,autquaepluribusjustitiaeexperimentisabundaret。Thetruepraiseofkingsisaftertheirdeath,andfromthemouthoftheirenemies。]
ChapterLIX:TheCrusades。
PartII。
BythearmsoftheTurksandFranks,theFatimiteshadbeendeprivedofSyria。InEgyptthedecayoftheircharacterandinfluencewasstillmoreessential。Yettheywerestillreveredasthedescendantsandsuccessorsoftheprophet;theymaintainedtheirinvisiblestateinthepalaceofCairo;andtheirpersonwasseldomviolatedbytheprofaneeyesofsubjectsorstrangers。
TheLatinambassadors^41havedescribedtheirownintroduction,throughaseriesofgloomypassages,andglitteringporticos:thescenewasenlivenedbythewarblingofbirdsandthemurmuroffountains:itwasenrichedbyadisplayofrichfurnitureandrareanimals;oftheImperialtreasures,somethingwasshown,andmuchwassupposed;andthelongorderofunfoldingdoorswasguardedbyblacksoldiersanddomesticeunuchs。Thesanctuaryofthepresencechamberwasveiledwithacurtain;andthevizier,whoconductedtheambassadors,laidasidethecimeter,andprostratedhimselfthreetimesontheground;theveilwasthenremoved;andtheybeheldthecommanderofthefaithful,whosignifiedhispleasuretothefirstslaveofthethrone。Butthisslavewashismaster:theviziersorsultanshadusurpedthesupremeadministrationofEgypt;theclaimsoftherivalcandidatesweredecidedbyarms;andthenameofthemostworthy,ofthestrongest,wasinsertedintheroyalpatentofcommand。
ThefactionsofDarghamandShaweralternatelyexpelledeachotherfromthecapitalandcountry;andtheweakersideimploredthedangerousprotectionofthesultanofDamascus,orthekingofJerusalem,theperpetualenemiesofthesectandmonarchyoftheFatimites。ByhisarmsandreligiontheTurkwasmostformidable;buttheFrank,inaneasy,directmarch,couldadvancefromGazatotheNile;whiletheintermediatesituationofhisrealmcompelledthetroopsofNoureddintowheelroundtheskirtsofArabia,alongandpainfulcircuit,whichexposedthemtothirst,fatigue,andtheburningwindsofthedesert。ThesecretzealandambitionoftheTurkishprinceaspiredtoreigninEgyptunderthenameoftheAbbassides;buttherestorationofthesuppliantShawerwastheostensiblemotiveofthefirstexpedition;andthesuccesswasintrustedtotheemirShiracouh,avaliantandveterancommander。Darghamwasoppressedandslain;
buttheingratitude,thejealousy,thejustapprehensions,ofhismorefortunaterival,soonprovokedhimtoinvitethekingofJerusalemtodeliverEgyptfromhisinsolentbenefactors。TothisuniontheforcesofShiracouhwereunequal:herelinquishedtheprematureconquest;andtheevacuationofBelbeisorPelusiumwastheconditionofhissaferetreat。AstheTurksdefiledbeforetheenemy,andtheirgeneralclosedtherear,withavigilanteye,andabattleaxeinhishand,aFrankpresumedtoaskhimifhewerenotafraidofanattack。"Itisdoubtlessinyourpowertobegintheattack,"repliedtheintrepidemir;"butrestassured,thatnotoneofmysoldierswillgotoparadisetillhehassentaninfideltohell。"Hisreportoftherichesoftheland,theeffeminacyofthenatives,andthedisordersofthegovernment,revivedthehopesofNoureddin;thecaliphofBagdadapplaudedthepiousdesign;andShiracouhdescendedintoEgyptasecondtimewithtwelvethousandTurksandeleventhousandArabs。
YethisforceswerestillinferiortotheconfederatearmiesoftheFranksandSaracens;andIcandiscernanunusualdegreeofmilitaryart,inhispassageoftheNile,hisretreatintoThebais,hismasterlyevolutionsinthebattleofBabain,thesurpriseofAlexandria,andhismarchesandcountermarchesintheflatsandvalleyofEgypt,fromthetropictothesea。Hisconductwassecondedbythecourageofhistroops,andontheeveofactionaMamaluke^42exclaimed,"IfwecannotwrestEgyptfromtheChristiandogs,whydowenotrenouncethehonorsandrewardsofthesultan,andretiretolaborwiththepeasants,ortospinwiththefemalesoftheharem?"Yet,afterallhiseffortsinthefield,^43aftertheobstinatedefenceofAlexandria^44byhisnephewSaladin,anhonorablecapitulationandretreatconcludedthesecondenterpriseofShiracouh;andNoureddinreservedhisabilitiesforathirdandmorepropitiousoccasion。ItwassoonofferedbytheambitionandavariceofAmalricorAmaury,kingofJerusalem,whohadimbibedtheperniciousmaxim,thatnofaithshouldbekeptwiththeenemiesofGod。^!Areligiouswarrior,thegreatmasterofthehospital,encouragedhimtoproceed;theemperorofConstantinopleeithergave,orpromised,afleettoactwiththearmiesofSyria;andtheperfidiousChristian,unsatisfiedwithspoilandsubsidy,aspiredtotheconquestofEgypt。Inthisemergency,theMoslemsturnedtheireyestowardsthesultanofDamascus;thevizier,whomdangerencompassedonallsides,yieldedtotheirunanimouswishes,andNoureddinseemedtobetemptedbythefairofferofonethirdoftherevenueofthekingdom。TheFrankswerealreadyatthegatesofCairo;butthesuburbs,theoldcity,wereburntontheirapproach;theyweredeceivedbyaninsidiousnegotiation,andtheirvesselswereunabletosurmountthebarriersoftheNile。TheyprudentlydeclinedacontestwiththeTurksinthemidstofahostilecountry;andAmauryretiredintoPalestinewiththeshameandreproachthatalwaysadheretounsuccessfulinjustice。Afterthisdeliverance,Shiracouhwasinvestedwitharobeofhonor,whichhesoonstainedwiththebloodoftheunfortunateShawer。Forawhile,theTurkishemirscondescendedtoholdtheofficeofvizier;butthisforeignconquestprecipitatedthefalloftheFatimitesthemselves;andthebloodlesschangewasaccomplishedbyamessageandaword。
Thecaliphshadbeendegradedbytheirownweaknessandthetyrannyoftheviziers:theirsubjectsblushed,whenthedescendantandsuccessoroftheprophetpresentedhisnakedhandtotherudegripeofaLatinambassador;theyweptwhenhesentthehairofhiswomen,asademblemoftheirgriefandterror,toexcitethepityofthesultanofDamascus。BythecommandofNoureddin,andthesentenceofthedoctors,theholynamesofAbubeker,Omar,andOthman,weresolemnlyrestored:thecaliphMosthadi,ofBagdad,wasacknowledgedinthepublicprayersasthetruecommanderofthefaithful;andthegreenliveryofthesonsofAliwasexchangedfortheblackcoloroftheAbbassides。
Thelastofhisrace,thecaliphAdhed,whosurvivedonlytendays,expiredinhappyignoranceofhisfate;histreasuressecuredtheloyaltyofthesoldiers,andsilencedthemurmursofthesectaries;andinallsubsequentrevolutions,EgypthasneverdepartedfromtheorthodoxtraditionoftheMoslems。^45
[Footnote41:Fromtheambassador,WilliamofTyrel。xix。c。