Peter the Hermit

Peter the Hermit (c. 1050 – 8 July 1115 or 1131), also called Little Peter, Peter of Amiens, or Peter of Achères, was a Roman Catholic priest from Amiens. He played a central role in the People's Crusade of 1096, a military expedition from France to Jerusalem. In Jewish history, he is linked to the Rhineland massacres, which set a pattern for later Crusades. Though sometimes referred to as "Blessed" Peter the Hermit, the Catholic Church never officially beatified him.

After leading his followers across Europe, Peter's army was nearly wiped out by the Seljuk Turks. Forced to spend the winter in Constantinople, he later joined the Prince's Crusade. He continued to hold leadership positions, to varying degrees, as the Crusaders invaded the Levant and captured Jerusalem.

In French, he is called Pierre l'Ermite. Because of the name's structure, some Francophone scholars treat "l'Ermite" as a surname rather than a title. Some authors claim Peter 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, with critics noting that surnames did not develop until after his time and that no evidence confirms "the Hermit" was an actual surname.

According to Anna Komnene's *Alexiad* (1148), Peter attempted a pilgrimage to Jerusalem before 1096 but was blocked by the Seljuk Turks and reportedly mistreated. He claimed to have witnessed disturbing scenes during this journey. Upon reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, he saw "many forbidden and wicked things" and asked the patriarch why gentiles and evil men were allowed to pollute holy places, steal offerings, beat Christians, and extort pilgrims. The frustrated patriarch replied that he had the power of "a tiny ant" compared to the proud men, and that Christians had to pay regular tribute (jizya) or face death. This experience led Peter to preach inflammatory statements about the Turks. However, doubts remain about whether he ever made such a journey.

Sources disagree on whether Peter attended Pope Urban II's Council of Clermont in 1095, where the Pope announced his military strategy for the First Crusade. It is certain that Peter later preached the armed pilgrimage in France, and his own experiences may have fueled the Roman Catholic cause. Tradition in Huy holds that he was present when the call for war was made and began preaching immediately. He quickly became famous 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 part of the First Crusade is also called the Crusade of the Paupers. Peter organized and guided the paupers as a spiritually purified group of pilgrims supposedly protected by the Holy Ghost. He did not train his army or supply weapons or food. Some historians think the People's Crusade may have also included well-armed soldiers and nobles. A list of known participants in Peter's army exists at the Digital Humanities Institute.

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.

In the spring of 1096, Peter was prominently involved in the Rhineland massacres against Jews. He and his troops participated in the torture and slaughter of Jews in Lorraine, Cologne, Worms, Speyer, and Mainz. In Mainz, Peter's 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, fearing the army's size, tightened frontier regulations. A dispute over the sale of a pair of shoes sparked a riot. 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, then marched into Belgrade, set it on fire, and pillaged it. The army proceeded to Nish (Niš) after an eight-day delay. After riding through Nish toward Sofia, Byzantine soldiers attacked them on the road. The Crusaders suffered heavy losses, losing a quarter of their army.