Dear Cecilia,
You might take a look at Michael Markowski, "Crucesignatus: Its Origins
and Early Usage," _Journal of Medieval History_ 10 (1984) 157-65, which
sums up the matter succinctly. I do not recall seeing the term used before
ca. 1190. I might also suggest that you may find Christoph Maier's
_Preaching the Crusades: Mendicant Friars and the Cross in the Thirteenth
Century_, Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought, 4th ser., vol. 28
(Cambridge University Press, 1994) helpful as well. But you probably know
that already.
JAB
At 09:58 AM 3/22/00 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Perhaps one of you learned members might direct me somewhere fruitful. I
>am interested in a discussion of the original meaning of the term/idea to
>take the cross (assumpsit crucem - or any equivalent phrase) with respect
>to the crusades.
>
>I am dealing with an early fourteenth century franciscan office for the
>feast day of Saint Louis (France, twice crusader) where Louis taking the
>cross is identified with his *compassio* for Christ's crucifixion in the
>same way that Francis' reception of the stigmata is. And I am wondering
>to what extent, if any, this sort of association (earthly, physical
>manifestation of compassion) would be at all applicable earlier. Does
>anybody know whether the term "to take the cross" was used as early as
>1095, or earlier for any holy war, and what *specifically* did it refer
>to. My Louis-antiphons seem particularly 13th-century and particulary
>franciscan to me. (By the way, the entire office is clearly based on that
>of Saint Francis, and the "taking of the cross" antiphon is equivalent to
>the "stigmata" antiphon for Francis, and boh begin with the same words "O
>martyr desiderio" -- just in case you thought the comparison was too
>facile)
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>thanks- cecilia
>
>
James A. Brundage
History & Law
University of Kansas
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