Peter the Hermit was one of the most important people of the medieval era. He was instrumental in rousing the peasants of Europe and convincing them to march east on crusade. However, for someone so significant we can say almost nothing about him for sure. His life is basically one big legend. In our quest to explain the First Crusade we first need to try and explain its most charismatic leader. Tune in and find out how fake massacres, holy visions, and donkey riding all play a role in the story.

Works Cited

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Asbridge, Thomas. “The Holy Lance of Antioch: Power, Devotion, and Memory on the First Crusade”. Reading Medieval Studies vol. 33, 3-16: 2007.

Blake, E.o., and C. Morris. “A Hermit Goes to War: Peter and the Origins of the First Crusade.” Studies in Church History, vol. 22, 1985, pp. 79–107., doi:10.1017/s0424208400007890.

Cobb, Paul M. The Race for Paradise: an Islamic History of the Crusades. Oxford University Press, 2016.

Daileader, Phillip. “How the Crusades Changed History”. The Great Courses. Audible: The College of William and Mary, 2013.

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Rubenstein, Jay. Armies of Heaven: the First Crusade and the Quest for Apocalypse. Basic Books, 2011.