TheCrusadesappearnevertohaveexcitedsomuchattentioninEnglandasonthecontinentofEurope；notbecausethepeoplewerelessfanaticalthantheirneighbours，butbecausetheywereoccupiedinmattersofgraverinterest。TheEnglishweresufferingtooseverelyfromtherecentsuccessfulinvasionoftheirsoil，tohavemuchsympathytobestowuponthedistressesofpeoplesofarawayastheChristiansofPalestine；andwefindthattheytooknopartinthefirstCrusade，andverylittleinthesecond。EventhenthosewhoengagedinitwerechieflyNormanknightsandtheirvassals，andnottheSaxonfranklinsandpopulation，whonodoubtthought，intheirsorrow，asmanywisemenhavethoughtsince，thatcharityshouldbeginathome。
　　Germanywasproductiveofmorezealinthecause，andherraw，uncivilizedhordescontinuedtoissueforthunderthebannersoftheCrossinnumbersapparentlyundiminished，whentheenthusiasmhadlongbeenonthewaneinothercountries。Theyweresunkatthattimeinadeepersloughofbarbarismthantheliveliernationsaroundthem，andtook，inconsequence，alongerperiodtofreethemselvesfromtheirprejudices。Infact，thesecondCrusadedrewitschiefsuppliesofmenfromthatquarter，wherealonetheexpeditioncanbesaidtohaveretainedanyportionofpopularity。
　　SuchwasthestateofthemindofEuropewhenPopeEugenius，movedbythereiteratedentreatiesoftheChristiansofSyria，commissionedSt。Bernardtopreachanewcrusade。St。Bernardwasamaneminentlyqualifiedforthemission。Hewasendowedwithaneloquenceofthehighestorder，couldmoveanauditorytotears，orlaughter，orfury，asitpleasedhim，andhadledalifeofsuchrigidandself-denyingvirtue，thatnotevencalumnycouldliftherfingerandpointitathim。Hehadrenouncedhighprospectsinthechurch，andcontentedhimselfwiththesimpleabbacyofClairvaux，inorderthathemighthavetheleisurehedesired，toraisehispowerfulvoiceagainstabuseswhereverhefoundthem。Vicemetinhimanaustereanduncompromisingreprover；nomanwastoohighforhisreproach，andnonetoolowforhissympathy。HewasjustaswellsuitedforhisageasPetertheHermithadbeenfortheagepreceding。Heappealedmoretothereason，hispredecessortothepassions；PetertheHermitcollectedamob，whileSt。Bernardcollectedanarmy。Bothwereendowedwithequalzealandperseverance，springing，intheone，fromimpulse，andintheotherfromconviction，andadesiretoincreasetheinfluenceofthechurch，thatgreatbodyofwhichhewasapillarandanornament。
　　Oneofthefirstconvertshemadewasinhimselfahost。LouisVII。wasbothsuperstitiousandtyrannical，and，inafitofremorsefortheinfamousslaughterhehadauthorisedatthesackingofVitry，hemadeavowtoundertakethejourneytotheHolyLand。[ThesackingofVitryreflectsindelibledisgraceuponLouisVII。HispredecessorshadbeenlongengagedinresistancetotheoutrageouspowersassumedbythePopes，andLouiscontinuedthesamepolicy。TheecclesiasticalchapterofBourges，havingelectedanArchbishopwithouthisconsent，heproclaimedtheelectiontobeinvalid，andtooksevereandpromptmeasuresagainsttherefractoryclergy。Thibault，CountdeChampagne，tookuparmsindefenceofthePapalauthority，andintrenchedhimselfinthetownofVitry。Louiswasimmediatelyinthefieldtochastisetherebel，andhebesiegedthetownwithsomuchvigour，thattheCountwasforcedtosurrender。Upwardsofthirteenhundredoftheinhabitants，fullyonehalfofwhomwerewomenandchildren，tookrefugeinthechurch；and，whenthegatesofthecitywereopened，andallresistancehadceased，Louisinhumanlygaveorderstosetfiretothechurch，andathousandpersonsperishedintheflames。]HewasinthisdispositionwhenSt。Bernardbegantopreach，andwantedbutlittlepersuasiontoembarkinthecause。Hisexamplehadgreatinfluenceuponthenobility，who，impoverishedasmanyofthemwerebythesacrificesmadebytheirfathersintheholywars，wereanxioustorepairtheirruinedfortunesbyconquestsonaforeignshore。Thesetookthefieldwithsuchvassalsastheycouldcommand，and，inaveryshorttime，anarmywasraisedamountingtotwohundredthousandmen。
