CHAP.
V.

1100.

and he indulged entirely that domineering policy, which fuited his temper, and which, if fupported, as it was in him, with courage and vigour, proves often more fuccessful, in disorderly times, than the deepest forefight and most refined artifice.

THE monuments which remain of this prince in England are the Tower, Weftminster-hall, and London-bridge, which he built. The most laudable The most laudable foreign enterprize which he undertook, was the fending Edgar Atheling, three years before his death, into Scotland with a small army, to restore prince Edgar the true heir of that kingdom, fon of Malcolm, and of Margaret, fifter of Edgar Atheling; and the enterprize proved fuccessful. It was remarked in that age, that Richard, an elder brother of William's, perished by an accident in the new foreft; Richard, his nephew, natural fon of duke Robert, loft his life in the fame place after the fame manner: And all men, upon the King's fate, exclaimed, that, as the Conqueror had been guilty of extreme violence, in expelling all the inhabitants of that large diftrict, to make room for his game, the just vengeance of heaven was fignalized, in the fame place, by the slaughter of his pofterity f. William was killed in the thirteenth year of his reign, and about the fortieth of his age. As he was never married, he left no legitimate iffue behind him.

In the eleventh year of his reign, Magnus King of Norway, made a descent on the isle of Anglefea; but was repulfed by Hugh, earl of Shrewsbury". This is the laft attempt made by the northern nations against England.

• Chron. Sax. p. 206. W. Malm. p. 122. Petri de Burgo, p. 56.

Hoveden, p. 466. Chron. Abb. St. f Hoveden, p. 468. Flor. Wig. p. 649. W. Brompton, p. 996. e W. Malm.

Gemet. p. 296. Sim. Dunelm. p. 225.
· P. 127.
Sim. Dunelm, p. 223,

A

Marriage of the
Accommodation with

Conquest of Nor-
with Anfelm, the
Wars abroad

King's fecond marriage

and character of Henry.

CHAP.
VI.

1100.

FTER the adventurers in the holy war were affembled
on the banks of the Bofphorus, oppofite to Conftan-
tinople, they proceeded on their enterprize; but immediately
experienced those difficulties, which their zeal had hitherto The crufades.
concealed from them, and for which, even if they had foreseen
them, it would have been almost impoffible to provide a proper
remedy. The Greek Emperor, Alexis Comnenus, who had
applied to the western Christians for fuccour against the Turks,
entertained hopes, and those but feeble ones, of obtaining such
a moderate fupply, as, acting under his command, might
enable him to repulfe the enemy: But he was extremely
astonished to see his dominions overwhelmed, on a sudden, with
such an inundation of licentious barbarians, who, though they
pretended friendship, despised his fubjects as unwarlike, and
detefted them as heretical. By all the arts of policy, in which
he excelled, he endeavoured to divert the torrent; but while
X x 2
he

he employed profeffions, careffes, civilities, and feeming fervices towards the leaders of the crufade, he fecretly regarded those imperious allies as more dangerous-than the open enemies, by whom his empire had been formerly invaded. Having effectuated that difficult point of disembarking them safely in Afia, he entered into a private correspondence with Soliman, Emperor of the Turks; and practised every infidious art, which his genius, his power, or his fituation-enabled him to employ, for difappointing the enterprize, and discouraging the Latins from making thenceforward any such prodigious migrations. His dangerous policy was feconded by the diforders, infeparable from fo vaft a multitude, who were not united under one head, and were conducted by leaders of the most independant, intractable spirit, unacquainted with military discipline, and still more enemies to civil authority and fubmiffion. The scarcity of provifions, the exceffes of fatigue, the influence of unknown climates, joined to the want of concert in their operations, and to the fword of a warlike enemy, destroyed the adventurers by thousands, and would have abated the ardour of men, impelled to war by lefs powerful motives. Their zeal, however, their bravery, and their irrefiftible force still carried them forward, and continually advanced them to the great end of their enterprizes. After an obftinate fiege, they took Nice, the feat of the Turkish empire; they defeated Soliman in two great battles; they made themfelves masters of Antioch; and entirely broke the force of the Turks, who had fo long retained these countries in fubjection. The foldan of Egypt, whofe alliance they had hitherto courted, recovered, on the fall of the Turkish power, his former authority in Jerufalem; and informed them by his ambaffadors, that, if they came difarmed to that city, they might now per

form

VI.

form their religious vows, and that all Christian pilgrims, who CHAPZ
fhould thenceforth vifit the holy fepulchre, might expect the
fame good treatment, which they had ever received from his
predeceffors. The offer was rejected; the foldan was required
to yield up the city to the Chriftians; and on his refusal, the
champions of the crofs advanced to the fiege of Jerufalem,
which they regarded as the confummation of their labours.
By the detachments, which they had made, and the difafters,
which they had undergone, they were diminished, to the
number of twenty thoufand foot and fifteen hundred horfe;:
but these were still formidable, from their valour, their expe-
rience, and the obedience, which, at the price of past calamities,
they had learned' to pay to their leaders. After a fiege of five
weeks, they took Jerufalem by affault; and, impelled by a
mixture of military and religious rage, they put the numerous
garrison and inhabitants to the fword" without distinction.
Neither arms defended the valiant, nor fubmiffion the timorous:
No age nor fex was fpared: Infants on the breaft were
pierced by the fame blow with their mothers, who implored
for mercy: Even a multitude, to the number of ten thousand
perfons, who had surrendered themselves prifoners, and were
promifed quarter, were butchered in cool blood by these fero-
cious conquerors'. The ftreets of Jerufalem were covered
with dead bodies *; and the triumphant warriors, after every
enemy was' fubdued and flaughtered, immediately turned them-
felves, with the fentiments of humiliation and contrition,
towards the holy fepulchre. They threw aside their arms, still
ftreaming with blood They advanced with reclined bodies,
and naked feet and head to that facred monument: They fung

1 Vertot, vol.i. p..57. Diceto, p. 498.

M. Paris, p. 34. Order. Vital. p. 756.

anthėms.

.

!

anthems to their Saviour who had purchased their falvation by his death and agony: And their devotion, enlivened by the presence of the place where he had fuffered, so overcame their fury, that they diffolved in tears, and bore the appearance of every foft and tender fentiment'. So inconfiftent is human nature with itself! And fo easily does the most effeminate fuperftition ally both with the most heroic courage, and with the fiercest barbarity!

THIS great event happened on the fifth of July in the last year of the eleventh century. The Chriftian princes, and nobles, after chufing Godfrey of Boüillon King of Jerufalem, began to fettle themselves in their new conquefts; while fome of them returned to Europe, in order to enjoy at home that glory which their valour had acquired them in this popular and meritorious enterprize. Among these, was, Robert, duke of Normandy, who, as he had abandoned the greatest dominions of any prince, that attended the crufade, had all along, distinguished himself by the most intrepid courage", as well as by that affable difpofition and unbounded generofity, which gain the hearts of foldiers, and qualify a prince to. fhine., in a military life. In paffing through Italy, he became acquainted with Sibylla, daughter of the count of Converfana, a young lady of great beauty and merit, whom he efpoufed ";, and indulging himself in this new paffion, as well as fond of enjoying ease and pleafure, after the fatigues of fo many rough campaigns, he lingered a twelvemonth in that delicious climate; and though his friends in the north looked every moment for his arrival, none of them knew when they could with certainty expect it.

' M. Paris, p. 34.
M. Paris, p. 35.

» W. Malm. p. 153.

Order. Vital. p. 756.

W. Heming. p. 467. G. Newbrig. p. 358.
Gul. Gemet. p. 299.

By