The Historia Vie Hierosolimitane of Gilo of Paris and a Second, Anonymous Author

This book is the first critical edition of the Latin poem Historia Vie Hierosolimitane by Gilo of Paris and a second anonymous author, translated for the first time into English and provided with a detailed historical and linguistic commentary. The poem illustrates how quickly a theological and cultural understanding of the first crusade developed after the events themselves and shows how soon the leaders of the crusades came to be regarded as `heroes'. The poem is important because of its similarity to other narrative treatments of the crusades from the early twelfth century and its links with the vernacular Chanson d'Antioch.