Edessa was taken in 1144, and the news of this event created an intense
excitement. The holy St. Bernard stirred up all France, and Louis VII.
himself took the vow and headed a noble army. The ways of God are not
our ways, and although the army of Germany joined that of France, but
little results came of this great effort.
"The Emperor Conrad, with the Germans, was attacked by the Turk Saladin
of Iconium, and was defeated with a loss of sixty thousand men. The King
of France, with his army, was also attacked with fury, and a large
portion of his force were slaughtered. Nothing more came of this great
effort, and while the first Crusade seemed to show that the men-at-arms
of Europe were irresistible, the second on the contrary gave proof that
the Turks were equal to the Christian knights. Gradually the Christian
hold of the Holy Land was shaken. In 1187, although fighting with
extraordinary bravery, the small army of Christian Knights of the Temple
and of St. John were annihilated, the King of Jerusalem was made
prisoner, and the Christian power was crushed.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72