Saturday, May 22, 2010

Deeds of the Franks, Book 7, Chapter 18 cont.

On the next day, at first light, some Turks came out of the city and gathered up all of the rotting bodies of dead Turks that they were able to find along the banks of the stream, except those that were lying hidden on the riverbed of the stream, and they buried them at the mosque which was across the bridge before the city gate. And at the same time, they buried them together with cloaks, golden besants, bows, arrows and other items which we were unable to name. Our men, hearing that the Turks had buried their dead, got themselves ready and came hurrying to that diabolical palace and ordered the tombs of them to be opened and violated, and dragged the bodies out of the graves. And they threw all of their bodies into a certain pit and carried off their severed heads to our tents so that it could be more accurately known the numbers of them, except those which had been loaded onto four horses of the messengers of the emir of Babylon(Cairo) and sent to the sea. The Turks sorrowed very much, seeing this. They were sad unto death. For they were sorrowing daily; they were doing nothing other than mourn and wail. On the third day, we began together with great joy to build the fortress that had been mentioned before, from stones just like the ones that we had removed from the mounds of the Turks. Thus, the fort having been completed, we soon began to close in on our enemies from all sides. The undeserved arrogance of those had been reduced. Moreover, we were strolling securely here and there to the gate and to the mountains, praising and glorifying our Lord God, to whom is all honor and glory through ages of ages. Amen.

4 comments:

Tracy said...

Our men, hearing that the Turks had buried their dead, got themselves ready and came hurrying to that diabolical palace and ordered the tombs of them to be opened and violated, and dragged the bodies out of the graves.
That really is sick.
to whom is all honor and glory through ages of ages
There is no honour or glory in their actions.

Anachronist said...

It's obvious that there wasn't any holly war as the crusaders pretended - every war is evil and people tend to do horrible things when they think nobody will make them accountable for it.

The Turks sorrowed very much, seeing this. They were sad unto death. For they were sorrowing daily;
How come nobody felt for them?

The Red Witch said...

@That really is sick. and How come nobody felt for them?

Honestly, if the shoe was on the other foot, they might not have behaved any better. I have a story from Albert of Aix that I was going to post at the end of atrocities by the Turks.
some people like Anonymous were sincere. Others were clearly out for booty and land. Anonymous left Bohemond when it became clear he wasn't leaving Antioch and he went all the way to Jersusalem and it seems he might have gone home after that.

Tracy said...

Honestly, if the shoe was on the other foot, they might not have behaved any better.
I'm sure they may well have done, but the Crusaders make such a big deal about having the 'Real' God on their side and how morally superior they are.