罗马帝国消亡史经典英文版 (140).docxVIP

PAGE

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

Chapter59:TheCrusades.

PartI.

PreservationOfTheGreekEmpire.-Numbers,Passage,AndEvent,OfTheSecondAndThirdCrusades.-St.Bernard.-ReignOfSaladinInEgyptAndSyria.-HisConquestOfJerusalem.-NavalCrusades.-RichardTheFirstOfEngland.-PopeInnocentTheThird;AndTheFourthAndFifthCrusades.-TheEmperorFredericTheSecond.-LouisTheNinthOfFrance;AndTheTwoLastCrusades.-ExpulsionOfTheLatinsOrFranksByTheMamelukes.

Inastylelessgravethanthatofhistory,IshouldperhapscomparetheemperorAlexius^1tothejackal,whoissaidtofollowthesteps,andtodevourtheleavings,ofthelion.Whateverhadbeenhisfearsandtoilsinthepassageofthefirstcrusade,theywereamplyrecompensedbythesubsequentbenefitswhichhederivedfromtheexploitsoftheFranks.HisdexterityandvigilancesecuredtheirfirstconquestofNice;andfromthisthreateningstationtheTurkswerecompelledtoevacuatetheneighborhoodofConstantinople.Whilethecrusaders,withblindvalor,advancedintothemidlandcountriesofAsia,thecraftyGreekimprovedthefavorableoccasionwhentheemirsofthesea-coastwererecalledtothestandardofthesultan.TheTurksweredrivenfromtheIslesofRhodesandChios:thecitiesofEphesuandSmyrna,ofSardes,Philadelphia,andLaodicea,wererestoredtotheempire,whichAlexiusenlargedfromtheHellesponttothebanksoftheMaeander,andtherockyshoresofPamphylia.Thechurchesresumedtheirsplendor:thetownswererebuiltandfortified;andthedesertcountrywaspeopledwithcoloniesofChristians,whoweregentlyremovedfromthemoredistantanddangerousfrontier.Inthesepaternalcares,wemayforgiveAlexius,ifheforgotthedeliveranceoftheholysepulchre;but,bytheLatins,hewasstigmatizedwiththefoulreproachoftreasonanddesertion.Theyhadswornfidelityandobediencetohisthrone;buthehadpromisedtoass