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Fulcher of Chartres
Fulcher of Chartres (c. 1059 in or near Chartres – after 1128; French: Foucher de Chartres; Latin: Fulcherus Carnotensis) was a priest who participated in the First Crusade. He served Baldwin I of Jerusalem for many years and wrote a Latin chronicle of the Crusade.
Fulcher was born c. 1059. His appointment as chaplain of Baldwin of Boulogne in 1097 suggests that he had been trained as a priest, most likely at the school of Chartres. However, he was probably not a member of the cathedral chapter, since he is not named in the listing of the Dignitaries of the Church of Our Lady of Chartres.
The details of the Council of Clermont of 1095, in his history, suggest he attended the council personally, or knew someone who did; perhaps Ivo, Bishop of Chartres, who influenced Fulcher's opinions on Church reform and the investiture controversy with the Holy Roman Empire.
Fulcher was part of the entourage of Count Stephen II of Blois and Duke Robert Curthose of Normandy which made its way through southern France and Italy in 1096, crossing into the Eastern Roman Empire from Bari and arriving in Constantinople in 1097, where they joined with the other armies of the First Crusade. He travelled through Asia Minor to Marash, shortly before the army's arrival at Antioch in 1097, where he was appointed chaplain to Baldwin of Boulogne. He followed his new lord after Baldwin split off from the main army, to Edessa, where Baldwin founded the county of Edessa.
After the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 Fulcher and Baldwin travelled to the city to complete their pilgrimage. When Baldwin became king of Jerusalem in 1100, Fulcher came with him to Jerusalem and continued as his chaplain until Baldwin died in 1118.
Fulcher accompanied King Baldwin at the Battle of Ramla in 1101, ministering to the king before the battle. He described the battle, "the number of foe was so great they swarmed over us so quickly that hardly anyone could see or recognize anyone else." Although the Crusaders were routed at first, Baldwin committed his reserves and lead the counter charge himself and defeated the Muslim force.
At that time, Fulcher may have been serving as Prior at the Mount of Olives. After 1115 he was the canon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, possibly attached to the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre, and was probably responsible for the relics and treasures in the church. Fulcher was a resident of Jerusalem at least through 1127, but nothing further is known of him.
Fulcher wrote his chronicle of the Crusade Gesta Francorum Iherusalem Peregrinantium (A history of the expedition to Jerusalem) in three books. He started writing it in 1101 and finished around 1128. The chronicle is considered among the best records of the crusade. Included in the chronicle is his account of Pope Urban II's November 1095 speech at the Council of Clermont where Urban calls for the First Crusade:
Fulcher of Chartres
Fulcher of Chartres (c. 1059 in or near Chartres – after 1128; French: Foucher de Chartres; Latin: Fulcherus Carnotensis) was a priest who participated in the First Crusade. He served Baldwin I of Jerusalem for many years and wrote a Latin chronicle of the Crusade.
Fulcher was born c. 1059. His appointment as chaplain of Baldwin of Boulogne in 1097 suggests that he had been trained as a priest, most likely at the school of Chartres. However, he was probably not a member of the cathedral chapter, since he is not named in the listing of the Dignitaries of the Church of Our Lady of Chartres.
The details of the Council of Clermont of 1095, in his history, suggest he attended the council personally, or knew someone who did; perhaps Ivo, Bishop of Chartres, who influenced Fulcher's opinions on Church reform and the investiture controversy with the Holy Roman Empire.
Fulcher was part of the entourage of Count Stephen II of Blois and Duke Robert Curthose of Normandy which made its way through southern France and Italy in 1096, crossing into the Eastern Roman Empire from Bari and arriving in Constantinople in 1097, where they joined with the other armies of the First Crusade. He travelled through Asia Minor to Marash, shortly before the army's arrival at Antioch in 1097, where he was appointed chaplain to Baldwin of Boulogne. He followed his new lord after Baldwin split off from the main army, to Edessa, where Baldwin founded the county of Edessa.
After the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 Fulcher and Baldwin travelled to the city to complete their pilgrimage. When Baldwin became king of Jerusalem in 1100, Fulcher came with him to Jerusalem and continued as his chaplain until Baldwin died in 1118.
Fulcher accompanied King Baldwin at the Battle of Ramla in 1101, ministering to the king before the battle. He described the battle, "the number of foe was so great they swarmed over us so quickly that hardly anyone could see or recognize anyone else." Although the Crusaders were routed at first, Baldwin committed his reserves and lead the counter charge himself and defeated the Muslim force.
At that time, Fulcher may have been serving as Prior at the Mount of Olives. After 1115 he was the canon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, possibly attached to the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre, and was probably responsible for the relics and treasures in the church. Fulcher was a resident of Jerusalem at least through 1127, but nothing further is known of him.
Fulcher wrote his chronicle of the Crusade Gesta Francorum Iherusalem Peregrinantium (A history of the expedition to Jerusalem) in three books. He started writing it in 1101 and finished around 1128. The chronicle is considered among the best records of the crusade. Included in the chronicle is his account of Pope Urban II's November 1095 speech at the Council of Clermont where Urban calls for the First Crusade: