IMC 2013: Sessions
Session 218: The Pleasure of Crusading, II: The Pleasure of Being Killed
Monday 1 July 2013, 14.15-15.45
Sponsor: | Society for the Study of the Crusades & the Latin East / Centre for Medieval Literature, Syddansk Universitet, Odense & University of York |
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Organiser: | Kurt Villads Jensen, Institut for Historie, Kultur & Samfundsbeskrivelse, Syddansk Universitet, Odense |
Moderator/Chair: | Sini Kangas, Department of Philosophy, History, Culture & Art Studies, University of Helsinki |
Paper 218-a | In the Company of Martyrs?: The Wonderful Death by the Hands of Baltic Pagans (Language: English) Index terms: Crusades, Historiography - Medieval, Mentalities |
Paper 218-b | Sweet Delights of Crusading: Earthly Pleasures, Physical Sufferings, and Spiritual Joys in the Crusade Propaganda of the 13th Century (Language: English) Index terms: Crusades, Mentalities, Sermons and Preaching |
Paper 218-c | The Emotional Rhetoric of Crusader Spirituality in the Narratives of the First Crusade (Language: English) Index terms: Crusades, Historiography - Medieval, Mentalities |
Abstract | Crusading was an act of love and combined extreme pride in fighting for a lofty cause, and extreme humility in fighting to the ultimate, to martyrdom. The pleasure of crusading is explored in two sessions, 'The Pleasure of Being Killed', and 'The Pleasure of Killing'. Paper -a: Paper -b: Paper -c: By analysing representations of fear and weeping in the Latin narratives of the First Crusade, this paper argues that emotions and affective displays function as indicators of participants' piety. It will firstly be suggested that fear of death was primarily illustrative of a deficiency of faith - that, rather than fearing death, the idealised crusader unflinchingly placed their hope in God and, in several of the texts, joyously sought martyrdom for Christ. It then considers depictions of weeping - including tears of joy - as an instrument for invoking divine assistance and as evidence of participants' dedication to Jerusalem. |