Editing Children's Crusade (section)

==Accounts==
===Traditional accounts===

There are a number of traditional stories of the Children's Crusade which share similar facts. A boy begins to preach in either France or Germany, claiming that he had been visited by Jesus, who instructed him to lead a [[crusade]] in order to peacefully convert Muslims to Christianity. Through a series of portents and miracles, he gains a following of up to 30,000 children. He leads his followers south towards the [[Mediterranean Sea]], in the belief that the sea would part on their arrival, which would allow him and his followers to walk to [[Jerusalem]]. This does not happen. Instead, two French merchants promise to take some children across the sea to the Holy Land. However, the children are either taken to the [[Tunisia]] in the [[Almohad Caliphate]], where they are sold into slavery by the merchants, or [[shipwreck|shipwrecked]] on [[San Pietro Island]] off [[Sardinia]].<ref name="Russell" />

===Modern accounts===
According to more recent researchers, there seem to have actually been two separate movements of people (including adults) in 1212 from Germany and France.<ref name="Raedts"/><ref name="Russell"/> The similarities of the two allowed later chroniclers to combine and embellish the tales.

==== Nicholas of Cologne in Germany ====
In the first movement, Nicholas, a shepherd from the [[Rhineland]] in Germany,<ref name="Bridge">Bridge, Antony. ''The Crusades''. London: Granada Publishing, 1980. {{ISBN|0-531-09872-9}}</ref> tried to lead a group across the [[Alps]] and into Italy in the early spring of 1212. Nicholas said that the sea would open up before them just as the Lord had done for the Israelites and allow his followers to cross into the Holy Land.<ref name="Britannica">{{Cite web |title=Children's Crusade {{!}} European history {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Childrens-Crusade |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Rather than intending to fight the [[Saracens]], he said that the Muslim kingdoms would be defeated when their citizens converted to Christianity.<ref name="Bridge"/> His disciples went off to preach the call for the "Crusade" across the German lands, and they massed in [[Cologne]] after a few weeks. Splitting into two groups, the crowds took different roads through Switzerland. Two out of every three people on the journey died, while many others returned to their homes.<ref name="Bridge"/> About 7,000 arrived in [[Genoa]] in late August. They immediately marched to the harbour, expecting the sea to divide before them; when it did not many became bitterly disappointed. A few accused Nicholas of betraying them, while others settled down to wait for God to change his mind, since they believed that it was unthinkable that he would not eventually do so. The Genoese authorities were reportedly impressed by the group, and they offered citizenship to those who wished to settle in their city. Most of the would-be Crusaders took up this opportunity.<ref name="Bridge"/> Nicholas refused to say he was defeated and travelled to [[Pisa]], his movement continuing to break up along the way. In [[Pisa]], two ships directed to [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] agreed to embark several of the children who, perhaps, managed to reach the Holy Land.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Runciman|first=Steven|title=A History of the Crusades. Vol III|publisher=Pelican Books|year=1971|pages=142}}</ref> Nicholas and a few loyal followers, instead, continued to the [[Papal States]], where they met [[Pope Innocent III]]. The remaining ones departed for Germany after the [[Pontiff]] exhorted them to be good and to return home to their families. Nicholas did not survive the second attempt across the Alps; back home his father was arrested and hanged under pressure from angry families whose relatives had perished while following the children.<ref name="Bridge"/>

Some of the most dedicated members of this Crusade were later reported to have wandered to [[Ancona]] and [[Brindisi]]; none are known to have reached the Holy Land.<ref name="Bridge"/>

====Stephen of Cloyes in France====
The second movement was led by a twelve-year-old<ref name="Bridge"/> French shepherd boy named Stephen (Étienne) of [[Cloyes-sur-le-Loir|Cloyes]], who said in June that he bore a letter for the king of France from Jesus who was disguised as a poor pilgrim.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hansbery |first=Joseph E. |date=1938 |title=The Children's Crusade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25013654 |journal=The Catholic Historical Review |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=30–38 |jstor=25013654 |issn=0008-8080}}</ref><ref name="Britannica" /> Large gangs of youths around his age were drawn to him, most of whom claimed to possess special gifts of God and thought themselves miracle workers. Attracting a following of over 30,000, including adults, but mostly children, he went to [[Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Denis]], where he was reported to cause miracles. On the orders of [[Philip II of France|Philip II]], advised by the [[University of Paris]], the people were implored to return home. Philip himself did not appear impressed, especially since his unexpected visitors were led by a mere child, and refused to take them seriously. Stephen, however, was not dissuaded and began preaching at a nearby abbey. From Saint-Denis, Stephen travelled around France, spreading his messages as he went, promising to lead charges of Christ to Jerusalem. Although the Church was skeptical, many adults were impressed by his teaching.<ref name="Bridge"/> Few of those who initially joined him possessed his activeness; it is estimated that there were fewer than half the initial 30,000 remaining, a figure that was shrinking rapidly, rather than growing as perhaps anticipated.

At the end of June 1212, Stephen led his largely juvenile Crusaders from [[Vendôme]] to [[Marseille]]. They survived by begging for food, while the vast majority seem to have been disheartened by the hardship of this journey and returned to their families.<ref name="Bridge"/>

Two French merchants (Hugh the Iron and William of Posqueres) offered to carry any children that were willing to pay a small fee by boat. They were then taken to Tunisia, where they were sold into slavery by the merchants. However, some died in a shipwreck on San Pietro Island off Sardinia during a gale.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}