Peter the Hermit

Peter the Hermit—also called Little Peter, Peter of Amiens, or Peter of Achères—was a Roman Catholic priest from Amiens who played a key role in the 1096 People’s Crusade, the military expedition from France to Jerusalem. Jewish tradition associates him with the Rhineland massacres, which set a precedent for later Crusades, though he has never been officially beatified by the Catholic Church, despite being sometimes referred to as “Blessed.”

Family

His French name, Pierre l’Ermite, has led some Francophone scholars to treat “l’Ermite” as a surname rather than a title. Some sources claim he was born around 1050, the son of Renauld L’Ermite of Auvergne and Alide Montaigu of Picardie; others say he belonged to the L’Hermite family of Auvergne in the Netherlands. These claims are disputed, as no evidence confirms “the Hermit” was a real surname, and surnames did not develop until after his time.

Prior to 1096

Before 1096, according to Anna Komnene’s Alexiad, Peter attempted a pilgrimage to Jerusalem but was blocked by Seljuk Turks and mistreated. He reportedly witnessed disturbing scenes at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—gentiles polluting holy places, stealing offerings, beating Christians, and extorting pilgrims. When he asked the patriarch why this was allowed, the patriarch replied that he had only the strength of a tiny ant compared to the oppressors and had to pay regular tribute (jizya) to avoid death. This experience led Peter to preach inflammatory statements about the Turks, though doubts remain whether he ever made such a journey.

It is uncertain if Peter attended Pope Urban II’s Council of Clermont in 1095, where the Pope announced his military strategy for the First Crusade. What is certain is that Peter became a preacher of the armed pilgrimage in France afterward, and his own experiences may have fueled the cause. Tradition in Huy holds that he was present when war was declared and began preaching immediately. He gained fame as an emotional revivalist, and most historians agree that thousands of serfs and peasants eagerly took the cross at his bidding, partly due to promises he made.

This became known as the Crusade of the Paupers. Peter organized them as a spiritually purified, holy group supposedly protected by the Holy Ghost, but he did not train them, supply weapons, or provide food. Some historians think the People’s Crusade may have also included well-armed soldiers and nobles.

Crusade to the Holy Land

Pope Urban II commissioned Peter to command an armed pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Before departing, Peter received permission from Patriarch Simeon II of Jerusalem. He recruited from England, Lorraine, France, and Flanders, arriving in Cologne, Germany, on Holy Saturday, 12 April 1096.

Massacre of Jewish civilians

In spring 1096, Peter was one of the prominent figures involved in the Rhineland massacres against Jews. His troops participated in the torture and slaughter of Jews in Lorraine, Cologne, Worms, Speyer, and Mainz. In Mainz, his followers killed a large group of Jews who had been granted refuge by a local bishop in exchange for money.

Death toll estimates generally range from 2,000 to 2,800 civilians, though some claim about 5,000 or even 10,000. These killings are known as Gzerot Tatnó (Edicts of 4856). Another group, led by the knight count Emicho of Leiningen, provoked the massacres.

Before reaching Constantinople, Peter and his followers faced difficulties. In Zemun, the governor—a descendant of a Ghuzz Turk—and a colleague, frightened by the army’s size, tightened frontier regulations. A dispute over a pair of shoes sparked a riot, and against Peter’s wishes, the town was attacked and the citadel stormed.

This resulted in 4,000 Hungarians killed and many provisions stolen. On 26 June 1096, Peter’s army crossed the Sava River, marched into Belgrade, set it on fire, and pillaged it. They then moved through Nish after an eight-day delay.

Riding toward Sofia, they were attacked by Byzantine soldiers on the road, losing a quarter of their army. Peter’s forces were almost entirely annihilated by the Seljuk Turks, forcing him to winter in Constantinople and join the Prince’s Crusade. He continued to hold a leadership role, with varying significance, as the Crusaders invaded the Levant and captured Jerusalem.