medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Well, here is a reference to oil, as part of a mixture of sulphur, oil, pitch,
and tow, set on fire and hurled onto a siege tower:
Nec mora, minime diem expectantes, sed rapidum ignem sulfure, oleo, pice et
stuppis suscitantes, machine regis subito iniecerunt, ut uiros ab ea
absterrerent sagittas assidue desuper intorquentes et urbem ualide impugnantes.
This comes from Albert of Aachen's Historia Ierosolimitana (the First Crusade),
pp. 660-62 in the edition and translation by Susan B. Edgington (Oxford Medieval
Texts, Oxford, 2007). Albert was not an eyewitness, but he had very detailed
knowledge of events. There are many horrific descriptions of sieges. In another
passage (I quote from the English translation, p. 883), 'The Tyrians, perceiving
that they could not harm the engines in this way [hurling stones], tried to
damage the engines by another artifice. They used ropes to erect a tree of
exceptional height, constructing a certain wide and spacious ring from great
timber in the style of a crown, and fixing it to the top of the tree with iron
chains, and painting that same wooden ring all round with pitch, sulphur, wax,
and fat [adipe], mixed together with tow; they set light to it with fire which
could not be put out by water, then dragged it with ropes all the way to the
place on the walls where Eustace's tower was positioned. Vomiting fierce flames,
it was suddenly released from the tree onto the engine, and irresistible flames
surrounded it on all sides and burnt it with a great and unquenchable fire.'
This is about the year 1111.
Bonnie Blackburn
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Bonnie Blackburn
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fax +44 (0)1865 512237
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Anthony" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 1:24 AM
Subject: Re: [M-R] Oil
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Hi
>
> I've been an interested observer here for a while and this is one of the few
> questions I can contribute to. The short answer is that are no medieval
> references to boiling oil being used in castle sieges and like many medieval
> 'facts' this one appears to be a Victorian invention. As others have pointed
> out both oil and fuel are far too valuable to waste.
...
>
> Hope this helps
>
> Mike
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Diana Wright" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 7:40 PM
> Subject: [M-R] Oil
>
>
>> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>>
>> This is not a very religious question, but perhaps you can tell me anyway.
>>
>> Can anyone provide me with one medieval source for pouring boiling oil [or
>> water] from a castle on attackers?
>>
>> I have just read, for about the 400th time, the statement that defenders of
>> X, Y or Z could pour boiling etc. down on attackers & I realized I don't know
>> a single source for that.
>>
>> DW
>>
>
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