Heroines of the Crusades Part 42

NOTE RRR.--PAGE 267.

The song of Richard and Blondell is found in _Burney's History of Music_, vol. 2, p. 236.

NOTE SSS.--PAGE 271.

"_The black banner._"--Finding his end approaching, Saladin commanded the black standard, which had so often led the way to victory, to be taken down, and replaced by the shroud which was to wrap his body in the grave.

This was then borne through the streets, while the cries called all men to behold what Saladin, the mighty conqueror, carried away with him of all his vast dominion. Saladin died, a monarch in whose character, though the good was not unmixed with evil, the great qualities so far preponderated, that they overbalanced the effects of a barbarous epoch and a barbarous religion, and left in him a splendid exception to most of the vices of his age, his country and his creed.--_James' History of Chivalry_, p. 264.

NOTE TTT.--PAGE 273.

"_The Fourth Crusade._"--Saphadin marched against them, and the Germans did not decline the combat. Victory was on the side of the Christians; but it was bought by the death of many brave warriors, particularly of the Duke of Saxony, and of the son of the Duke of Austria. But the Germans did not profit by this success, for news arrived from Europe, that the great support of the crusade, Henry VI., was dead. The Archbishop of Mayence, and all those princes who had an interest in the election of a German sovereign, deserted the Holy Land.--_Mills' History of the Crusades_, p. 172.

NOTE UUU.--PAGE 277.

"_Blanche of Castile._"--This queen, so justly celebrated for her talents in the administration of government, as well as her lofty character and the excellent education her son received under her direction, was granddaughter of Eleonor of Guyenne. She was born at Burgos, in Spain, in 1185, and was the daughter of Alphonso IX., King of Castile, and of Eleonor, daughter of Henry II. of England.--_Queens of England_, p. 164.

NOTE VVV.--PAGE 284.

"_Suabia._"--In 1030, Frederic of Staufen, Lord of Hohenstaufen, displayed so much courage in battle, that the Emperor, Henry IV., bestowed upon him the Duchy of Suabia, and his daughter Agnes in marriage. Thus was laid the foundation of the future greatness of a house, whose elevation and fall are among the most important epochs in the history of the German empire.

The inextinguishable hatred of the Guelphs, against the house of Hohenstaufen (Ghibelines) resulted in a contest which involved Germany and Italy in acc.u.mulated sufferings for more than three hundred years.--_See Encyclopedia._

NOTE WWW.--PAGE 288.

"_Submission of the eastern Empire to the Pope._"--If the French would place Alexius on the throne, religious schism should be healed; the eastern church should be brought into subjection to the church of Rome; and Greece should pour forth her population and her treasures for the recovery of the Holy Land.--_See Encyclopedia._

NOTE x.x.x.--PAGE 291.

"_St. Dominic._"--The Dominicans originated in 1215, at Toulouse. The princ.i.p.al objects of their inst.i.tution was to preach against heretics.

This pa.s.sion for heresy-hunting established the order of the Inquisition.

The Dominicans were called Jacobins in France, because their first convent at Paris, was in the _rue_ St. Jaques. Their order is now flouris.h.i.+ng only in Spain, Portugal, Sicily and America.--_See Encyclopedia._

NOTE YYY.--PAGE 296.

"_Magna Charta._"--The Great Charter of Liberties, extorted from King John, in 1215. The barons who composed the army of G.o.d and the Holy Church, were the whole n.o.bility of England; their followers comprehended all the yeomanry and free peasantry with the citizens and burgesses of London. John had been obliged to yield to this general union, and, June 15th, both encamped on the plain called Runneymede, on the banks of the Thames, and conferences were opened, which were concluded on the 19th. The thirty-ninth article contains the writ of _habeas corpus_, and the trial by jury, the most effectual securities against oppression which the wisdom of man has ever devised.--_See Encyclopedia._

NOTE ZZZ.--PAGE 307.

