The Children’s Crusade

The Crusades until now haven’t been very successful or what we would call very Christian. It is important to remember that in that time, there were sincere attempts at reforming the world in the name of God. Most of the crusaders then believed in the right and goodness of what they were doing. Some, however, saw the Crusades as a get-rich scheme. When independent pride and greed got in the way, things went sour. Eventually, someone came up with the idea that simple goodness and innocence were necessary for this crusade idea to work. That person was a German youth named Nicholas.

In 1212, 30,000 children looking for adventure, truly believing and just wanting to escape home followed Nicholas across the Alps and toward the sea, where they hoped to be able to sail to the Holy Land. Instead, those who survived the trip were gathered by a Norwegian man, who sold them into slavery and prostitution.

A similar group of 20,000 French children followed a boy named Stephen. When they reached the sea, they were permitted to board seven ships. Two of those ships sank and the children drowned. The other five docked in Africa, where the children were immediately sold into slavery.

This hopeless and sad tale didn’t kill off the crusader fever. The pope announced that anyone could join a crusade without permission. Peasants didn’t need to ask the permission of their lords; they could just go. And despite what happened to the children, many did long to make the journey. The year was 1212.