The People's Crusade

[1.2.1]  Fēcērunt dēnique Gallī trēs partēs. Una pars Francōrum in Hungāriae intrāvit regiōnem, scīlicet Petrus Heremīta, et dux Godefridus, et Balduīnus frāter eius, et Balduīnus comes dē Monte. Istī potentissimī mīlitēs et aliī plūrēs (quōs ignōrō) vēnērunt per viam quam iamdūdum Karolus Magnus mīrificus rēx Franciae aptārī fēcit usque Cōnstantīnopolim.


[1.2.2]  Petrus vērō suprādictus prīmus vēnit Cōnstantīnopolim in kalendīs Augustī, et cum eō maxima gēns Alamannōrum. Illīc invēnit Lombardōs et Longobardōs et aliōs plūrēs congregātōs, quibus imperātor iusserat darī mercātum sīcuti erat in cīvitāte, dīxitque illīs “Nōlīte trānsmeāre Brācchium, dōnec veniat maxima Chrīstiānōrum virtūs, quoniam vōs tantī nōn estis ut cum Turcīs proeliārī valeātis.” Ipsīque Chrīstiānī nēquiter dēdūcēbant sē, quia palātia urbis sternēbant et ārdēbant, et auferēbant plumbum quō ecclēsiae erant coopertae et vēndēbant Grecīs. Unde imperātor īrātus est iussitque eōs trānsmeāre Brāchium. Postquam trānsfretāvērunt, nōn cessābant agere omnia mala, combūrentēs et dēvastantēs domōs et ecclēsiās. Tandem pervēnērunt Nīcomēdīam, ubi dīvīsī sunt Lombardī et Longobardī et Alamannī ā Francīs, quia Francī tumēbant superbiā. Ēlēgērunt Lombardī et Longobardī seniōrem super sē, cui nōmen Rainōldus, Alamannī similiter. 
 

(1096) The People's Crusade, led by Peter the Hermit arrives at Constantinople, along with some German crusaders. The Byzantine emperor (Alexius Comnenus) tells them not to cross to the Bosporus, but they behave so badly that he sends them over to the Asian side. They go to Nicomedia (still in Byzantine hands) and choose their leaders.

1.2.1

Petrus Heremīta: Peter the Hermit.

Godefridus: the famous Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine. He and the two Baldwins formed a different contingent from that of Peter the Hermit.

Balduīnus: Baldwin of Boulogne, brother of duke Godfrey; he will become Count of Edessa and then King of Jerusalem.

Balduīnus comes dē Monte: Baldwin, count of Mons (also called Count of Hainaut).

mīlitēs: “mounted warriors,” “knights,” as opposed to peditēs, m. “foot soldier.”

viam quam iamdūdum Karolus Magnus mīrificus rēx Franciae aptārī fēcit usque Cōnstantīnopolim: the Roman Via Egnatia ran from Dyrrachium (modern Durres, in Albania) to Constantinople.  It was not built by Charlemagne, but Charlemagne loomed large in the medieval imagination, and was wrongly believed to have traveled to Constantinople.

aptārī: aptō (1) here either “to fix” (OLD 1) or “to prepare” (OLD 4).

 

1.2.2

kalendīs Augustī: August 1, 1096.

gēns Alamannōrum: Germans.

Lombardōs et Longobardōs: Italians from the north (Lombards) and from the south (Longobards).

imperātor: Alexius I Comnenus, Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118.

mercātum sīcuti erat in cīvitāte: "such provisions as there were in the city."

Bracchium: the Bracchium sānctī Georgīī (see below, 1.3.4), i.e., the Bosphorus, dividing Europe and Asia at Constantinople. (Hill translates this as "the Hellespont").

virtus: "military force."

tantī: CL would be tot, “so many.”

nēquiter dēdūcēbant sē: “conducted themselves in a disgraceful fashion.”

palātia: "large buildings."

plumbum: lead was often used for the roofs of important Byzantine buildings.

Nicomēdiam: Modern Izmit.

Francīs: here specifically subjects of the king of France.

seniōrem: senior in ML often = “leader, commander” (cf. siegneur).

Rainoldus: apparently Rainald of Broyes (in France).

1.2.1

denique: (CL) finally; (ML) and so, next; for

intrō intrāre: to enter

scīlicet: that is to say, namely

dux ducis, m.: leader (CL); duke (ML)

comes comitis, f.: companion (CL); count (ML)

iamdūdum: long ago

mīrificus  –a  –um: wonderfully good, great

aptō aptāre: to put into position, fix

ūsque: (all the way); all the way to

 

1.2.2

mercātus –ūs, m.: (CL) market

sīcutī: in the same way as, just as

trānsmeō trānsmeāre: to cross

bracchium –(i)ī, n.: arm

dōnec: until

virtūs virtūtis, f.: strength; the largest part

quoniam: because, since

proelior proeliārī proeliātus: to do battle with, to fight

valeō valēre valuī valītum: to be strong enough (to)

sternō (3): to level, knock down (OLD 6)

auferō auferre abstulī ablātum: to take away, remove

plumbum –ī, n.: lead

cooperiō (4): to cover completely

tandem: finally, at length

tumeō tumēre tumuī: to become swollen

superbia –ae, f.: pride

ēligō (ēlegō) ēligere ēlēgī elēctum: to select, choose

simliter: in a similar way

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