About this episode

This episode explores the origins and controversies of the Children's Crusade led by Stephen of Cloyes in 1212.

In the late spring of 1212, a spontaneous mass movement of 30,000 children arose in medieval France. Led by a 12-year-old shepherd boy named Stephen from the small village of Cloyes, the “Children’s Crusade” swore to march on the Holy Land and peacefully reclaim the city of Jerusalem from Muslim control. In this first episode of a two-part series, we examine the origins of the Children’s Crusade, the historiographical controversy surrounding it, and the enigmatic figure at its center, Stephen of Cloyes.    SOURCES: Asbridge, Thomas. The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land. Ecco, 2010. Clayton, Joseph. Pope Innocent III and His Times. Bruce Publishing Company, 1913. Cunningham, Hugh. The Invention of Childhood. BBC Books, 2006. Gabriele, Matthew, and David M. Perry. The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe. Harper, 2021. Gies, Frances, and Joseph Gies. Life in a Medieval City. Harper Perennial, 2010. Gray, George Zabriskie. The Children's Crusade. Houghton Mifflin, 1870. Hourly History. The Crusades: A History from Beginning to End. Hourly History, 2016. Jones, Dan. Crusaders: The Epic History…

Topics covered

• Children's Crusade
• medieval history
• historical controversy
• Stephen of Cloyes
• mass movements
• religious conflicts

Keywords

• Children's Crusade
• Stephen of Cloyes
• medieval France
• Holy Land
• historical controversy
• mass movement
• Jerusalem

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Evergreen Podcasts

Books & works: The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land, Pope Innocent III and His Times, The Invention of Childhood, The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe, Life in a Medieval City, The Children's Crusade, The Crusades: A History from Beginning to End, Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands, The Crusades through Arab Eyes, The Fourth Crusade 1202–04: The Betrayal of Byzantium

Places: France, Jerusalem

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