Crusade, without taking any active part in his proceedings; but at last the startling eloquence of the abbot of Clairvaux reached even the bosom of the monarch, and he declared his intention of following the cross himself.* Both in France and Germany the success of Bernard could only be equalled by that of the illustrious Peter, who had filled the same vocation in the First Crusade. Wherever he went, his presence was supposed to work miracles, and the sick are reported to have recovered at his touch or at his command, while all the legions of devils with which popish superstition peopled the atmosphere took flight at his approach. The emperor of Germany, although the last to assume the cross, was the first to set out on the expedition. He was followed by seventy thousand knights in armour, besides a numerous cavalcade of women and foot-soldiers. He reached Constantinople in safety. But here some serious causes of quarrel sprung up between the Germans and the Greeks. Not far from the walls of the imperial city was a magnificent garden, producing all the vegetable luxuries of the season. It had also been planted with woods, amid which vast herds of tame animals roamed about according to their natural habits. Caverns, moreover, had been dug, and lakes contrived. Suitable buildings having also been erected, this spacious pleasureground formed a most grateful retreat for * Labbai Concilia, tom. x. p. 1100, Otho Frising in Muratori, tom. vi. p. 672. the eastern emperors. Into this inclosure Conrad broke, laying it waste with the most reckless barbarism. Manuel Comnenus, who now occupied the throne of Constantinople, was indignant, and invited Conrad to his capital to explain his conduct. But the latter, fearing to trust himself in the power of the former, notwithstanding the relation by marriage subsisting between them, cut short the negotiation, and hastily passed over the Hellespont with his forces.* But though Conrad had refused to trust himself within the walls of Manuel's capital, he accepted the guides of the emperor to conduct him through Asia Minor. By these he was betrayed into the power of the Turks, so that, when at length he reached the town of Nice, scarcely a tenth part of his shattered army was to be found. In a short time, the German emperor was followed from Europe by the king of France; his departure having been delayed only till he could arrange the affairs of his kingdom, which he left in the hands of his trusty and sagacious minister Suger. Marching through Hungary, the French at length arrived in Greece. At the imperial city, Louis was welcomed by Manuel with every outward demonstration of respect. On the invitation of the emperor, he entered his capital with a small train, the former descending to the porch of the palace to receive his royal guest. It was not long, however, before the Franks discovered his treachery, and without * Odo de Diogilo, de Ludovi vII. lib. iii. pp. 27, 31. staying to revenge it left his court, and crossing the Bosphorus advanced through Nicomedia to Nice. Here they came up with Conrad and the remnant of his defeated army, and uniting their forces journeyed together as far as Ephesus. But the German prince, mortified at his own inferiority, soon separated, and returned to Constantinople in the hope of recruiting his wasted strength.* The French still gallantly pursued their course till they arrived at the banks of the Mæander, where, for the first time, they encountered the Turks, who, having safely deposited their spoils, came to dispute with the Latins the passage of the river. The battle was not of long duration, but it was fiercely fought. So dreadful was the slaughter which the French made, that the bones of the Mussulmans are said to have been conspicuous for years.† The French, proud of their easy victory, renewed their march, but the Turks in the meanwhile watched all their movements, strengthened themselves by reinforcements, and at length renewed the attack. The tables were now turned. The life of the king himself was placed in jeopardy, and it was with the greatest difficulty he could rally the remnant of his troops, and under cover of the night escape from the relentless foe.‡ Louis now directed his force by sea to *Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. xvi. cap. xxiii. Ibid. lib. xvi. cap. xxv. Antioch, where he was received with every mark of respect and hospitality by Raymond, the prince of that city. Leaving Antioch, he marched onward towards Jerusalem, where the news of his approach was hailed with joy by the inhabitants, and ambassadors repaired, in religious procession, to meet him. Conrad, with what troops he could muster, had already preceded him. Arrived at the sacred capital, the emperor of Germany, the king of France, and the king of Jerusalem, together with the princes, barons, and prelates of Syria and Palestine, assembled in solemn convocation to arrange their future plans. It was at length resolved to abandon Edessa, and proceed against Damascus. Eager to relieve it from the yoke under which it had groaned for 'nearly five centuries, the champions of Christianity soon appeared under its walls. The assault was pressed with so much vigour, that in a short time the fortifications of Damascus were completely ruined, and the city could hold out no longer. It only waited the final blow, and its gates must open to the soldiers of the cross. The final blow was never given. Dissension broke out in the camp of the Crusaders. Who should be prince of the all but conquered city? This was the question in dispute. It was hotly debated. The pretensions of one were set up in opposition to those of another. An open rupture ensued, and the army divided. The original place of attack, from which the xvi. caps. xxvi.- xxix. * Gulielmus Tyri city was on the point of being forced to surrender, was abandoned, and the assault was renewed on a part of the town where both nature and art combined to render it impregnable. The inhabitants seized the opportunity, and repaired the breaches which had been effected. Damascus was lost to the Crusaders, who were fairly beaten by their own cupidity and contention. The leaders, dissatisfied with themselves and with each other, retreated gloomily to Jerusalem. * With the failure of the expedition to Damascus, the Second Crusade may be considered to have terminated. Conrad speedily returned to Europe, and Louis followed him, after the lapse of a few months.† The Second Crusade was distinguished in several important respects from the First. Fifty years intervened between the one and the other. In the state of Europe, these were years of progress. This period was the early dawn of modern civilization. If the bright tints of morning had not already gleamed across the horizon, the night was far spent, and the day was at hand. The general characteristics of the Second Crusade bore testimony to the advance of the times. Its chief instigator was not an obscure monk, without polish, learning, or repute, such as Peter the Hermit, who, like some blazing meteor, suddenly appeared before the eyes of Christendom. It was the famous abbot of Clairvaux-a man *Gulielmus Tyrii, lib. xvii. caps. iv.-vii. |