TheSaracensupontherampartsbeheldallthesemanifestationswithoutalarm。ToincensetheChristians，whomtheydespised，theyconstructedrudecrosses，andfixedthemuponthewalls，andspatuponandpeltedthemwithdirtandstones。Thisinsulttothesymboloftheirfaithraisedthewrathofthecrusaderstothatheightthatbraverybecameferocityandenthusiasmmadness。Whenalltheenginesofwarwerecompletedtheattackwasrecommenced，andeverysoldieroftheChristianarmyfoughtwithavigourwhichthesenseofprivatewronginvariablyinspires。Everymanhadbeenpersonallyoutraged，andtheknightsworkedatthebattering-ramswithasmuchreadinessasthemeanestsoldiers。TheSaracenarrowsandballsoffirefellthickandfastamongthem，butthetremendousramsstillheavedagainstthewalls，whilethebestmarksmenofthehostwerebusilyemployedintheseveralfloorsofthemoveabletowersindealingdeathamongtheTurksuponthebattlements。Godfrey，Raymond，Tancred，andRobertofNormandy，eachuponhistower，foughtforhourswithunweariedenergy，oftenrepulsed，buteverreadytorenewthestruggle。TheTurks，nolongerdespisingtheenemy，defendedthemselveswiththeutmostskillandbraverytilldarknessbroughtacessationofhostilities。Shortwasthesleepthatnightinthe。Christiancamp。ThepriestsofferedupsolemnprayersinthemidstoftheattentivesoldieryforthetriumphoftheCrossinthislastgreatstruggle，andassoonasmorningdawnedeveryonewasinreadinessfortheaffray。Thewomenandchildrenlenttheiraid，thelatterrunningunconcernedtoandfrowhilethearrowsfellfastaroundthem，bearingwatertothethirstycombatants。Thesaintswerebelievedtobeaidingtheirefforts，andthearmy，impressedwiththisidea，surmounteddifficultiesunderwhichaforcethriceasnumerous，butwithouttheirfaith，wouldhavequailedandbeendefeated。RaymondofToulouseatlastforcedhiswayintothecitybyescalade，whileattheverysamemomentTancredandRobertofNormandysucceededinburstingopenoneofthegates。TheTurksflewtorepairthemischief，andGodfreyofBouillon，seeingthebattlementscomparativelydeserted，letdownthedrawbridgeofhismoveabletower，andsprangforward，followedbyalltheknightsofhistrain。Inaninstantafter，thebanneroftheCrossfloateduponthewallsofJerusalem。Thecrusaders，raisingoncemoretheirredoubtablewar-cry，rushedonfromeveryside，andthecitywastaken。Thebattleragedinthestreetsforseveralhours，andtheChristians，rememberingtheirinsultedfaith，gavenoquartertoyoungorold，maleorfemale，sickorstrong。Notoneoftheleadersthoughthimselfatlibertytoissueordersforstayingthecarnage，andifhehad，hewouldnothavebeenobeyed。TheSaracensfledingreatnumberstothemosqueofSoliman，buttheyhadnottimetofortifythemselveswithiniteretheChristianswereuponthem。Tenthousandpersonsaresaidtohaveperishedinthatbuildingalone。
　　PetertheHermit，whohadremainedsolongundertheveilofneglect，wasrepaidthatdayforallhiszealandallhissufferings。
　　Assoonasthebattlewasover，theChristiansofJerusalemissuedforthfromtheirhiding-placestowelcometheirdeliverers。TheyinstantlyrecognizedtheHermitasthepilgrimwho，yearsbefore，hadspokentothemsoeloquentlyofthewrongsandinsultstheyhadendured，andpromisedtostiruptheprincesandpeopleofEuropeintheirbehalf。Theyclungtotheskirtsofhisgarmentsinthefervouroftheirgratitude，andvowedtorememberhimforeverintheirprayers。Manyofthemshedtearsabouthisneck，andattributedthedeliveranceofJerusalemsolelytohiscourageandperseverance。PeterafterwardsheldsomeecclesiasticalofficeintheHolyCity，butwhatitwas，orwhatwashisultimatefate，historyhasforgottentoinformus。SomesaythathereturnedtoFranceandfoundedamonastery，butthestorydoesnotrestuponsufficientauthority。
　　ThegrandobjectforwhichthepopularswarmsofEuropehadforsakentheirhomeswasnowaccomplished。TheMoslemmosquesofJerusalemwereconvertedintochurchesforapurerfaith，andthemountofCalvaryandthesepulchreofChristwereprofanednolongerbythepresenceorthepoweroftheinfidel。Popularfrenzyhadfulfilleditsmission，and，asanaturalconsequence，itbegantosubsidefromthattimeforth。ThenewsofthecaptureofJerusalembroughtnumbersofpilgrimsfromEurope，and，amongothers，StephenCountofChartresandHughofVermandois，toatonefortheirdesertion；butnothingliketheformerenthusiasmexistedamongthenations。