　　AtVezelaithemonarchreceivedthecrossfromthehandsofSt。
　　Bernard，onaplatformelevatedinsightofallthepeople。Severalnobles，threebishops，andhisQueen，EleanorofAquitaine，werepresentatthisceremony，andenrolledthemselvesunderthebannersoftheCross，St。Bernardcuttinguphisredsacerdotalvestments，andmakingcrossesofthem，tobesewnontheshouldersofthepeople。AnexhortationfromthePopewasreadtothemultitude，grantingremissionoftheirsinstoallwhoshouldjointheCrusade，anddirectingthatnomanonthatholypilgrimageshouldencumberhimselfwithheavybaggageandvainsuperfluities，andthatthenoblesshouldnottravelwithdogsorfalcons，toleadthemfromthedirectroad，ashadhappenedtosomanyduringthefirstCrusade。
　　ThecommandofthearmywasofferedtoSt。Bernard；buthewiselyrefusedtoacceptastationforwhichhishabitshadunqualifiedhim。
　　AfterconsecratingLouiswithgreatsolemnity，atSt。Denis，aschiefoftheexpedition，hecontinuedhiscoursethroughthecountry，stirringupthepeoplewhereverhewent。Sohighanopinionwasentertainedofhissanctity，thathewasthoughttobeanimatedbythespiritofprophecy，andtobegiftedwiththepowerofworkingmiracles。Manywomen，excitedbyhiseloquence，andencouragedbyhispredictions，forsooktheirhusbandsandchildren，and，clothingthemselvesinmaleattire，hastenedtothewar。St。BernardhimselfwrotealettertothePope，detailinghissuccess，andstating，thatinseveraltownstheredidnotremainasinglemaleinhabitantcapableofbearingarms，andthateverywherecastlesandtownsweretobeseenfilledwithwomenweepingfortheirabsenthusbands。Butinspiteofthisapparententhusiasm，thenumberswhoreallytookuparmswereinconsiderable，andnottobecomparedtotheswarmsofthefirstCrusade。Alevyofnomorethantwohundredthousandmen，whichwastheutmostthenumberamountedto，couldhardlyhavedepopulatedacountrylikeFrancetotheextentmentionedbySt。Bernard。Hisdescriptionofthestateofthecountryappears，therefore，tohavebeenmuchmorepoeticalthantrue。
　　Suger，theableministerofLouis，endeavouredtodissuadehimfromundertakingsolongajourneyatatimewhenhisowndominionssomuchneededhispresence。ButthekingwasprickedinhisconsciencebythecrueltiesofVitry，andwasanxioustomaketheonlyreparationwhichthereligionofthatdayconsideredsufficient。Hewasdesirousmoreoveroftestifyingtotheworld，thatthoughhecouldbravethetemporalpowerofthechurchwhenitencroacheduponhisprerogatives，hecouldrenderalldueobediencetoitsspiritualdecreeswheneveritsuitedhisinterestortalliedwithhisprejudicestosodo。Suger，therefore，imploredinvain，andLouisreceivedthepilgrim’sstaffatSt。Denis，andmadeallpreparationsforhispilgrimage。
　　InthemeantimeSt。BernardpassedintoGermany，wheresimilarsuccessattendedhispreaching。Therenownofhissanctityhadgonebeforehim，andhefoundeverywhereanadmiringaudience。Thousandsofpeople，whocouldnotunderstandawordhesaid，flockedaroundhimtocatchaglimpseofsoholyaman；andtheknightsenrolledthemselvesingreatnumbersintheserviceoftheCross，eachreceivingfromhishandsthesymbolofthecause。ButthepeoplewerenotledawayasinthedaysofGottschalk。Wedonotfindthattheyroseinsuchtremendousmassesoftwoandthreehundredthousandmen，swarmingoverthecountrylikeaplagueoflocusts。Stilltheenthusiasmwasverygreat。Theextraordinarytalesthatweretoldandbelievedofthemiraclesworkedbythepreacherbroughtthecountrypeoplefromfarandnear。Devilsweresaidtovanishathissight，anddiseasesofthemostmalignantnaturetobecuredbyhistouch。[Philip，ArchdeaconofthecathedralofLiege，wroteadetailedaccountofallthemiraclesperformedbySt。Bernardduringthirty-fourdaysofhismission。Theyaveragedabouttenperday。ThedisciplesofSt。Bernardcomplainedbitterlythatthepeopleflockedaroundtheirmasterinsuchnumbers，thattheycouldnotseehalfthemiraclesheperformed。Buttheywillinglytrustedtheeyesofothers，asfarasfaithinthemiracleswent，andseemedtoviewitheachotherwhosecredulityshouldbegreatest。]TheEmperorConradcaughtatlastthecontagionfromhissubjects，anddeclaredhisintentiontofollowtheCross。
