medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I had forgotten the 1st Crusade stuff -- of course. Thank you for this.
DW
Bonnie Blackburn wrote:
> 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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