　　ThusthenendsthehistoryofthefirstCrusade。Forthebetterunderstandingofthesecond，itwillbenecessarytodescribetheintervalbetweenthem，andtoenterintoaslightsketchofthehistoryofJerusalemunderitsLatinkings，thelongandfruitlesswarstheycontinuedtowagewiththeunvanquishedSaracens，andthepoorandmiserableresultswhichsprangfromsovastanexpenditureofzeal，andsodeplorableawasteofhumanlife。
　　Thenecessityofhavingsomerecognizedchiefwassoonfeltbythecrusaders，andGodfreydeBouillon，lessambitiousthanBohemund，orRaymondofToulouse，gavehiscoldconsenttowieldasceptrewhichthelatterchiefswouldhaveclutchedwitheagerness。HewashardlyinvestedwiththeroyalmantlebeforetheSaracensmenacedhiscapital。Withmuchvigourandjudgmentheexertedhimselftofollowuptheadvantageshehadgained，andmarchingouttomeettheenemybeforetheyhadtimetobesiegehiminJerusalem，hegavethembattleatAscalon，anddefeatedthemwithgreatloss。Hedidnot，however，livelongtoenjoyhisnewdignity，beingseizedwithafatalillnesswhenhehadonlyreignedninemonths。Tohimsucceededhisbrother，BaldwinofEdessa。ThelattermonarchdidmuchtoimprovetheconditionofJerusalemandtoextenditsterritory，butwasnotabletomakeafirmfootingforhissuccessors。Forfiftyyears，inwhichthehistoryofJerusalemisfullofinteresttothehistoricalstudent，thecrusaderswereexposedtofierceandconstanthostilities，oftengainingbattlesandterritory，andasoftenlosingthem，butbecomingeverydayweakerandmoredivided，whiletheSaracensbecamestrongerandmoreunitedtoharassandrootthemout。
　　Thebattlesofthisperiodwereofthemostchivalrouscharacter，anddeedsofheroismweredonebythehandfulofbraveknightsthatremainedinSyria，whichhavehardlytheirparallelintheannalsofwar。Inthecourseoftime，however，theChristianscouldnotavoidfeelingsomerespectforthecourage，andadmirationforthepolishedmannersandadvancedcivilizationoftheSaracens，somuchsuperiortotherudenessandsemi-barbarismofEuropeatthatday。Differenceoffaithdidnotpreventthemfromformingallianceswiththedark-eyedmaidensoftheEast。OneofthefirsttosettheexampleoftakingaPaynimspousewasKingBaldwinhimself，andtheseconnexionsintimebecame，notonlyfrequent，butalmostuniversal，amongsuchoftheknightsashadresolvedtospendtheirlivesinPalestine。TheseEasternladieswereobliged，however，tosubmittotheceremonyofbaptismbeforetheycouldbereceivedtothearmsofaChristianlord。
　　These，andtheiroffspring，naturallylookedupontheSaracenswithlesshatredthandidthezealotswhoconqueredJerusalem，andwhothoughtitasindeservingthewrathofGodtospareanunbeliever。Wefind，inconsequence，thatthemostobstinatebattleswagedduringthereignsofthelaterKingsofJerusalemwerefoughtbythenewandrawlevieswhofromtimetotimearrivedfromEurope，luredbythehopeofglory，orspurredbyfanaticism。ThelatterbrokewithoutscruplethetrucesestablishedbetweentheoriginalsettlersandtheSaracens，anddrewdownsevereretaliationuponmanythousandsoftheirbrethreninthefaith，whoseprudencewasstrongerthantheirzeal，andwhosechiefdesirewastoliveinpeace。
　　Thingsremainedinthisunsatisfactorystatetillthecloseoftheyear1145，whenEdessa，thestrongfrontiertownoftheChristiankingdom，fellintothebaudsoftheSaracens。ThelatterwerecommandedbyZenghi，apowerfulandenterprisingmonarch，and，afterhisdeath，byhissonNourheddin，aspowerfulandenterprisingashisfather。AnunsuccessfulattemptwasmadebytheCountofEdessatoregainthefortress，butNourheddin，withalargearmy，cametotherescue，andafterdefeatingtheCountwithgreatslaughter，marchedintoEdessaandcauseditsfortificationstoberasedtotheground，thatthetownmightnevermorebeabulwarkofdefenceforthekingdomofJerusalem。Theroadtothecapitalwasnowopen，andconsternationseizedtheheartsoftheChristians。