Characteristically, Guibert opens the Gesta defensively, justifying
his choice of a modern topic by insisting upon the exceptional nature
of the Crusade, as well as the exceptional nature of the French. The
entire first book is devoted to a selective history of the Eastern
Church and a denunciation of heresies, concluding with an extensive
invective against Mahomet, compounding sex, excrement, and disease.
[37] Guibert then moves forward in time, to the generation before
the First Crusade, to describe a complaint about Muslim lust made by
the Greek Emperor to the elder Count Robert of Flanders. Guibert
also complains about the Greek Emperor's own excessive interest in
erotic motivation for warriors.
Book Two begins with an account that amounts to little more than a
panegyric of Pope Urban II, admired by Guibert at least partially
because he is French. Guibert then compliments the French for their
long-standing loyalty to the Popes, and for their generally Christian
behavior.[38] Guibert then proceeds to describe the rise of Peter
the Hermit as leader of the poor people who misguidedly set out on
the Crusade, a group whose lack of control outrages Guibert
throughout the Gesta.[39] However, he quickly returns to giving an
account of the aristocrats who took the cross, composing panegyrics
for Godfrey, Baldwin, and Eustace of Bouillon, complimenting Godfrey
in particular for his military victories in skirmishes with the Greek
emperor. The second book ends with a description of some of the
other leaders and their qualities.
In Book Three Guibert introduces Bohemund, describes the siege of
Nicea, the battle of Dorylea, and adds the story about Baldwin's
adoption by the ruler of Edessa (not to be found in the Gesta
Francorum).
In Book Four the Crusaders arrive at Antioch and take up the lengthy
siege. Guibert again adds material not to be found in the Gesta
Francorum: one story involves the false stigmata of an abbot, another
the martyrdom of a man know personally by Guibert.
In Book Five Guibert describes the taking of Antioch, the capture of
Cassian and his decapitation by Armenians and Syrians, the prediction
of eventual Christian victory by Kherboga's mother, the Crusaders'
themselves besieged in Antioch, the initial resistance to Peter's
vision about the location of the Lance,[40] and the desertion of the
Crusade by Stephen of Blois, whom Guibert defends with his
characteristic loyalty to aristocrats.
Book Six offers the discovery of the Lance, a futile meeting between
Peter the Hermit and Kherboga, the reported appearance of a celestial
army, the Crusaders' defeat of Kherboga, and the lifting of the siege
of Antioch. In addition, Ademar of Puy dies, the Crusaders attack
Marrah, and Bohemund and Raymond of St. Gilles disagree about to whom
Antioch belongs. The trial by fire of Peter Bartholomew (not to be
found in the Gesta Francorum) differs significantly and with clear
polemical intentions from the scene in Fulcher; Guibert attributes
the skepticism about the authenticity of the Lance to the death of
Ademar. The book ends with the martyrdom of Anselm of Ribemont, and
mention of his letters, which Guibert will use later.
Book Seven is more than twice the length of any of the earlier books;
in it the Crusaders reach Tripoli, negotiate successfully with its
king, continue on through Palestine, reach Jerusalem, and begin the
siege. As part of his extended panegyric of both brothers, Guibert
now inserts the story of Godfrey cutting a man in half and wrestling
with bear (not in the Gesta Francorum), which permits him, by
association, to modulate to the story of Baldwin refusing to be saved
by having a soldier killed and examined for similar wound, instead
agreeing to substitute a bear. As he approaches the end of his task,
Guibert loosens the structure of his narrative even more, providing a
discussion of Near Eastern ecclesiastical politics, a description of
some of the battles in which the Crusaders consolidated their control
over Palestine, and a cadenza, dense with Biblical quotations and
some allegorical exegesis, on the significance of the Crusade itself.
After providing an anecdote about the way in which children's combat
inspired the soldiers, Guibert provides a brief discussion of the
Tafurs, and describes the betrayal by the emperor that led to the
death of Hugh Magnus. Next Guibert describes Stephen's disastrous
expedition to Paphligonia, offers conflicting versions of Godfrey's
death, mentions his replacement by Baldwin, and provides a flashback
to Robert of Flanders' visit to Jerusalem twelve years before the
Crusade (at which time, according to Guibert, an astrological
prediction of a later Christian victory had been made). Guibert now
tells a story about a man who defeated the Devil, then attacks Fulker
of Chartres for his style, for his story about Pirrus betraying
Antioch, and for his rejection of the authenticity of the Lance.