Marionettes, masks and shadows — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Marionettes, masks and shadows
John Stuart Mill · en
_Crusaders’ Costumes._ Every boy and girl who loves adventures has no
doubt been thrilled by stories of the Crusaders. The story of Richard
the Lion-hearted may come to your mind. This illustration shows you the
kind of costumes that he and other Crusaders wore. Beginning in the year
1096, and during the two hundred years which followed, there were nine
crusades. People from every country in Europe and from every class set
forth for the conquest of Jerusalem and the recovery of the Holy
Sepulcher. When these great companies of people set forth each wore the
costume of his own country and class, but upon each surcoat was worn the
cross. According to the order of Pope Urban II which read: “You are a
soldier of the Cross, wear, then, on your shoulder the blood-red sign of
Him who died for the salvation of your souls.” What a sight it must have
been! Godfrey of Bouillon set forth from his province of Lorraine with
10,000 horsemen and 80,000 infantry, all bearing this blood-red cross
upon their surcoats. Raymond of Toulouse led forth, it is said, with
160,000 horse and foot.
[Illustration:
_Crusader's Costume_
]
Out of the successes and failures of these great pilgrimages came the
experience and inspiration that created the literature, architecture,
and arts of the Middle Ages, and gave the Christian world many of its
saints and martyrs.
_XIIIth Century Costumes._ One of the greatest expressions of this
intensely religious age was the cathedrals. From the infinite number of
statues that are carved upon their façades and especially their portals
and those statues that are within the cathedrals, from the figures in
their stained-glass windows, the brass effigies in their pavements, and
their frescoes and paintings, came the most authentic and complete
information about the costumes of this period. Illuminated manuscripts
and tapestries, such as the Bayeux tapestry, are also valuable sources.
Photographs and reproductions of all this material are available. If one
is seriously interested in costume he can collect reproductions from a
surprising number of sources, such as newspapers, especially the Sunday
supplement, magazines, and postcards, and make them into a costume
scrapbook.
[Illustration:
_XIIth Century Costumes: Lady and Noble_
]