Peter the Hermit

 ‘…' As we hear,' replied Nicephorus, ' this Godfrey is one of

the wisest, noblest, and bravest of the leaders who have thus

strangely put themselves in motion ; and among a list of inde-

pendent princes, as many in number as those who assembled

for the siege of Troy, and followed, most of them, by subjects

ten times more numerous, this Godfrey may be regarded as the

Agamemnon. The princes and counts esteem him, because he

is the foremost in the ranks of those whom they fantastically

call knights, and also on account of the good faith and gener-

osity which he practises in all his transactions. The clergy give

 him credit for the highest zeal for the doctrines of religion,

and a corresponding respect for the church and its dignitaries.

Justice, liberality, and frankness have equally attached to this

Godfrey the lower class of the people. His general attention

to moral obligations is a pledge to them that his religion is

real ; and, gifted with so much that is excellent, he is already,

although inferior in rank, birth, and power to many chiefs of

the crusade, justly regarded as one of its principal leaders.'

' Pity,' said the Emperor, ' that a character such as you

describe this prince to be should be under the dominion of a

fanaticism scarce worthy of Peter the Hermit , or the clownish

multitude which he led, or of the very ass which he rode upon ;

which I am apt to think the wisest of the first multitude whom

we beheld, seeing that it ran away towards Europe as soon as

water and barley became scarce.'…’

Peter the Hermit of Amiens is the famous charismatic leader of the People’s Crudade to regain the Holy Land.  Peter led a peasant army of 40,000, which among other accomplishments, landed him in Walter Scott’s “Count Robert of Paris”.  Emperor Alexius’ speech portrays Peter as many people of the time – and later – felt.  Peter’s death is placed on July 8^, in 1108.