THE SCENE: When you’re trying to get God’s support for your Holy War, the best first step is probably making sure that your army is a Holy Army.
THE TEXT: On their arrival in Asia Minor, part of which belongs to Constantinople, and part to the Sultan of Iconium, they experienced the perfidy of the Greek emperor; for our people had excited his indignation by certain excesses, and also called down the anger of Almighty God, by conducting themselves with pride and want of subordination. We read in old time that God’s whole immense army was so defiled by the crime of one man sinning, even secretly, and so deserted by the divine favor, as that “the hearts of the people melted, and became as water” [Joshua 7:5]. On consulting the Lord, He replied, that “the people were polluted by a curse;” and added, “There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel. Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” [Joshua 7:13]. In like manner in our army such enormities had gained strength, not only against their discipline as Christians, but as soldiers, that it was not surprising if the divine favor did not smile upon them, polluted and corrupted as they were. Camps are called castra, from the castration of impurity; but our camps were not chaste, for there the lusts of many were raging through ill-starred licentiousness. Presuming, therefore, on the multitude and equipment of their forces, and proudly making flesh their arm, they confided too little in the mercy and power of God, in whose cause they would have seemed zealous, and proved the truth of the saying, that “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” [James 4:6]. Besides this, though they now were in the territory of a Christian prince, with whom they were in league, and by whose command they had obtained supplies, yet they abstained not from plunder.
In consequence, the irritated emperor assailed them with famine and with war, and, though a Christian, shuddered not to spill Christian blood. Lastly, prohibiting all supplies, when our party were prevented from foraging by the ambush of the enemy, the army first wasted away by hunger, next, falling into the snares of the adversary, either dyed the swords of the Turks with its blood, or exchanged its state of Christian liberty for the most wretched and ignominious slavery; nor was God’s anger withheld from the punishment of these proud and corrupted people; for frequently, as it is said, torrents of unseasonable rain from on high destroyed more of our troops than the sword of the enemy had devoured. Thus, by far the greatest part of two immense armies being annihilated by different accidents and misfortunes, with the remainder, these two great princes, narrowly escaping destruction, reached Jerusalem; and, without having accomplished any one memorable exploit, they returned home inglorious.
– History of English Affairs, William of Newburgh, 12th Century AD
