The Age Of Nicholas Of Cologne: A Historical Inquiry

In 1212, a young man named Nicholas of Cologne led thousands of German children on the ill-fated Children's Crusade. Little is known about Nicholas, except that he claimed to have received divine instruction to rescue Jerusalem from the Muslims. He believed that when he reached the Mediterranean, God would part the waters as the Red Sea had been parted for Moses. Between Easter and Pentecost of 1212, Nicholas is believed to have inspired thousands of followers – men and women, as well as children – to join him in Cologne.

Who was Nicholas of Cologne?

In 1212, a young man named Nicholas from Cologne, Germany, became the leader of a popular movement that swept through the Rhineland. After allegedly receiving divine instruction, Nicholas set out to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims. He believed that when he reached the Mediterranean, God would part the waters and allow him and his followers to cross.

Between Easter and Pentecost of 1212, Nicholas is believed to have inspired thousands of followers – men and women, as well as children – to join him in Cologne. He is said to have believed that the sea would part as the Red Sea did for Moses, allowing the crusaders to reach Jerusalem safely.

The Children's Crusade, as it came to be known, was a failed popular movement (not sanctioned by the Pope) that sought to take back Jerusalem from Muslim control. It was inspired by the earlier crusades of Western European Christians. While there are few first-hand sources about Nicholas of Cologne, it is believed that he led thousands of German children on this ill-fated crusade.

Little is known about Nicholas of Cologne, except that he originated from the city and led this crusade. He has also been likened to the Pied Piper of Hamelin, who, according to folklore, lured away the children of the town with his pipe.

What was the Children's Crusade?

The Children's Crusade was a popular religious movement that took place in Europe during the summer of 1212. Thousands of young people took vows to crusade and set out to recover Jerusalem from the Muslims. The events of the Crusade are disputed, but it is thought that there were two separate movements of people, including adults, from Germany and France.

The first movement was led by Nicholas of Cologne, a shepherd from the Rhineland in Germany. He led a group of around 7,000 people across the Alps and into Italy in the early spring of 1212. They believed that the Mediterranean Sea would part before them, allowing them to cross into the Holy Land. However, when this did not happen, many became disillusioned and settled in Italian cities.

The second movement was led by Stephen of Cloyes, a twelve-year-old French shepherd boy. He claimed to have received a letter for the king of France from Jesus, who was disguised as a poor pilgrim. He attracted a following of over 30,000 people, including adults and children, and went to Saint-Denis, where he was reported to have caused miracles. Despite this, Philip II ordered the group to disperse, and Stephen's followers gradually dwindled as they travelled through France.

The Children's Crusade lacked official sanction and ended in failure; none of the participants reached the Holy Land. However, the religious fervour it excited helped to initiate the Fifth Crusade in 1218.

What was Nicholas of Cologne's role in the Children's Crusade?

In 1212, a young man named Nicholas of Cologne became the focal point for a popular movement that swept through the Rhineland. After having allegedly received divine instruction, Nicholas set out to rescue Jerusalem from the Muslims. He believed that when he reached the Mediterranean, God would dry up the waters, allowing him and his followers to walk to Jerusalem.

Nicholas led thousands of German children on the ill-fated Children's Crusade. He led the German pueri southward to Mainz and Speyer. There were also French pueri, as well as pueri from the region between France and Germany, among them.

Nicholas said that the sea would open up before them just as the Lord had done for the Israelites and allow his followers to cross into the Holy Land. Rather than intending to fight the Saracens, he said that the Muslim kingdoms would be defeated when their citizens converted to Christianity. His disciples went off to preach the call for the "Crusade" across the German lands, and they massed in Cologne after a few weeks. Splitting into two groups, the crowds took different roads through Switzerland. Two out of every three people on the journey died, while many others returned to their homes. About 7,000 arrived in Genoa in late August.

Nicholas refused to say he was defeated and travelled to Pisa, his movement continuing to break up along the way. In Pisa, two ships directed to Palestine agreed to embark on several of the children who perhaps managed to reach the Holy Land. Nicholas and a few loyal followers, instead, continued to the Papal States, where they met Pope Innocent III. The remaining ones departed for Germany after the Pontiff exhorted them to be good and to return home to their families.

