The Children’s Crusade 1212 – Part 1: Stephen of Cloyes
Conflicted: A History Podcast
The First Crusade’s Violent Legacy
Zach Cornwell revisits the 1099 capture and massacre of Jerusalem, contrasting the brutality of conquest with its sanitized European mythology.
In the late spring of 1212, a spontaneous mass movement of 30,000 children arose in medieval France. Led by a 12-year-old shepherd boy named Stephen from the small village of Cloyes, the “Children’s Crusade” swore to march on the Holy Land and peacefully reclaim the city of Jerusalem from Muslim control. In this first episode of a two-part series, we examine the origins of the Children’s Crusade, the historiographical controversy surrounding it, and the enigmatic figure at its center, Stephen of Cloyes.
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This episode is sponsored by Rula. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/conflicted #rulapod
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