第416章
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  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。

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