Urban II's Sermon at Clermont

CHAPT'ER I

THE SUMMONS

(After Fulcher's preface, which seems admirably suited to this account, the chapter deals with the call for 'Crusaders from the W est~ The condition of Europe on the eve of the 'Crusade is too large a subject to be treated adequately here, but Fulcher's brief sum'mary contains a ve"ry suggestive survey of the situation and is interestingly supplemented by Ekkehard's contrast of conditions in East and West Frankland. Most of the causes of the movement may be inferred from Urban's speech at 'Clermont.

The Council of Clermont was held in November 1095 and lasted for ten days, from the eighteenth to the twenty-eighth of the m~nth, the famous address of Urban being delivered on the day before the close of the Council. The four writers who were 'Presumably present wrote their versions of the speech several years after it occurred, that of Fulcher being perhaps the earl,iest. Each may have preserved notes taken at the time, but it is ex- tremely interestin.g to observe that each stresses that phase of the speech which especially appealed to him. Robert the Monk seems to have responded as a patriotic Fren'chman, Balderic as a member of the 'Church hierarchy, Guibert as a 'mystic, Fulcher, here, as always, as the simple cure-all as chul1chmen.4 Enough has been added by the 'writers to indicate that most of Urban's audience, which consisted principally of the clergy, became un- official preachers of the Crusade when they returned to their own districts. This is indicated also by Urban's letter to the Crusaders in Flanders, written less than a month after the Council, which was half plea and half instruc- tion to men' already aroused. Urban himself spoke at other places in France before returning to Italy to stir up the people there, but he did not go to Germany for the r:easons mentioned by both Fulcher and Ekkehard. The appeal there, though indirect, was powerful, as the second chapter proves. The call to the Crusade was sounded and resounded by Urba~, even to the time of his death, and by hundreds of others both during his life-time and long thereafter.) ,

I. Con.ditions in Europe at the beginning of the Crusades. (Fulcher.) In the year of our Lord 1095, in the reign of the 50-

called Emperor5 Henry in Germany and of King Philip in France, throughout Europe evils of all kinds waxed strong because of vacil- lating faith. Pope Urban II 6 then ruled in the city of Rome. He was :a man admirable in life and habits, who always strove wisely and energetically to raise the status of Holy Church higher and higher. . . . '

But the devil, who always desires man's destruction and goes

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about like a raging lion seeking whom he may devour, stirred up to the confusion of the people a certain rival to Urban, Wibert7 by name. Incited by the stimulus of pride and supported by the shame- lessness of the aforesaid Emperor of the Bavarians, Wibert at- tempted to usurp the papal office while Urban's predecessor, Greg- ory, that is Hildebrand, was the legitimate Pope; and he thus caused Gregory himself to be cast out of St. Peter's. So the better people refused to recognize him because he acted thus perversely. After the death of Hildebrand, Urban, lawfully elected, was consecrated by the cardinal bishops, and the greater and holier part of the people submitted in obedience to him. Wibert, however, urged on by the support of the aforesaid Emperor and by the instigation of the Roman citizens~ for some time kept Urban,a stranger to the Church of St. Peter; but Urban, although he was banished from the Church, went about through the country, reconciling to God the people who had gone somewhat astray. Wibert, however, puffed up by the primacy of the Church, showed himself indulgent to sinners, and exercising the office of pope, although unjustly, amongst his ad- herents, he denounced as ridiculous the acts of Urban.' But in the year in 'which the Franks first passed through Rome on their way to Jerusalem, Urban obtained the complete papal power every- where, with the help of a certain most noble matron, Matilda8 by name, who then had :great influence in the Roman state. Wibert was then in Germany. So there were two- P'opes; and many did not know which to obey, or from which counsel should be taken, or who should remedy the ills of Christianity. Some favored the one; sonle the othe-r. But ,it was clear to the intelligence of men that Urban was the better, for he is righly considered better who con- trols his passions, just as if they were enemies. Wibert was Arch- bishop 0'£ the city of Ravenna. He was very rich and revelled in honor and wealth. It w:as a wonder that such riches did not satisfy him. Ought he to be considered by all an exemplar of right living who, himself a lover of pomp, boldly assumes to usurp the sceptre of Almighty God? Truly, this office must not be seized by force, but accepted with fear and humility.

