First Crusade - Page 5 of 21

The People's Crusade

The call for crusade was spread by letter among the clergy and to the people in general by preaching. Urban had said that rich and poor alike should go, though by that he certainly meant only that a knight should not plead poverty as an excuse. He cannot have meant that poor peasants ought to walk away from their farms and march off to Jerusalem.

But that is exactly what happened. Preachers of the crusade emerged from numerous sources whose constant message was that all should go and God shall lead them. What need was there of military skill in such a holy cause? Moreover, the nobles of Europe were laggard; Urban had called for them to leave in the summer of 1096, but that summer came and went and no army was formed.

But the commoners did not delay. One of the most influential leaders was a hermit called Peter, who roused thousands to his cause. From Flanders he moved up the Rhine River valley, gathering strength and joined by other preachers with their forces. By the time he reached Cologne, there were 15,000 crusaders. Among these were a number of poor knights who added at least some military skill as leaven, one of whom was Walter the Penniless, a knight who joined forces with Peter at Cologne.

History of Western Civilization

Boise State University
Last revised: 1 August 1996