"The epitaph says, for those who can read it, that he is a saint and martyr who shall breathe again and shall in wondrous joy inherit and flourish, shall wear a crown and be seated in the kingdom. And I have heard it said that this must be so -- if by killing men and shedding blood, by damning souls and causing deaths, by trusting evil counsels, by setting fires, destroying men, dishonouring paratge, seizing lands and encouraging pride, by kindling evil and quenching good, by killing women and slaughtering children, a man can in this world win Jesus Christ, certainly Count Simon wears a crown and shines in heaven above." (trans. Janet Shirley)
For me, the view from his supporters of this crusading warlord as a martyr earning a crown in heaven, and the biting sarcasm of the Anonymous Continuator's response to it, sums up much of the spirit of this dark chapter of history. It shows that even during the events themselves, history was being written by some and disputed by others. The struggle between different narratives continues to this day and is the subject of this blog.
-- Sam Taylor
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