What wonder that the whole world was a prey to disturbance and confusion? For when the Roman ,Church, which is the source of correction for all Christianity, is troubled by any disorder, the sor- row is communicated from the nerves of the head to the members subject to it, and these suffer sympathetically. This Church, indeed, our mother, as it 'were, ,at whose bosom we were nourished, by whose doctrine we were instructed and strengthened, by whose counsel we ,were admonished, was by this proud Wibert greatly afflicted.

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For when the head is thus struck, the members at once are sick. If the head be sick, the other members suffer. Since the head was thus sick, pain was engendered in the enfeebled members; for in all parts of Europe peace, goodness, faith, were boldly tr.ampled un- der foot, within the church and without, by the high" as well as QY the low. It 'was necessary lJoth that an end be put to these 'evils, and that, in 'accordance with the plan suggested by Pope Urban, they turn against the pagans the strength formerly usep. in prose- cuting battles among themselves. . .. . .

He saw, moreover, the faith of Christendom greatly degraded by all, by the clergy as well as by the laity, and peace totally disre:- garded; for the princes of the /land were incessantly engaged in armed strife, now these, now those quarrelling among themselves. He saw the goods of the land stolen from th,e owners; and many, who were unjustly taken captive and most barbarously cast into foul prisons, he saw ransomed for excessive sums, or tormented there ·by the three evils, starvation, thirst, and cold, or allowed to perish by unseen death. He also saw holy .places violated, monas- teries and villas destroyed by fire, and not a little human suffering, both the divine and the human being held in derision.

When he heard, too, that interior parts of Romania 'were held oppressed by the Turks, and that Christians. were subjected to destructive and savage attacks, he was moved by compassionate pity; and, prompted by the love of God, he crossed the Alps and came into 'Gaul. He there called a council at Clermont in Auvergne, which council had been fittingly proclaimed by envoys in all direc- tions. It is estimated that there were three hundred and ten bishops and abbots who bore the crozier. When they were assembled on the day appointed for the ,council, Urban, in an eloquent address full of sweetness, made known the object of the meeting. With the plain- tive voice of the afflicted .'Church he bewa:iled in a long discourse the great disturbances which, as ,has been mentioned above, 'agitated the world where faith had been ~ndermined. Then, as a supplicant, he exhorted all to resume the fullness of their faith, and in good earnest to try diligently to withstand the deceits of the devil, and to raise to its pristine honor the status of Holy Church, 110W most unmercifully icrippled by the· wicked.

"Dearest brethren," he said, "I, Urban, invested by the permission of God with the papal tiara, and spiritual ruler ov,er the whole world, have come here in this great crisis to you, servants of God, as' a messenger of divine admonition. I wls'h those whom I have be- lieved good and faithful dispensers of the ministry of God to be found free from shameful dissimulation. For if there .be In· you

