A History of the Crusades-Vol 2 by Steven Runciman Read Free Book Online Page A

influenced. He readily fell in with the vulgar
Frankish view that the Emperor was an enemy. Alexius obtained no redress.
    Tancred next attempted to interfere in the
affairs of the kingdom of Jerusalem. King Baldwin banished the Patriarch
Daimbert in 1101. Tancred at once welcomed him to Antioch, where he put the
Church of St George at his disposal. When, a few months later, Baldwin was
defeated by the Saracens at Ramleh and asked for help from the princes in the
north, Tancred refused to come unless Daimbert were reinstated at Jerusalem.
Baldwin agreed; and Tancred’s reputation was thereby enhanced. But it fell when
Daimbert was condemned by a council and exiled once more. Tancred again offered
him hospitality but did not continue to press his cause.
     
    1102: Baldwin II
pledges his Beard
    Tancred’s activities were not altogether to the
liking of his neighbour at Edessa, Baldwin of Le Bourg. Baldwin’s father, Count
Hugh I of Rethel, was related to the house of Boulogne; and Baldwin, who was a
younger son, came out to the East with his cousins, Godfrey of Lorraine and
King Baldwin. When Baldwin I established himself at Edessa he had stayed behind
with Bohemond and served as intermediary between the two princes. On Bohemond’s
imprisonment he had taken over the government of Antioch, until Baldwin of
Edessa was summoned to Jerusalem. Baldwin of Le Bourg was then enfeoffed with
Edessa by his cousin, to rule there autonomously, but under the suzerainty of
Jerusalem. It was not an easy position that he inherited. His lands had no
natural frontiers and were constantly liable to invasion. He could only rule by
garrisoning the principal towns and castles; and for that he needed servants
and comrades whom he could trust. Being ill-provided with men of his own race
he made it his business to be on excellent terms with the native Christians.
Almost his first action as Count of Edessa was to marry a local princess,
Morphia, the young daughter of the ancient Gabriel, lord of Melitene, an
Armenian by race but an adherent of the Orthodox Church. At the same time he
wooed and won the support of the Armenians of the separated Gregorian Church,
whose great historian, Matthew of Edessa, was full of praise for his amiable
nature and the purity of his private life, though he regretted his ambition and
avarice. Baldwin particularly favoured the Armenians, because they could be
used as soldiers; but he was kindly also towards his Syrian Jacobite subjects
and even succeeded in healing a schism within their Church. The only complaint
against him was his rapacity. He was perpetually in need of money and raised it
wherever he could. But his methods were less arbitrary and more gentle than
Baldwin I’s. His knights were particularly delighted when he managed to extort
30,000 besants from his father-in-law by declaring that he owed that sum to his
men and had sworn to them that if he could not pay them he would shave off his
beard. The Armenians, like the Greeks, considered a beard necessary to manly
dignity and were shocked at the shaven faces of so many Crusaders. Gabriel
thought that a beardless son-in-law would be damaging to his prestige; and when
Baldwin’s men, entering into the comedy, corroborated that their master had
indeed sworn such an oath, Gabriel hastened to hand over the necessary cash to
prevent so dreadful an humiliation, and made Baldwin swear a fresh oath that
never would he pledge his beard again.
    Early in his reign Baldwin II had to face an
attack from the Ortoqids of Mardin. The emir Soqman led an army against Saruj,
a Moslem town which Baldwin I had captured and placed under Fulcher of
Chartres. Baldwin II hastened to help Fulcher; but in the ensuing battle he was
defeated and Fulcher slain. The town was taken by the Moslems; but the citadel
held out under Benedict, Latin Archbishop of Edessa, while Baldwin hastened to
Antioch to hire troops to replenish his army. On his return he was more
fortunate. Soqman was driven