　　ThepreparationswerecarriedonsovigorouslyundertheordersofConrad，thatinlessthanthreemonthshefoundhimselfattheheadofanarmycontainingatleastonehundredandfiftythousandeffectivemen，besidesagreatnumberofwomenwhofollowedtheirhusbandsandloverstothewar。Onetroopofthemrodeintheattitudeandarmourofmen:theirchiefworegiltspursandbuskins，andthenceacquiredtheepithetofthegolden-footedlady。ConradwasreadytosetoutlongbeforetheFrenchMonarch，andinthemonthofJune1147，hearrivedbeforeConstantinople，havingpassedthroughHungaryandBulgariawithoutoffencetotheinhabitants。
　　ManuelComnenus，theGreekEmperor，successornotonlytothethrone，buttothepolicyofAlexius，lookedwithalarmuponthenewlevieswhohadcometoeatuphiscapitalandimperilitstranquillity。Tooweaktorefusethemapassagethroughhisdominions，toodistrustfulofthemtomakethemwelcomewhentheycame，andtoolittleassuredoftheadvantageslikelytoresulttohimselffromthewar，tofeignafriendshipwhichhedidnotfeel，theGreekEmperorgaveoffenceattheveryoutset。Hissubjects，intheprideofsuperiorcivilization，calledtheGermansbarbarians，whilethelatter，who，ifsemi-barbarous，wereatleasthonestandstraight-forward，retortedupontheGreeksbycallingthemdouble-facedknavesandtraitors。Disputescontinuallyarosebetweenthem，andConrad，whohadpreservedsomuchgoodorderamonghisfollowersduringtheirpassage，wasunabletorestraintheirindignationwhentheyarrivedatConstantinople。ForsomeoffenceorotherwhichtheGreekshadgiventhem，butwhichisratherhintedatthanstatedbythescantyhistoriansoftheday，theGermansbrokeintothemagnificentpleasuregardenoftheEmperor，wherehehadavaluablecollectionoftameanimals，forwhichthegroundshadbeenlaidoutinwoods，caverns，groves，andstreams，thateachmightfollowincaptivityhisnaturalhabits。TheenragedGermans，meritingthenameofbarbariansthathadbeenbestoweduponthem，laidwastethispleasantretreat，andkilledorletloosethevaluableanimalsitcontained。Manuel，whoissaidtohavebeheldthedevastationfromhispalacewindowswithoutpowerorcouragetopreventit，wascompletelydisgustedwithhisguests，andresolved，likehispredecessorAlexius，togetridofthemonthefirstopportunity。HesentamessagetoConradrespectfullydesiringaninterview，buttheGermanrefusedtotrusthimselfwithinthewallsofConstantinople。TheGreekEmperor，onhispart，thoughtitcompatibleneitherwithhisdignitynorhissafetytoseektheGerman，andseveraldayswerespentininsincerenegotiations。ManuelatlengthagreedtofurnishthecrusadingarmywithguidestoconductitthroughAsiaMinor；andConradpassedovertheHellespontwithhisforces，theadvancedguardbeingcommandedbyhimself，andtherearbythewarlikeBishopofFreysinghen。
　　HistoriansarealmostunanimousintheirbeliefthatthewilyGreekgaveinstructionstohisguidestoleadthearmyoftheGermanEmperorintodangersanddifficulties。Itiscertain，thatinsteadofguidingthemthroughsuchdistrictsofAsiaMinorasaffordedwaterandprovisions，theyledthemintothewildsofCappadocia，whereneitherwastobeprocured，andwheretheyweresuddenlyattackedbytheSultaunoftheSeljukianTurks，attheheadofanimmenseforce。
　　Theguides，whosetreacheryisapparentfromthisfactalone，fledatthefirstsightoftheTurkisharmy，andtheChristianswerelefttowageunequalwarfarewiththeirenemy，entangledandbewilderedindesertwilds。Toilingintheirheavymail，theGermanscouldmakebutlittleeffectiveresistancetotheattacksoftheTurkishlighthorse，whoweredownuponthemoneinstant，andoutofsightthenext。Nowinthefrontandnowintherear，theagilefoeshoweredhisarrowsuponthem，enticingthemintoswampsandhollows，fromwhichtheycouldonlyextricatethemselvesafterlongstrugglesandgreatlosses。TheGermans，confoundedbythismodeofwarfare，lostallconceptionofthedirectiontheywerepursuing，andwentbackinsteadofforward。