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any disposition or crookedness contrary to God's law, because you have lost the moderation of reason and justice, I shall ,earnestly en- deavor to correct it at -once, with divine assistance. For the Lord has made you stewards over His family, that you provide it with pleasant-tasting meat in season. \ You will be blessed, indeed, if the Lord shall find you faithful in stewardship. You are also called shepherds; see that you do not ~he work of hirelings. Be true shepherds and have your crooks always in your hands. Sleep not, but defend everywhere the flock committed to your care. For if through your carelessness or neglect the wolf carries off a sheep, doubtless you win not only lose the reward prepared for you by our Lord, but, after having first been tortured by the strokes of the lictor, you will also be' savag~ly hurled into the abode of the da~nedo In the words of the gospel, 'Ye are the salt of the earth'?~ But, it is asked, 'If ye fail, wherewith shall it be salted?' Oh, what a salt- ing! Indeed, you must strive by the salt of your wisdom to correct this foolish people, over-eager for the pleasures of the world, lest the Lord find them insipid and rank, corrupted by crimes at the time when He wishes to speak to them. For if because of your slothf~l performance of duty He shall discover any worms in them, that is to say any sins, He will in contempt order them to be 'cast f.orthwith into the abyss of uncleanness; :and because you will be unable to make good to Him such a loss, He will surely banish you, condemned by His judgment, from the presence of His love. But one that salteth ought to be p'rudent, foresi,ghted, learned, peaceful, watchful, respectable, pious, just, fair-minded, pure. For how can

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the unlearned make others learned, the Immodest make oth~rs mod- est, the uncle.an, make others clean? How can he make peace who

-hates it? If anyone has soiled hands, how can he cleanse the spots from one contaminated? For it is written, 'If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the pit.'lo Accordingly, first ,correct your- selves, so ~hat without reproach you can then correct those undet' your care. If, indeed, you wish to be the friends of God, do gener- ously' what you see is pleasing to Him. .

"See to it that the ,affairs of Holy Church, especially, are main .. tained in their rights, and that simoniacal heresy in no way takes root among you. Take care lest purchasers and venders alike, struck by the lash of the ,Lord, be disgracefully driven ~hrough nar- row ways into utter confusion. Keep the Chur.ch in :all its orders entirely free from the sec4lar power; have given to God faithfully one-tenth of the fruits of the earth, neither selling them, nor with- holding them. Whoever lays violent hands on a bishop, let him be considered excommunicated. Whoever shall have seized monks, or

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priests, or nuns, and their servants, or pilgrims, or traders, and shall have despoiled them, let him be aecursed. Let thieves and burners of houses and their accomplices be excommunicated from the chur,ch and accursed. Therefore, we must consider especially, as Gregory says, how great'will be his punishment who steals from another, if he incurs the damnation of hen who does not distribute alms from 'his own possessions. For so it happened to the rich man in the 'Gospel, who was punished not for stealing anything from another, but because, having received w'ealth, he used it badly.ll

"By these evils, therefore, as I have said, dearest brethren, you have seen the world disordered for a long time, :and to such a de- gree that in some places in your provinces, as has been reported to us (perhaps due to· your weakness in administering justice), one scarcely dares to travel for fear of being kidnapped by thieves at night or highwayman by day, by force or by craft, at home or out of doors. Wherefore, it is well to enforce anew the Truce,12 c~mlnonly so-called, 'which was long ago established by o'uT holy fathers, and which I most earnestly entreat each one of you to have observed in his diocese. But if anyone, led on by pride or am- bition, infringes this injunction voluntarily, let him, be anathema in virtue of the authority of God and by the sanction of the decrees of this council."

When these and many other things were well disposed of, all· those present, priests and people alike, gave thanks to God and welcomed the advice of the Lord Pope Urban, :assuring him, with a promise of fidelity, that these decrees of his would be well kept.

2. Urbain's plea for a Crusa,de. (November 27, 1095.)

( Gesta..) \\Then now that time was at hand "vhich the Lord Jesus daily points out to His faith.ful, especially in the Gospel, say·- jng, "If any man 'would co'tne after me, let him de~y himself and take up his cross and follow me,"13 a mighty agitation was carried on throughout all the region 'of Gaul. (Its tenor was) that if anyone desired to follow the Lord zealo~sly, with a pure heart and mind, and wished faithfully to bear the cross after Him, he would no longer hesitate to take up the way to the Holy ,Sepulchre.