Nourheddin，itwasknown，wasonlywaitingforafavourableopportunitytoadvanceuponJerusalem，andthearmiesoftheCross，weakenedanddivided，werenotinaconditiontomakeanyavailableresistance。Theclergywerefilledwithgriefandalarm，andwroterepeatedletterstothePopeandthesovereignsofEurope，urgingtheexpediencyofanewCrusadeforthereliefofJerusalem。ByfarthegreaternumberofthepriestsofPalestinewerenativesofFrance，andthesenaturallylookedfirsttotheirowncountry。ThesolicitationstheysenttoLouistheSeventhwereurgentandoftrepeated，andthechivalryofFrancebegantotalkoncemoreofarminginthedefenceofthebirthplaceofJesus。ThekingsofEurope，whoseinterestithadnotbeentotakeanypartinthefirstCrusade，begantobestirthemselvesinthis；andamanappeared，eloquentasPetertheHermit，toarousethepeopleashehaddone。
　　Wefind，however，thattheenthusiasmoftheseconddidnotequalthatofthefirstCrusade:infact，themaniahadreacheditsclimaxinthetimeofPetertheHermit，anddecreasedregularlyfromthatperiod。ThethirdCrusadewaslessgeneralthanthesecond，andthefourththanthethird，andsoon，untilthepublicenthusiasmwasquiteextinct，andJerusalemreturnedatlasttothedominionofitsoldmasterswithoutaconvulsioninChristendom。Variousreasonshavebeenassignedforthis；andoneverygenerallyputforwardis，thatEuropewasweariedwithcontinuedstruggles，andhadbecomesickof“precipitatingitselfuponAsia。“M。Guizot，inhisadmirablelecturesuponEuropeancivilization，successfullycombatsthisopinion，andoffersoneofhisown，whichisfarmoresatisfactory。Hesays，inhiseighthlecture，“Ithasbeenoftenrepeated，thatEuropewastiredofcontinuallyinvadingAsia。Thisexpressionappearstomeexceedinglyincorrect。Itisnotpossiblethathumanbeingscanbeweariedwithwhattheyhavenotdone——thatthelaboursoftheirforefatherscanfatiguethem。Wearinessisapersonal，notaninheritedfeeling。ThemenofthethirteenthcenturywerenotfatiguedbytheCrusadesofthetwelfth。Theywereinfluencedbyanothercause。Agreatchangehadtakenplaceinideas，sentiments，andsocialconditions。Thesamedesiresandthesamewantswerenolongerfelt。Thesamethingswerenolongerbelieved。Thepeoplerefusedtobelievewhattheirancestorswerepersuadedof。“
　　Thisis，infact，thesecretofthechange；anditstruthbecomesmoreapparentasweadvanceinthehistoryoftheCrusades，andcomparethestateofthepublicmindatthedifferentperiodswhenGodfreyofBouillon，LouisVII。andRichardI。werechiefsandleadersofthemovement。TheCrusadesthemselveswerethemeansofoperatingagreatchangeinnationalideas，andadvancingthecivilizationofEurope。InthetimeofGodfrey，thenobleswereall-powerfulandall-oppressive，andequallyobnoxioustokingsandpeople。Duringtheirabsencealongwiththatportionofthecommunitythedeepestsunkinignoranceandsuperstition，bothkingsandpeoplefortifiedthemselvesagainsttherenewalofaristocratictyranny，andinproportionastheybecamefree，becamecivliized。ItwasduringthisperiodthatinFrance，thegrandcentreofthecrusadingmadness，thecommunesbegantoacquirestrength，andthemonarchtopossessatangibleandnotamerelytheoreticauthority。Orderandcomfortbegantotakeroot，and，whenthesecondCrusadewaspreached，menwereinconsequencemuchlesswillingtoabandontheirhomesthantheyhadbeenduringthefirst。SuchpilgrimsashadreturnedfromtheHolyLandcamebackwithmindsmoreliberalandexpandedthanwhentheysetout。Theyhadcomeincontactwithapeoplemorecivilizedthanthemselves；theyhadseensomethingmoreoftheworld，andhadlostsomeportion，howeversmall，oftheprejudiceandbigotryofignorance。Theinstitutionofchivalryhadalsoexerciseditshumanizinginfluence，andcomingbrightandfreshthroughtheordealoftheCrusades，hadsoftenedthecharacterandimprovedtheheartsofthearistocraticorder。TheTrouveresandTroubadours，singingofloveandwarinstrainspleasingtoeveryclassofsociety，helpedtorootoutthegloomysuperstitionswhich，atthefirstCrusade，filledthemindsofallthosewhowereabletothink。Menbecameinconsequencelessexclusivelyunderthementalthraldomofthepriesthood，andlostmuchofthecredulitywhichformerlydistinguishedthem。