Crusade in Jeans

Did You Know?

• The book won the Prix de la Divulgation historique in 1976.
• In 2019 it was selected as the classic in that year's "gift a book" campaign, available in paperback for €2,50.
• The film was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2007.

Plot summary

Fifteen-year-old Rudolf "Dolf" Wega volunteers for a time machine experiment but is accidentally stranded in the 13th century. He saves Leonardo Fibonacci da Pisa, teaches him Arabic numerals, and together they join the German Children's Crusade. Using modern knowledge, Dolf saves many children from harm, though his knowledge leads to accusations of witchcraft. Two slavers deceive a group of children with stories of liberating Jerusalem, intending to sell them as slaves. With his 20th-century skepticism and a few "magical" devices like a box of matches, Dolf keeps most children alive and leads them to safety.

Characters

Dolf, born in Amstelveen, is the fifteen-year-old protagonist whose full name is Rudolf Hefting; he becomes the active leader of the crusade. Leonardo, born in Pisa, is the historical mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, a very intelligent young man and one of the few historical characters in the book. Marie is an eleven-year-old parentless beggar with a sensitive nature; both Dolf and Leonardo grow very fond of her during the crusade. Frank is the twelve-year-old son of a tanner from Cologne. Peter, a strong child around twelve, becomes responsible for fisheries in the crusade; after a tragedy in Genoa his personality grows colder. Hans has seemingly unlimited knowledge of trees, as his father was a woodcutter. Bertho is a tall, strong boy who feels strong guilt about his past. Everard, one of the main hunters along with Carolus and Bertho, has seen nothing but forests and hunting parties; he dies bravely in a fight between farmers of Lombardy. Dom Thaddeus is a priest from a neighboring village who joins the crusade. Dom Anselmus and Dom Augustus are impostors pretending to be monks who, under orders from Boglio, attempt to sell the children to a slave market but fail. Nicolas is a young shepherd deceived by the fake monks into believing he is God's chosen leader of the Children's Crusade. Carolus is a young nobleman who believes he will be crowned king in Jerusalem but unexpectedly dies of appendicitis before reaching Genoa; his death is a strong blow to Dolf. Fredo, a robust son of an impoverished knight, leaves the crusade before crossing the Alps along with 800 followers. Hilda von Marburg, daughter of a count raised in her uncle's palace, is the supposed future queen of Jerusalem and becomes in charge of nursing. Frieda, a servant's daughter, has much knowledge of berries, herbs, and root vegetables. Gardulf, a baker, with help from Frank and Dolf, makes 200 fringes of bread in one night, preventing starvation. Wilhelm is a chubby boy always willing to help Dolf.