stendom than the conquest of Asia
Minor, and subsequently Syria, by the Turks.

The latter event, which occurred about nine years after the Norman
Conquest of England, transferred the government of Palestine, and
the custody of the holy places, from a race which, although
Mahometan, was yet tolerant, to a far fiercer and "anti-human"
government The "unspeakable Turk" had appeared on the scene of
European politics.

For, under the milder rule of the Fatimite Caliphs, who reigned
over Jerusalem from A.D. 969 to 1076, a peculiar quarter of the
holy city had been assigned to the Christians; a fair tribute
secured them protection, and the Sepulchre of Christ, with the
other scenes identified with the Passion, were left in their hands.
Greeks and Latins alike enjoyed freedom of worship, and crowds of
pilgrims flocked from all the western nations.

Then appeared our Turks on the scene. They first ravished Asia
Minor from the weak grasp of the later Roman Empire, and
established their capital and worship--the abomination of
desolation--where the first great Christian council had drawn up
the Nicene Creed, that is, at Nicaea in Bithynia.

Then, later on, under the Sultan Malek Shah, they attacked Syria
and Egypt, and the Holy Land passed under that blighting rule,
which has ever since withered it in its grasp, with a few brief
intervals.

And now the scene changed: the pilgrims, who through innumerable
dangers had reached the holy city, only entered it to become the
victims of contumely and savage insult, and often perished by
brutal violence before they reached their goal--the Holy Sepulchre.

The very patriarch of Jerusalem was dragged by the hair and cast
into a filthy dungeon, in order to exact a heavy ransom from the
sympathy of his flock, and the tale of his sufferings harrowed all
hearts.

For twenty years all this was borne.

At length came a pilgrim--then unknown to fame. He was a hermit,
named Peter, and came from Picardy in France. He mingled his tears
with those of the patriarch, to whom he obtained access.

"What can we do?" said the poor prelate. "The successors of
Constantine are no match for the fiery Turk."

"I will rouse the martial nations of Europe in your cause," was the
reply.

History tells how Peter the Hermit kept his word: how his fiery
eloquence aroused and kindled all hearts; how Christendom sent
forth her myriads, as under some potent spell.

At the council of Clermont, in November