Following Orders

[Sir William Marcus]

  GOD WILLS IT!!!!!

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Today in Medieval Crusading History:

3 May:[/b]

1270 – Death of King Béla IV of Hungary (b. 1206)

1481 – Death of Mehmed II, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1432)- opponent of the Hospitallers/Knights of St John/Rhodes/Malta.

See more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9la_IV_of_Hungary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_II_of_Hungary#The_Fifth_Crusade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitaller

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Today in Medieval Crusading History:

4 May:

Nothing of note, so I thought I'd address a unique bible that was produced during the time.

The Maciejowski Bible (also known as the Morgan Bible)


Photo: Section of the Maciejowski bible showing Goliath wearing a kettle helm.

This book has long been thought to have been created under the direction of Louis IX of France in the mid-1240s, but most likely illuminated in the northern counties of France, ca. 1250. Originally it probably contained only paintings, organized in a consistent visual rhythm from page to page. Within 100 years, the book acquired marginal inscriptions in Latin describing the scenes illustrated. Cardinal Bernard Maciejowski, Bishop of Kraków, had the book given as a gift to Abbas I (Shah of Persia) in 1608. Abbas ordered inscriptions in Persian to be added, mostly translating the Latin ones already there. Later, perhaps in the eighteenth century, inscriptions were added in Judeo-Persian. Thus the book consists of beautiful paintings of events from Hebrew scripture, set in the scenery and customs of thirteenth-century France, depicted from a Christian perspective, and surrounded by text in three scripts and five languages (Latin, Persian, Arabic, Judeo-Persian, and Hebrew).

The Morgan Bible is a masterpiece of Gothic art. It testifies impressively to how persons make sense of words and images. Historical recreationists, such as members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, find in it valuable evidence about medieval clothing, weapons, and armor.

Two folios are kept in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. A single folio is kept in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

See more:
http://www.medievaltymes.com/courtyard/maciejowski_bible.htm
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Maciejowski&ei=x_K_TcbSNIeTtwfR0YTABQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCEQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DBernard%2BMaciejowski%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1018%26bih%3D638%26prmd%3Divnso
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbas_I_(Shah_of_Persia)

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

This date in Medieval Crusading History:

5 May

1215 – Rebel barons renounce their allegiance to King John (Brother to King Richard the Lionheart) of England — part of a chain of events leading to the signing of the Magna Carta.

1210 – Birth of King Afonso III of Portugal (d. 1279) (Reconquista participant)

1028 – Death of King Alfonso V of Castile, León, and Galicia (b. 994) (Reconquista participant)

1219 – Death of King Leo II of Armenia (b. 1150) (Fought against Mamluks at Battle of Mari)

1309 – Death of King Charles II of Naples (b. 1254) (Aragonese Crusade)

1426 – Death of Ephraim of Nea Makri, Greek Orthodox saint (b. 1384) (Died at the hands of Ottoman Turks)

See More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afonso_III_of_Portugal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_V_of_Le%C3%B3n
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_II_of_Armenia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mari
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_Naples
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragonese_Crusade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_of_Nea_Makri

[Brother J. Heaton]

Trying my first pic. Last year at the ga. ren fest.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Brother Heaton, was he your prisoner? 

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

"Only the weak believe that what they do in battle is who they are as men."

Deadline has debuted a bloody new red band trailer for Jonathan English's medieval action movie Ironclad, starring James Purefoy as one of the Knights Templar who must defend the Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John, played by Paul Giamatti.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/hot-unrated-trailer-ironclad/

ARC Entertainment will release on VOD June 8 and in theaters July 8.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

This date in Medieval Crusading History:

6 May

1097- Crusader forces arrive outside the town of Nicea. (A city they hoped to have won by siege, but were robbed by the underhanded efforts of the Byzantine Emperor: Alexius)

See More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Nicaea

[Brother J. Heaton]

 That is Ahmed, the Captian of my turcoples. I remember reading somewhere that the Order of St. John had Syrian moslems as turcoples. Now how long it lasted don't know???I thought it odd that a Christian order would have infidels fighting beside them. Nowhere have I found why this specific group of Syrians would fight for the Christians???  In Christ Brother Heaton

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Turcopoles were the Latin Syrian mercenaries employed by the Order. These were light mounted troops used as auxiliaries and scouts and were known for their use of the composite bow and their skill at Saracen fighting techniques.

Syria was actually the home of a large number of Christains prior to the launching of the Crusades. Some being more Orthodox than Roman.

See more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turcopole
http://turcopole.co.tv/

[Brother J. Heaton]

Thank you Brother Cliff, all I read was a sentence, and in a nut shell,from a certain area in Syria this tribe supplied turcoples for the Hospitallers. I just presumed they were moslem.  Brother Heaton

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Not a problem. We have actually recruited some lads who do Turcopoles at festivals.

Bottom line is some may have been Muslim.

Added some reference links.

[Lady Christina de Pond]

whos a muslim? 

[Lord Clisto of York]

It's a secret...shhh....

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

This date in Medieval Crusading History:

7 May

1104-The Battle of Harran took place between the Crusader states of the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa, and the Seljuk Turks. 

1274- The Second Council of Lyons opened 7 May.

See More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Harran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Council_of_Lyons
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09476c.htm