And so Urban, Pope of the Roman see, with his archbishops, bishops, abbots, and priests, s·et out as quickly as possible beyond the mountains and began to deliver sermons and to preach eloquent- ly, saying: "Whoever wishes to save his soul should not hesitate humbly to take up the way of the Lord, and if he lacks sufficient money, divine mercy "vill give him enough." Then the apostolic lord continued, "Brethren, we ought to endure much suffering for

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the name of Christ-misery, poverty, nakedness, persecution, want, illness, hunger, thirst, and other (ills) of this kind, just as the Lord saith to His disciples: 'Ye must suffer much in My name,'14 and 'Be not ashamed to -confess Me before the faces of men; verily I will give you mouth and wisdolp,'15 and finally, 'Great is your re- ward in Heaven.' "16 And when this speech had already begun to be noised abroad, little by little, through all the regions and. coun- tries of Gaul, the Franks, upon hearin.g such reports, forthwith caused crosses to be sewed on their right shoulders, saying that they followed with one .accord the footsteps of Christ, by which they had been redeemed from the hand of hell. .

(Fulcher.) But the Pope added at once that another trouble, not less, but still more 'grievous than that already spoken of, and even the very worst, was besetting -Christianity from another part of the world. He said: "Since, 0 sons of God, you have promised the Lord to maintain peace more earnestly than heretofore in your midst, and faithfully to sustain the rights of Holy Church, there still remains for you, who are newly aroused by this divine correc- tion, a very necessary work, in which you can show the strength of your good will by a certain further duty, 'God's concern and your own. For you must haste'n to ,carry aid to your brethren dwelling in the East, who need your help, which they often have asked. For the Turks, a Persian people, have attacked them, as many of you already know, and have advanced as far into the Roman ~erri­ tory as that part of the Mediterranean which is called the Arm of St. George; and, by seizing more :and more of the lands of the Christians, they have already often conquered them in battle, ha\ve killed and captured many, have destroyed the churches, and haye devastated the kingdom of God. f If you :allow them to continue much longer, they will subjugate God's faithful yet more widely.

"Wherefore, I exhort with earnest prayer-not I, but ~od-that, as heralds of Christ, you urge men' by frequent exhortation, men of all, ranks, knights as well as foot-soldiers, rich as well as poor, to hasten to exterminate this vile r.ace fro.m the lands of yo~r brethren, and to aid the Christians in time. I speak to those present; I pro- claim it to the absent; moreover, Christ ·commands it. And if those who set out thither sh'ould lose their lives on the way by land, or in crossing the sea, or in fighting the pagans, their sins shall be re- mitted. This I grant to all who go, through the power vested in

l_me by God. Oh, what a disgrace, if a race so despised, base, and th~ instrument of demons, should so overcome a people endowed WIth faith in the 'all-powerful God, and resplendent with the name of Christ! Oh, what reproaches will be charged against you by

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the Lord Himself if you have not helped those who are counted, like yourselves, of ~he ,Christian faith! Let those who have been accustomed to make private war :against the faithful 'carryon to a successful issue a war against infidels, which ought to have been begun ere now. Let these ,wh·o for a, long time have been robbers now become soldiers of Christ. Let those who once fought against brothers and relatives now fight against barbarians, as they ought. Let. those who have been hitelings at low wages now' labor for an eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out to the detriment of body and soul now labor for a double glory. On the one hand will be the sad and poor, on the other the joyous and wealthy; here the 'enemies of the Lord; there His friends.. Let no obstacle stand in the way of those who are going, but, after their affairs are settled and expense money is icollected, when the winter has ended and spring has come, let them zealously under- take the journey under the guidance of the Lord."

(Robert the' Monk.) ... "Oh, race of Franks, race from across the mountains, race chosen and beloved by tGod-as shines forth in very many of your works-set' apart from .all nations by the situa- tion of your ·country, as wen as by your Catholic faith and the honor of the Holy Church! To you our discourse is addressed, and for you our exh·ortation is intended. We wish you to know what a grievous cause has led us to your country, what peril, threatening you and .all the faithful, has brought us.

