Gone Medieval Rewriting the First Crusade
Sep 6, 2024
Dr. Thomas Smith, a leading historian of the Crusades, joins Matt Lewis to unravel the complexities of the First Crusade. They discuss how a collection of 22 crusader letters challenges traditional narratives and underscores authenticity issues in medieval scholarship. Dr. Smith introduces the concept of 'textual archaeology,' revealing original manuscripts beneath later alterations. The conversation also explores how local agendas shaped crusade narratives, inviting listeners to rethink their perceptions of this pivotal historical event.
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Size And Scope Of The Letter Corpus
- Twenty-two letters from the First Crusade form an unusually large corpus for 1095–1100 and include papal, episcopal and crusader voices.
- These letters are key sources for both events and contemporary reactions to the campaign.
Why Letters Were Overlooked
- The letters were less studied partly because many remain untranslated and the last full edition dates to 1901 by Heinrich Hägermeyer.
- New digital manuscript access lets scholars re-examine and find overlooked variants.
Munich Manuscript Discovery
- Smith discovered a variant manuscript in Munich that differed from the published edition and hadn't been published itself.
- The variant reflected a more German perspective and omitted deeds of French Norman crusaders.