The Children's Crusade was different from other Crusades. It didn't have the approval of the Church, it arose independently, and its participants didn't even have weapons. Rather, they bore crosses, banners, and an optimistic assumption that once they got to the Holy Land, they could convert Muslims with persuasion and divine intervention.

What was the outcome of the Children's Crusade?

The Children's Crusade, which took place in 1212, was a failed attempt by European Christians to establish a second Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Holy Land. Although it is called the Children's Crusade, it was not sanctioned by the Pope and there is debate about whether the participants were all literal children. The movement was led by Nicholas of Cologne in Germany and Stephen of Cloyes in France, who each gathered thousands of followers. The exact number of participants is unclear, with estimates ranging from 7,000 to 30,000.

The German crusade, led by Nicholas, began in the spring of 1212. Nicholas, a shepherd, claimed that God had instructed him to lead a crusade to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. He believed that when he reached the Mediterranean Sea, God would part the waters and allow him and his followers to walk to Jerusalem. However, when they arrived in Genoa, the sea did not part, and the group disbanded. Some followers returned home, while others may have travelled to other cities in search of passage to the Holy Land. Nicholas himself travelled to the Papal States, where he met with Pope Innocent III before attempting to cross the Alps a second time. He did not survive this journey.

The French crusade, led by Stephen, also began in the spring of 1212. Stephen, a 12-year-old shepherd, claimed that he had received a letter from Jesus, instructing him to lead a crusade and deliver letters to King Philip II of France. Stephen and his followers travelled to Paris, where they sought an audience with the king. Philip II did not support their cause and, after consulting with churchmen, commanded them to return home.

Despite not reaching the Holy Land, the Children's Crusade had a significant impact on 13th-century culture, with over 50 chroniclers recording the event. The episode illustrates the widespread sympathy for the Crusade movement among the common people of Europe, and it demonstrated that it was not just nobles and knights who felt compelled to defend Christianity and its sacred places.

What was the significance of the Children's Crusade?

The Children's Crusade was a failed popular crusade by European Christians to establish a second Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Holy Land in the early 13th century. The crusade is thought to have taken place in 1212 and was led by a German boy, Nicholas of Cologne, and a French boy, Stephen of Cloyes.

The traditional narrative of the Children's Crusade is likely a mix of historical and mythical events. According to this narrative, a boy in France or Germany begins to preach, claiming that Jesus had visited him and instructed him to lead a Crusade to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. Through miracles, he gains a following of up to 30,000 children. He leads them towards the Mediterranean Sea, believing that the sea will part and allow them to walk to Jerusalem. However, this does not happen, and the children are either sold into slavery in Tunis or die in a shipwreck.

The actual events of the Children's Crusade are disputed. It is believed that there were two separate movements of people, including adults, from Germany and France. In the first movement, Nicholas, a shepherd from the Rhineland in Germany, tried to lead a group across the Alps and into Italy in early 1212. He said that the sea would open up before them, allowing his followers to cross into the Holy Land, and that the Muslim kingdoms would be defeated when their citizens converted to Christianity. His followers massed in Cologne and then split into two groups, taking different roads through Switzerland. About 7,000 arrived in Genoa, but most were disappointed when the sea did not part. Nicholas and a few loyal followers continued to the Papal States, where they met Pope Innocent III.

The second movement was led by Stephen of Cloyes, a twelve-year-old French shepherd boy. Stephen claimed that he bore a letter for the king of France from Jesus, who was disguised as a poor pilgrim. He attracted a following of over 30,000, including adults but mostly children. He travelled around France, spreading his message and promising to lead charges of Christ to Jerusalem. At the end of June 1212, Stephen led his followers from Vendôme to Marseilles, surviving by begging for food.

The Children's Crusade did not receive papal approval from Pope Innocent III to be considered an official Crusade. However, it excited religious fervour that helped initiate the Fifth Crusade (1217-1221). The unusual rise and terrible fall of the movement earned it the nickname "Children's Crusade," which still sticks today.

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