"From the confines of Jerusalenl and the city of Constantinople~ horrible tale has gone forth and very frequently has been brought to~our ears; n'amely, that a race from the kingdom of the Persians,. an aocursed race, .a race 'utterly alienated from God, a generation, forsooth, which has neither directed its heart nor entrusted its spirit to God, has invaded the lands of those Christians and has depopulated them by the sword, pillage, and, fire; it has led away a pa.rt of the captives into its own country, and a part it has destroyed by cruel tortures; it has either entirely destroyed the churches of God or appropriated them for the rites of its own religion. They destroy the altars, after having defiled them with their uncleanness. They ,circumcise ~he Christians, and the l;>lood of the circumcision they either spread upon the altars or pour into the vases of the baptisma~ font. 'When they wish to torture people ~by a base dea.th, they perforate their navels, and, dragging forth the end of the in- testines, bind'it to a stake;. then with flogging they lead the victifT' around until his viscera have gushed forth, and he falls prostrate upon the ground. lQthers they bind to a post and pierce witl1: ar- rows. Others they compel to extend their necks, and then, attack-

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ing them with naked swords, they attempt to cut through the neck with a single blow. What shall I say of the abominable rape of the women? To speak of it is worse than to be silent. The king- dom of the Greeks is now dismembered by them and deprived of territory so vast in extent that it can not be traversed in a march of two months. 01;1 whom, therefore, is the task of avenging these wrongs and of recovering this territory incumbent, if not upon you? You, upon whom above other nations God has cQnferred remark- able glory in arms, great' courage, bodily energy, and the strength to humble the hairy scalp of those who resist you.

"Let the deeds of your ancestors move you and incite your minds to manly achievements; likewise, the glory and greatnesS' of King , Charles the Great, and his son Louis, and of your other kings, who have destroyed the kingdoms of the pagans, and have extended in these lands the territory of the Holy Church. Let the Holy Sepul- chre of the Lord, our Saviour, which is possessed' by unclean n'a- tions, especially move you, and likewise the holy places, which are now treated with ignominy and irreverently polluted with filthiness. Oh, most valiant soldiers and descendants of invincible ancestors, be not degenerate, hut recall the valor of your forefathers!

"However, if you are hindered by love of children, parents, and wives, remember what the Lord says in the Gospel, 'He that' loveth father, or "mother more than me, is not worthy of me.'11 'Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake shall re- ceive an hundred-fold and shall inherit everlasting life.'18 Let none of your possessions detain you, no solicitude for your family, affairs, since this land which you inhabit, shut in on all sides by the sea and surrounded by mountain peaks, is too "narrow for, your large population; nor does it abound in wealth; and it furnishes scarcely food enough for its ,cultivators. Hen,ce it is that you murder and devour one another, that you wage war, and that frequently you perish by mutual wounds. Let therefore hatred depart from among you, let your quarrels end, let 'wars cease, and let all dissensions and controversies slumber. Enter upon the road to the Holy Sepul- chre; wrest that land from the wicked race, and subject it to your- selves. That land which, as the Scripture says, 'floweth with milk and honey'19 was given by God into the possession of the children of Israel. /

"Jerusalem is the navel of the world; the land is fruitful ~bove others, like another paradise of delights. This the Redeemer of the human race has made illustrious by His advent, has beautified by His presence, ,has consecrated by suffering, has redeemed by

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death, has glorified by burial. This royal city, therefore, situated at the ,center of the world, is now held captive by His enemies, and is in subjection to those who do not know God, to the worship of the heathen. Therefore, she seeks and desires to -be liberated and does not cease to implore you to come to her aid. From you, espe- cially, 'she asks succor, because, as 'we have already said, God has conferred upon you, above all nations, great glory in arms. Ac- cordingly, undertake this journey for the remission' of your sins, with the assurance of the imperishable glory of the kingdom of heaven."

When Pope Urban had said these and very many similar things in his urbane discourse, he so influenced to one purpose the desires of all who were' present that they cried out, "God wills it! God wills it!" When the venerable Roman pontiff heard that, with eyes uplifted to heaven he gave thanks to God, and, with his hand com- manding silence, said:

"Most beloved brethren, to-day is manifest in you what the Lord says in the 'Gospel, 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name there am I in the midst of them.'20 Unless the Lord God had been present in your minds, all of you would not have uttered the same cry. For, although the cry issued from numerous mouths, yet the origin of the cry was one. Therefore I say to you that God, who implanted this in your breasts, has drawn it forth from you. Let this then be your battle-cry in combat, because this word is given to you by God. When an armed attack is made upon the enemy, let this one cry be raised by all the soldiers of God: 'God wills it! 'God wills it!'

"And we do not_ command or advise that the old, or the feeble, or those unfit for bearing arms, undertake this journey; nor ought women to set out at all without their husbands, or brothers, or legal guardians. For such are more of a hindrance than aid, nlore of a burden than an advantage. Let the rich aid the needy; and, ac- cording to their means, let them take with them experienced sol- diers. The priests and clerks of any order are not to go without the consent of their bishops; for this journey wQuld profit thenl nothing if they went without such permission. Also, it is not fitting that laymen should enter upon the pilgrimage without the blessing of their priests. .

"Whoever, therefore, shall determine upon this holy pilgrimage and shall make his vow to 'God to that effect and shall offer himself to Him as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, shall wear the sign of the .cross of the Lord on his forehead, or on his breast. When, having truly fulfilled his vow, he wishes to return, let hini

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place the cross on his back between his shoulders. Such, indeed, by two-fold action will fulfil the precept of the Lord, as He ,com- mands in the Gospel, 'He that doth not take his cross and follow after me; is nqt worthy of me.' "21 • • •

(Balderic of Dol.) ... "We have heard, most beloved brethren, and you have heard what we cannot recount without deep sorrow- how, with great hurt and dire sufferings our Christian brothers, members in Christ, are scourged, oppressed, and injured in Jerusa- lem, in Antioch, and the other cities of the East. Your own blood- brothers, your companions, your associates (for you are sons of the same Christ and the same Church) are either subjected in their in- herited hom\es to other masters, or are driven from them, or they come as beggars among us; or, which is far worse, they are flogged and exiled as slaves for sale in their own land. ,Christian blood, redeemed by the blood of Christ, has been shed, and Christian flesh, akin to the flesh of Christ, has been subj ected to unspeakable degradation and servitude. Everywhere in those cities there is sorrow, everywhere misery, everywhere groaning (I say it with a sigh) . The ,churches in which divine mysteries were cele;~rated in olden times are now, to our sorrow, used as stables for the animals of these people! Holy men do not possess those cities; nay, base and bastard Turks hold sway over our brothers. The blessed Peter first presided as Bishop at Antioch; behold, in his own church the Gentiles have established their superstitions, and the Christian re- ligion, which they ought rather to cherish, they have basely shut out from the hall dedicated to God! The estates given for the sup- port of the saints and the patrimony of nobles set aside for the sus- tenance of the poor are subject to pagan tyranny, while cruel mas- ters abuse for their own purposes the returns from these lands. The priesthood of God has been ground down into the dust. The sanctuary of God (unspeakable shame!) is everywhere profaned. Whatever Christians still remain in hiding there are sought out with unheard of tortures.

"Of holy Jerusalem, brethren, we dare not speak, for 'we ,are ex- ceedingly afraid and ashamed to speak of it. This very city, in which, as you all know, Christ Himself suffered for us, because our sins demanded it, has been reduced to the pollution of paganism and, I say it to our disgrace, withdrawn from the service of God. Such is the heap of reproach upon us who have so much deserved it! Who now serves the chur,ch of the Blessed Mary in the valley of Josaphat, in which church she herself was buried in body? But why do we pass over the Temple of Solomon, nay of the Lord, in which the barbarous nations placed their idols contrary to law,