Before we explore exactly what Pope Urban II announced at the Council of Clermont, it is important to establish where we obtain this information from. The Council of Clermont (November 1095) was a highly significant event and this was understood by contemporary and near-contemporary chroniclers. The First Crusade inspired a proliferation of writing. Naturally, chroniclers began their story of the First Crusade with the Council of Clermont, where the movement began. Historians can draw upon a range of contemporary and near-contemporary chroniclers who give an account of the First Crusade and the Council of Clermont. When discussing the Council of Clermont the following chroniclers are often used – Robert the Monk, Gesta Francorum, Fulcher of Chartres, Balderic of Dol, Raymond of Aguilers.
Gesta Francorum
The Gesta Francorum (Gesta Francorum et aliorum Hierosolimitanorum – Deeds of the Franks and the other pilgrims to Jerusalem), is one of the most widely used chroniclers for the Council of Clermont and the First Crusade.
The author of the Gesta Francorum is unknown. However, we do know some information about the author. He belonged to the Sicilian-Norman contingent of the First Crusade which was led by Bohemond of Taranto who would later become Bohemond I of Antioch. He then joined the other Crusade contingents as they headed to Jerusalem once Bohemond remained at Antioch in 1098.
Historians assume, although we do not know for certain, that the author of the Gesta Francorum was a knight. He appears to have taken part in military operations during the First Crusade, for instance, the siege of Antoich (1097-1098). Although, the author does not appear to have a detailed knowledge of the First Crusade leaders, nor their plans and deliberations. This has led historians to assume he was a lower-ranking knight. The author had the assistance of a scribe, presumably a cleric who made his own additions to the text.
The account gives us invaluable eyewitness testimony from someone who participated in the First Crusade. It gives a day-to-day account of activities on the journey.
The author of the Gesta Francorum was not present at the Council of Clermont and thus gives an account based on the testimony of others.
The account was written after the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099. It was likely compiled from 1100 to 1101 and certainly no later than 1105. We know this because Raymond of Aguiler used the Gesta Francorum as a source for his own account of the First Crusade which was completed by 1105. It was likely circulating in Northern France to support Bohemond’s recruitment campaign for his conflict against Byzantium in 1104-1105.
It is one of the earliest accounts of the First Crusade and for this reason, other First Crusade chroniclers, such as Robert the Monk, Balderic of Dol and Guibert of Nogent used it as a source. The account is short and simplistic in style. The text is highly significant in shaping our understanding of the First Crusade.
Fulcher of Chartres
Fulcher of Chartres was likely present at the Council of Clermont. He was a cleric who joined the North French contingent of the First Crusade which was led by Stephen of Blois and Robert Curthose of Normandy. In 1097 he was appointed chaplain to Baldwin of Boulogne (later King Baldwin I of Jerusalem). Baldwin broke away from the main army in 1097 to rule Edessa. Fulcher of Chartres joined his master in this expedition. This meant that Fulcher did witness some key events of the expedition, for instance, the Siege of Antoich (1097-1098) and the Conquest of Jerusalem in July 1099. For these events, he relied on other chroniclers.
Fulcher arrived in Jerusalem in December 1099 and presumably began to write soon after. We know Fulcher remained in Outremer for the rest of his life which presumably ended in 1127 when the chronicle ends. Given his presence in the Levant, Fulcher had access to many eyewitnesses of the First Crusade and the Council of Clermont and was able to offer a detailed account of events.
Fulcher tells us he was asked to compile his account entitled The Gesta Francorum Iherusalem Peregrinantium (A history of the expedition to Jerusalem). The first version of the account circulated from 1106 and was possibly intended to support a new crusade.
As a contemporary chronicler and eyewitness of events, Fulcher’s account was highly influential on others who were writing in the early and later 12th century. William of Tyre, William of Malmesbury and Orederic Vitalis used the Gesta Francorum for their own accounts of the First Crusade.
Robert the Monk
One of the more well-known chroniclers of the Council of Clermont is Robert the Monk. Sometimes referred to as Robert of Reims. Robert was a Benedictine monk from the abbey of St Remi at Reims. He claimed to have heard Urban’s speech at Clermont and presented a pro-French version of the First Crusade.
Reportedly, Robert’s abbot was critical of the Gesta Francorum’s simple and rustic style. Robert therefore aimed to create a more sophisticated and religious-centred account of events in his chronicle entitled Historia Iherosolimitana. This is an important note because it could explain why Robert included elaborate speeches and perhaps explain why Robert offers such a detailed account of Urbans’ speech at Clermont.
Historians give various estimates as to when Robert’s text was completed. Kempf and Bull who edited the most modern translation of Robert’s text in 2013 give a date of 1110. D. Kempf and MG. Bull, The Historia Iherosolimitana of Robert the Monk, (2013), p. XL. The works survive in an impressive 80 manuscripts.
Baldric of Dol:
Baldric of Dol, also known as Baldric of Bourgueil, so named for he was Abbot of the wealthy Benedictine monastery of Bourgueil, in France for over thirty years. He was appointed archbishop of Dol in 1107 and died in 1130 at the age of around eighty-four. Balderic was also a prolific writer composing numerous poems, letters and elegies. He is also remembered as a preacher, teacher and sermonizer. Balderic also created a chronicle of the First Crusade entitled Historia Ierosolimitana, originally composed around 1105.
Baldric it seems was present at the Council of Clermont. He writes in his prologue that he had seen a First Crusade narrative whose author was anonymous. Baldric decried the simplicity of the book. He believed that such a momentous and religiously significant event in Christian history should be written with more sophistication and offer some moral examples for Christians. This book was undoubtedly the Gesta Francorum.
A second edition of Baldric’s Historia Ierosolimitana was written in 1107 with a few additions following Bohemond’s visit to France. The purpose of which was to recruit for his campaign against the Byzantines.
Raymond of Aguilers
The last of our chroniclers who gave an account of the Council of Clermont is Raymond of Aguilers. It is possible that he was present at the Council of Clermont. Like the author of the Gesta Francorum and Fulcher of Chartres, Raymond was a participant of the First Crusade. He was a canon of Notre Dame of Le Puy and became a priest during the First Crusade at the Siege of Antioch.
Raymond was part of the army headed by Ademar of Le Puy and Raymond of Toulouse/St Giles. Raymond served as chaplain to Raymond of Toulouse. And thus, unlike Fulcher of Chartres, he had access to intimate knowledge regarding the deliberations of the First Crusade leaders.
His chronicle entitled Historia Francorum qui ceperunt Iherusalem was compiled before 1105. Raymond drew upon other chronicles for information, such as the Gesta Francorum. But his information as an eyewitness to events is invaluable.
Numerous other contemporary and near-contemporary chroniclers give a detailed account of The Council of Clermont. These include Guibert of Nogent and Ekkehard of Aura.
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