The Conquest of Santarém and Goswin’s Song of the Conquest of Alcácer Do Sal : Editions and Translations of De Expugnatione Scalabis and Gosuini De Expugnatione Salaciae Carmen

Achieved at the height of the Crusades, the Christian conquests of Santarém in 1147 by King Afonso I, and of Alcácer do Sal in 1217 by Portuguese forces and northern European warriors on their way by sea to Palestine, were crucial events in the creation of the independent kingdom of Portugal. The two texts presented here survive in their unique, thirteenth-century manuscript copies appended to a codex belonging to one of Europe’s most important monastic library collections accumulated in the Cistercian abbey of Alcobaça, founded c. 1153 by Bernard of Clairvaux. Accompanied by comprehensive introductions and here translated into English for the first time, these extraordinary texts are based on eyewitness testimony of the conquests. They contain much detail for the military historian, including data on operational tactics and the ideology of Christian holy war in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Literary historians too will be delighted by the astonishing styles deployed, demonstrating considerable authorial flamboyance, flair and innovation. While they are likely written by Goswin of Bossut, the search for authorship yields an impressive array of literary friends and associates, including James of Vitry, Thomas of Cantimpré, Oliver of Paderborn and Caesarius of Heisterbach. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Dedication Page 8 Contents 10 List of figures 12 List of maps 13 Acknowledgements 14 List of abbreviations 15 General introduction 18 Part I De expugnatione Scalabis 20 The road to Santarém 24 The Scalabis and Liturgy 41 The Scalabis and Rhetoric 60 The glory of kings 68 Previous editions and translations of De expugnatione Scalabis 76 De expugnatione Scalabis, Latin text with English translation 77 Part II Gosuini de Expugnatione Salaciae Carmen 90 SUERIUS commissioner of the Carmen, and the ‘First Portuguese Crusade’ 92 In search of the author, GOSUINUS 114 Gosuini de expugnatione Salaciae carmen, Latin text with English translation 158 Appendix I: Inscribed text, Alc.415 fol. 146v 170 Appendix II: Maps 173 Bibliography 176 Index 196 The,road,to,Santarém;,Gosuini,de,Expugnatione,Salaciae,Carmen;,GOSUINUS The road to Santarém,Gosuini de Expugnatione Salaciae Carmen,GOSUINUS "Achieved at the height of the Crusades, the Christian Conquests of Santarém in 1147 by King Afonso I, and of Alcácer do Sal in 1217 by Portuguese forces and Northern European Warriors on their way by sea to Palestine, were crucial events in the creation of the independent kingdom of Portugal. The two texts presented here survive in their unique, thirteenth-century manuscript copies appended to a codex belonging to one of Europe's most important monastic library collections accumulated in the Cistercian abbey of Alcobaça founded in 1153 by Bernard of Clairvaux. Accompanied by comprehensive introductions and here translated into English for the first time, these extraordinary texts are based on eye-witness testimony and contain much detail for the military historian including data on operational tactics and the ideology of Christian holy war in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Literary historians too will be delighted by the astonishing styles deployed, demonstrating considerable authorial flamboyance, flair and innovation. Likely fruits of the pen of Goswin of Bossut who flourished during the 1230s as cantor of Villers Abbey in Brabant (Southern Netherlands), the search for authorship yields an impressive array of literary friends and associates including, James of Vitry, Thomas of Cantimpré, Oliver of Paderborn and Caesarius of Heisterbach"-- Provided by publisher "Achieved at the height of the Crusades, the Christian Conquests of Santarém in 1147 by King Afonso I, and of Alcácer do Sal in 1217 by Portuguese forces and Northern European Warriors on their way by sea to Palestine, were crucial events in the creation of the independent kingdom of Portugal. The two texts presented here survive in their unique, thirteenth-century manuscript copies appended to a codex belonging to one of Europe's most important monastic library collections accumulated in the Cistercian abbey of Alcobaça founded in 1153 by Bernard of Clairvaux. Accompanied by comprehensive introductions and here translated into English for the first time, these extraordinary texts are based on eye-witness testimony and contain much detail for the military historian including data on operational tactics and the ideology of Christian holy war in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Literary historians too will be delighted by the astonishing styles deployed, demonstrating considerable authorial flamboyance, flair and innovation. Likely fruits of the pen of Goswin of Bossut who flourished during the 1230s as cantor of Villers Abbey in Brabant (Southern Netherlands), the search for authorship yields an impressive array of literary friends and associates including, James of Vitry, Thomas of Cantimpré, Oliver of Paderborn and Caesarius of Heisterbach"-- Prové de l'editor Accompanied by comprehensive introductions and here translated into English for the first time, the two texts presented in this volume provide unique eyewitness testimony of the Christian conquests of Santarém in 1147 by King Afonso I, and of Alcácer do Sal in 1217.