When the Count was buried, Matthew of Montmorency, Simon of Montfort,
Geoffry of Joinville who was seneschal, and Geoffry the Marshal, went
to Odo, Duke of Burgundy, and said to him, “Sire, your cousin is dead.
You see what evil has befallen the land overseass We pray you by God
that you take the cross, and succour the land overseas in his stead.
And we will cause you to have all his treasure, and will swear on holy
relics, and make the others swear also, to serve you in all good faith,
even as we should have served him.”
Such was his pleasure that he refused. And be it known to you that he
might have done much better. The envoys charged Geoffry of Joinville to
make the self-same offer to the Count of Bar-le-Duc, Thibaut, who was
cousin to the dead count, and he refused also.
Very great was the discomfort of the pilgrims, and of all who were
about to go on God’s service, at the death of Count Thibaut of
Champagne; and they held a parliament, at the beginning, of the month,
at Soissons, to determine what they should do. There were present Count
Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault, the Count Louis of Blois and
Chartres, the Count Geoffry of Perche, the Count Hugh of Saint-Paul,
and many other men of worth.
Geoffry the Marshal spake to them and told them of the offer made to
the Duke of Burgundy, and to the Count of Bar-le-Duc, and how they had
refused it. “My lords,” said he, “listen, I will advise you of somewhat
if you will consent thereto. The Marquis of Montferrat* is very worthy
and valiant, and one of the most highly prized of living men. If you
asked him to come here, and take the sign of the cross and put himself
in place of the Count of Champagne, and you gave him the lordship of
the host, full soon would he accept thereof.”
[Note: Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat, was one of the most
accomplished men of the time, and an approved soldier. His little court
at Montferrat was the resort of artist and troubadour. His family was a
family of Crusaders. The father, William of Montferrat, had gone
overseass and fought valiantly against the infidel. Boniface’s eldest
brother, William of the Long Sword, married a daughter of the titular
King of Jerusalem, and their son became titular king in turn. Another
brother, Conrad, starting for the Holy Land, stopped at Constantinople,
and did there such good service that the Greek emperor gave his sister
to him in marriage; but afterwards fearing the perfidy of his
brother-in-law, Conrad fled to Syria, and there battled against
Saladin. Yet another brother, Renier, also served in the Greek Empire,
married an Emperor’s daughter, and received for guerdon of his deeds
the kingdom of Salonika. Boniface himself had fought valiantly against
Saladin, been made prisoner, and afterwards liberated on exchange. It
was no mean and nameless knight that Villehardouin was proposing as
chief to the assembled Crusaders, but a princely noble, the patron of
poets, versed in state affairs, and possessing personal experience of
Eastern warfare. I extract these details from M. Bouchet’s _Notice_].
Many were the words spoken for and against; but in the end all agreed,
both small and great. So were letters written, and envoys chosen, and
the marquis was sent for. And he came, on the day appointed, through
Champagne and the Isle-de-France, where he received much honour, and
specially from the King of France, who was his cousin.
BONIFACE, MARQUIS OF MONTFERRAT, BECOMES CHIEF OF THE CRUSADE—NEW
CRUSADERS—DEATH OF GEOFFRY COUNT OF PERCHE
So he came to a parliament assembled at Soissons; and the main part of
the counts and barons and of the other Crusaders were there assembled.
When they heard that the marquis was coming, they went out to meet him,
and did him much honour. In the morning the parliament was held in an
orchard belonging to the abbey of our Lady of Soissons. There they
besought the marquis to do as they had desired of him, and prayed him,
for the love of God, to take the cross, and accept the leadership of
the host, and stand in the place of Thibaut Count of Champagne, and
accept of his money and of his men. And they fell at his feet, with
many tears; and he, on his part, fell at their feet, and said he would
do it right willingly.
Thus did the marquis consent to their prayers, and receive the lordship
of the host. Whereupon the Bishop of Soissons, and Master Fulk, the
holy man, and two white monks whom the marquis had brought with him
from Ws own land, led him into the Church of Notre Dame, and attached
the cross to his shoulder. Thus ended this parliament, and the next day
he took leave to return to his own land and settle his own
affairs-telling them all to settle their own affairs likewise, for that
he would meet them at Venice.
Thence did the marquis go to attend the Chapter at Citeaux, which is
held on Holy Cross Day in September (14th September 1241). There he
found a great number of abbots, barons and other people of Burgundy;
and Master Fulk went thither to preach the Crusade. And at that place
took the cross Odo the Champenois of Champlitte, and William his
brother, Richard of Dampierre, Odo his brother, Guy of Pesmes, Edmund
his brother, Guy of Conflans, and many other good men of Burgundy,
whose names are not recorded. Afterwards took the cross the Bishop of
Autun, Guignes Count of Forez, Hugh of Bergi (father and son), Hugh of
Colemi. Further on in Provence took the cross Peter Bromont, and many
others whose names are unknown to us.
Thus did the pilgrims make ready in all lands. Alas! a great mischance
befell them in the following Lent (March 1202) before they had started,
for the Count Geoffry of Perche fell sick, and made his will in such
fashion that he directed that Stephen, his brother, should have his
goods, and lead his men in the host. Of this exchange the pilgrims
would willingly have been quit, had God so ordered. Thus did the count
make an end and die; and much evil ensued, for he was a baron high and
honoured, and a good knight. Greatly was he mourned throughout all his
lands.
FIRST STARTING OF THE PILGRIMS FOR VENICE, AND OF SOME WHO WENT NOT
THITHER
After Easter and towards Whitsuntide (June 1202) began the pilgrims to
leave their own country. And you must know that at their departure many
were the tears shed for pity and sorrow, by their own people and by
their friends. So they journeyed through Burgundy, and by the mountains
of Mont-joux (? Jura) by Mont Cenis, and through Lombardy, and began to
assemble at Venice, where they were lodged on an island which is called
St. Nicholas in the port.
At that time started from Flanders a fleet that carried a great number
of good men-at-arms. Of this fleet were captains John of Nêle,
Castellan of Bruges, Thierri, who was the son of Count Philip of
Flanders, and Nicholas of Mailly. And these promised Count Baldwin, and
swore on holy relics, that they would go through the straits of
Morocco, and join themselves to him, and to the host of Venice, at
whatsoever place they might hear that the count was faring. And for
this reason the Count of Flanders and Henry his brother had confided to
them certain ships loaded with cloth and food and other wares.
Very fair was this fleet, and rich, and great was the reliance that the
Count of Flanders and the pilgrims placed upon it, because very many of
their good sergeants were journeying therein. But ill did these keep
the faith they had sworn to the count, they and others like them,
because they and such others of the same sort became fearful of the
great perils that the host of Venice had undertaken.
Thus did the Bishop of Autun fail us, and Guignes the Count of Forez,
and Peter Bromont, and many people besides, who were greatly blamed
therein; and of little worth were the exploits they performed there
where they did go. And of the French failed us Bernard of Moreuil, Hugh
of Chaumont, Henry of Araines, John of Villers, Walter of Saint-Denis,
Hugh his brother, and many others, who avoided the passage to Venice
because of the danger, and went instead to Marseilles-whereof they
received shame, and much were they blamed-and great were the mishaps
that afterwards befell them.