"_Filled the office of Regent of Jerusalem._"--In the 13th century we find woman seated, at least as mother and regent, on many of the western thrones. Blanche, of Castile, governed in the name of her infant son, as did the Countess of Champagne for the young Thibaut, and the Countess of Flanders for her captive husband. Isabella, of Manche, also exercised the greatest influence over her son, Henry III., King of England. Jane, of Flanders, did not content herself with the power, but desired manly honors and ensigns, and claimed at the consecration of St. Louis, the right of her husband to bear the naked sword, the sword of France. By a singular coincidence, a woman, in the year 1250, succeeded, for the first time, a sultan. Before this, a woman's name had never been seen on the coin, or mentioned in the public prayers. The Caliph of Bagdad protested against the scandal of this innovation.--_Michelet's History of France._

NOTE AAAA.--PAGE 308.

"_St. Dunstan._"--Dunstan, Abbot of Glas...o...b..ry, in the year 948, possessed complete ascendancy over King Edred and the councils of state.

He lived for some time in a cell so small that he could neither stand nor sit in it, and was honored with remarkable dreams, visions, and temptations. He it was who introduced the order of Benedictine monks into England.--_Parley's History._

NOTE BBBB.--PAGE 309.

"_Convent of L'Espan._"--Queen Berengaria fixed her residence at Mans, in the Orleannois, where she held a great part of her foreign dower. Here she founded the n.o.ble Abbey of _L'Espan_.--_Queens of England._

NOTE CCCC.--PAGE 314.

"_Sultan of Egypt._"--Saphadin's son, Coradinus, the Prince of Syria and Palestine, did not proclaim the death of his father till he had secured himself in the possession of the royal coffers. Discord and rebellion were universal throughout Egypt when the news arrived of the death of Saphadin, and his son Carnel, lord of that country, was compelled to fly into Arabia for protection from his mutinous people.--_Mills' Crusades._

NOTE DDDD.--PAGE 320.

"_Mongols._"--Genghis Khan, the chief of a mongrel horde, in 1260, conceived the bold plan of conquering the whole earth. After the death of Genghis Khan, in 1227, his sons pursued his conquests, subjugated all China, subverted the Caliphate of Bagdad, and made the Seljook Sultans of Iconium tributary.

NOTE EEEE.--PAGE 323.

"_Wainscoted with gold._"--This description of the Sultan's palace is taken from William of Tyre's glowing account of the "House of Wisdom,"

found in a note of _Michelet's France_, vol. 1, p. 206.

NOTE FFFF.--PAGE 327.

"_Moslem Rosary._"--A rosary of ninety-nine beads, called Tusbah, or implement of praise. In dropping the beads through the fingers, they repeat the attributes of G.o.d, as, O Creator, O merciful, &c., &c. This act of devotion is called Taleel. The name Allah is always joined to the epithet, as "Ya Allah Kalick, Ya Allah Kerreem," found in note to the Bahar Da.n.u.sh.

NOTE GGGG.--PAGE 328.

"_Congregation repeated 'Praise be to G.o.d.'_"--_See Griffith's description of Mahomedan funeral._

NOTE HHHH.--PAGE 330.

Kibla, or Cabbala, signifies oral tradition. The term is used by the Jews and Mahomedans to denote the traditions of their ancestors, or, most commonly, their mystical philosophy.--_Encyclopedia._

NOTE IIII.--PAGE 333.

"_Tones of the Arabic._"--Frederic II., the grandson of Barbarossa, was successively the pupil, the enemy, and the victim of the church. At the age of twenty one years, in obedience to his guardian, Innocent III., he a.s.sumed the cross; the same promise was repeated at his royal and imperial coronations, and his marriage with the heiress of Jerusalem forever bound him to defend the kingdom of his son Conrad. For suspending his vow, Frederic was excommunicated by Gregory IX.; for presuming the next year, to accomplish his vow, he was again excommunicated by the same pope.

He was well formed, of a fair and fine complexion, and a gentle and kind expression of the eye and mouth. He was brave, bold, and generous, and possessed great talents, highly cultivated. He understood all the languages of his subjects--Greek, Latin, Italian, German, French and _Arabic_. He was severe and pa.s.sionate, mild or liberal, as circ.u.mstances required; gay, cheerful, and lively, as his feelings dictated. He was a noted Freethinker, and regarded men of all religions with equal favor.

NOTE JJJJ.--PAGE 346.