The History of ChivalryJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
History
The History of Chivalry
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Chivalry; Crusades
Long before this period, all the chiefs who had at first led the armies of
the Cross to Jerusalem had tasted of the cup reserved for all men, and few
words will end the history of each. Godfrey, Baldwin, and Baldwin de Bourg
we have already conducted to the tomb. Boemond,[489] as I have said, fell
into the hands of the Moslems; and after a captivity of two years, was
permitted to pay a ransom, and return to his principality. On arriving, he
found that his noble relative, Tancred,[490] had not only preserved, but
increased his territories during his absence; and after several years
continual warfare with Alexius on the one hand, and the Moslems on the
other, mingled with opposition to the King of Jerusalem, Boemond sailed
for Europe. There the fame he had acquired obtained for him the hand of
Constantia,[491] daughter of the King of France. Her younger sister,
Cecilia, was bestowed upon Tancred, who had remained in the government of
Antioch.
By the aid of France, Boemond raised large forces and landing in Greece,
ravaged the dominions of Alexius, who was at length fain to conclude a
peace with the powerful and enterprising Italian. The Prince of Antioch
then sent forward the greater part of his troops to the Holy Land, while
he himself returned to Italy to prepare for the same journey. Death,
however, staid his progress;[492] for, after a short illness, he ended his
career in Apulia, in 1109.[493] Tancred still survived, and defended
constantly the territories of his cousin against every attack for three
years after the decease of Boemond. At last the consequences of a wound
he had received some time before proved fatal, and the noblest and most
chivalrous of all the Christian warriors died in the prime of his days. On
his death-bed he called to him his wife, and Pontius, the son of the
Prince of Tripoli,[494] and, aware of the necessity of union among the
Christians, he recommended strongly their marriage, after death should
have dissolved the ties between himself and Cecilia. The government of
Antioch he bequeathed to his cousin Roger;[495] but, with the same noble
integrity which he had displayed through life, he made the new regent
promise, that in case the son of Boemond should ever come to claim those
territories, they should be resigned to him without dispute. Thus died
Tancred; who, from all that we read of the crusaders, was, with the
exception of Godfrey, the noblest of the followers of the Cross--a gallant
leader, a disinterested man, a generous friend, a true knight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account