In early July, an epidemic — probably Typhoid — broke out in Antioch. One of the first people to succumb was Bishop Adhemar; his health had been failing him for some time. He died on 1 August. His passing was a huge setback for the Crusade. Chroniclers of the First Crusade and contemporary Historians have not written extensively about Bishop Adhemar, but, to the First Crusaders, he was more than just a bishop and spiritual advisor. Adhemar was Pope Urban’s advocate: he promoted unity between the Greek Orthodox and the Latin Church; he cared for the sick and the poor; he always gave wise advice, even on military matters, and was a valiant warrior himself. Moreover, Bishop Adhemar kept the crusaders’ selfish ambitions and their intolerance of Greek, Syrian and Armenian Christians in check. The crusaders highly mourned the man who had helped keep their faith strong and who had contributed militarily to their survival. Especially Raymond of Toulouse.
Since he was closely associated with Bishop Adhemar, Raymond enjoyed a good degree of authority, but his cohorts never recognized him as a prudent and amiable spiritual leader. Desperate to obtain recognition as the leader of the Crusade and to oust Bohemond from Antioch, Raymond cultivated a close friendship with the visionary Peter Bartholomew even though Peter detested Bishop Adhemar. Yet, Raymond had always believed in the authenticity of the Holy Lance and he was prepared to use it as a tool to build his authority.
As the summer progressed, the cult of the Holy Lance grew and Peter’s visions became increasingly vivid, much to Raymond’s advantage. According to Peter, Adhemar’s spirit had visited him. After having been punished severely for doubting the authenticity of the Holy Lance, Adhemar now recognized it as genuine. Word of his vision spread throughout the army very quickly and within two days after his death, Bishop Adhemar was buried in the Basilica of St. Peter in the very spot where the Holy Lance was discovered. However, Peter’s visions did not come to an end. He claimed that Adhemar continued to visit him. During one visit, Adhemar advised that the crusaders pledge their allegiance to Raymond and recognize him as the expedition’s leader. It is quite possible that Peter fabricated that vision after being bribed by Raymond to do so. But then again, given how fanatical and psychologically unstable Peter was, there is no doubt he had those visions without being bribed or prompted by anyone.
Regardless, Peter did gain a following among the Southern French and Provencals. They were the ones who had always believed in the authenticity of the Holy Lance. Since many of them were already vassals to Raymond, they accepted him as the Crusade’s new leader, no questions asked. Bohemond, the Northern French Normans and the Italian Normans, on the contrary, hotly contested Peter’s visions as well as Raymond’s capability of being the army’s spiritual and military leader. The other princes did not rally to Raymond’s cause because they had already agreed to let Bohemond govern Antioch until the Emperor Alexius arrived. So, Raymond had to find another way to undermine Bohemond’s control over Antioch.
To be continued…
Sources Used:
Asbridge, Thomas. The Crusades: The Authoritative History of The War For The Holy Land. Ecco; New York, 2011.
Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades: The First Crusade. Vol.1. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 1951.
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