Girls+Crusade

In a search for personal salvation I encouraged my husband to go on Crusade. We joined 100,000 nobles, priests, and peasants on a difficult year long voyage south around the mediteranean. As we enter the Middle East our army of knights, made up of mostly older soldiers are able to win several victories culminating in the taking of Jerusalem itself. My husband made a name for himself and is recognized as a hero among the Christians. Unfortunately he is recognized so highly that he is recruited to join the Knights Templar, an organization of Warrior-Monks/Priests. As a member of this prestigious community he is highly respected, but since he's now also a priest he is no longer able to be married to me. In the "Divorce" I was given a large enough stipend and am able to set up a small shop in Jerusalem that becomes relatively successful. Missing my family I adopted a young orphan from the crusades and raise him as my own. I hope that one day they will take over the shop when I am too old. It has already become a very successful business. To think, back home I would not even be allowed to own a house, much less a shop. The culture here is so much more forward thinking. I am so lucky to have made the journey here.


 * [[image:knight_templar_and_hospitaller.jpg width="359" height="475" align="left" caption="Knights Templar left and Hospitallar right"]] || [[image:02Jerusalem1180Web.jpg width="352" height="543" align="right" caption="Map of Jerusalem during crusades"]] ||

Tragedy has struck, a Muslim Ruler named Saladin has defeated the Templars and Hospitallars, all information indicates my husband has died in the battle. He is marching on Jerusalem and it is only a matter of time before they take the city. If they take the city there is a good chance that many people will be killed much like when the Crusaders took Jerusalem from the Muslims. I have passage on a boat back to France if I want to take it for me and my son who is a young man now. I hate the thought of leaving here though, it has become my home more than Home ever was.


 * [[image:fr-lgflag.gif width="313" height="209" align="left" caption="On to France" link="GSCFrance"]] || [[image:jerusalem.jpg width="295" height="222" align="left" caption="plunder of Jerusalem" link="GPSCStay in Jerusalem"]] ||
 * ~ Return to France ||~ Stay in Jerusalem ||
 * Europe is still mired in the dark ages, women are treated as property and a peasant woman, even rich doesn't have much to look forward to. || Staying in a city about to be captured has great risk, Many times unspeakable atrocities are committed by the victorious forces. ||

BACK